Amazing Arthropods

Summary
An introduction to the common characteristics of arthropods and some representative organisms with an emphasis on spiders.

Objectives
• Students will identify the common characteristics of all arthropods.

• Students will give examples of the major groupings of arthropods.

• Students will define some of the key anatomical features of spiders and their functions.

Suggested Grades
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade

Excerpt
There are more arthropods on the earth than any other kind of creature and, in fact, two out of three known organisms belong to this group. Although there are many different kinds of arthropods, three main characteristics are common to them all.

a) segmented bodies
b) jointed appendages
c) hard exoskeleton.

Continued...