Decorate a Peacock Spider

After getting to know the Peacock Spider through a short video, students can learn to recognise the features of spiders before decorating and labelling their own using a provided worksheet.

In this activity students will  

• Watch a video about the peacock spider.
• See how scientists make observations about the natural world.
• Learn that spiders belong to a class of bugs called arachnids.
• Identify that spiders have eight legs and two main body parts – the cephalothorax and the abdomen.
• Learn that peacock spiders have external features that help them survive.
• Decorate their own image of a peacock spider.

Suggested questions to engage students 

• How many types of spider can you name?
• Why do you think it is important to discover and name new species?
• We all have different names. Why is it helpful for us to have our own names?
• Why do you think these are called Peacock Spiders?
• Why are spiders an important part of the ecosystem?

What to do

Watch the video to meet Museum Victoria’s very own ‘Spider-Man’ Joseph Schubert and learn about the Peacock Spider.

Peacock spiders are unique to Australia and can be found in backyards across the country. They are known for the colorful patterns on their abdomens and their interesting courtship dances.

Discuss with students

• Why do you think these spiders called 'Peacock Spiders'?
• Why do only males have brightly coloured abdomens?
• Spiders belong to a class of bugs called arachnids.
• All spiders have eight legs and two main body parts – the cephalothorax and the abdomen.
• Most spiders also have eight eyes, and spin webs with silk that is created from glands in their abdomen.

Source: Museums Victoria

Activity:

Students can now design and label their very own peacock spider. Begin by looking through the images of the Peacock Spiders below.

What do students notice about their colourful abdomens? Can they count eight legs?

Download the colouring sheet and invite students to decorate the abdomen of their peacock spider. They might like to base their design on one of the spiders in the photos or they might prefer to create a unique design. 

• Peacock Spider colouring sheet|  103.46 KB .pdf file

Ask students to label the different part of the spider.

Can you count eight legs and eight eyes?

Can you label the cephalothorax and abdomen?