Molting

A few months back, we took a trip to the Oregon Zoo. See #5 from our Junary trip. We learned that spiders will shed their exoskeletons, much like a snake molts. They had examples of large tarantellas. I didn't know that before our visit.

This morning I discovered a spider skeleton near the pool. The kids were able to find others. I think I've seen these exoskeletons before and just assumed that it was a dead, decayed spider.

Initial Science Project

Find empty quart glass jar.

Have children fill jar as full as they can with river rocks.

Ask, "Is it totally full?"

Have children fill jar as full as they can with play sand.

Ask "Is it totally full?"

Have children slowly pour water over sand.

Air bubbles will likely pop as the water soaks into the sand.
The jar was not completely empty when we started, it had air in it.

Discussion: What is science? Finding out how things work and questioning why things work, often through experimental scientific process.