Spider Web Activity for Kids with Free Worksheets

This spider web activity for kids is an excellent study of materials science. Materials science is the study of how materials act and why they act that way. Materials Engineers answer questions like “How can I make a jacket that is bullet-proof?” (answer Kevlar, what bulletproof vests are made of), or “I need a lightweight, breathable, rainproof jacket” (answer Gore-Tex).

After using physics to rock paint spiders, I had an idea to use the spiders to teach about a specific materials science concept, ultimate tensile strength. The ultimate tensile strength of a material is the maximum amount of stress a material can stand before breaking. Think of it this way: Ultimate tensile strength is the maximum force a string can stand before breaking while being pulled in opposite directions.

When I was a software development manager for a biotech company, we had a QA lab performing various product tests for clients testing different materials and products. One of those tests was a tensile test, and we used a UTM (universal testing machine) to test for tensile strength. The machine had two grippers. The product was placed into the grips, and one of the grippers was fixed while the other was pulled. We were looking for the point of failure and recording the different readings.

The UTM is used to test different materials, like metal, plastic, or composite, for tensile strength. Pictured here is one type of UTM. Notice how the material being tested in placed in two grippers.

Depending on what data is needed, the UTM will either stretch the material to measure tensile strength or compress the material for a compression test. The test is run until the materials either breaks or deforms.

Manufacturers would send our lab random samplings off their production lines, and our lab would perform various tests on the items. We would then generate the test results into a detailed QA analysis report so clients could look for unknown manufacturing issues.

The data from the UTM is collected and helps engineers understand how the material will perform wherever it is to be used.

While we used advanced technology to measure tensile strength, in this spider web activity, we will use some simple materials to explore tensile strength while finding the strongest spider web material!

Note: Use the spiders made in this easy activity as the spiders in this experiment.

Spider Web Activity – Finding the BEST spider web material!

Finding the BEST spider web material!

To find the best spider web material, we need to figure out the web material that would hold the greatest number of spiders. The material that held many spiders would have the greatest ultimate tensile strength! We decided to try out three materials:

Note: Before starting the spider web experiment, download the worksheets that accompany this activity. See the sign-up box below.

Make your spider web with Acrylic Yarn. Tie the end of the yarn to a knob on a knitting hat loom ($6). Weave the yarn on the loom and mark each knob as you wind yarn around them. You will need to repeat the pattern you create for other materials. When you are finished creating the spider web, cut off the yarn and knot the end to the last knob.

Place two chairs about 6 inches apart. Suspend the finished spider web by placing an edge of the loom on each chair seat. I also set a pillow under our spider web to soften the blow in-case a spider fell through the web.

Weigh each of your rock spiders. You might want to number them underneath with a marker. Record the weight of each rock on the lab worksheet. Slowly add spiders to the web until the web breaks!

Make your spider web with uncooked spaghetti. Following the pattern created in Step 1, create the same web pattern using uncooked spaghetti. As you place a piece of spaghetti down, carefully tape each end to the loom.

Repeat steps 2 and 3.

Make your spider web with decorative spider webs. Cut off about 12 inches, and pull the material apart. Drape the material over the knitting loom, making sure to poke the loom knobs through the spider webbing to make it secure.
Repeat steps 2 and 3.

Tensile Strength Results

Material 1: Acrylic Yarn Spider Web Material

We were sure our spiders would break this web, but as we kept adding spiders, the yarn stretched instead of breaking! From our result, we learned that the tensile strength of the yarn was bigger than the weight of all our spiders combined!

Material 2: Uncooked Spaghetti Spider Web Material

Our spaghetti spider web broke with only two spiders. Our result taught us that the tensile strength of the spaghetti was lower than the weight of just one rock!

Material 3: Decorative Spider Web Material

We were certain the spiders would fall through the decorative spider web. Instead, though, the web stretched and stretched but about the same as the spaghetti!

Try this experiment at home, and let me know if you get the same results! Can you think of any other material you could use to make a spider web?

Download the Worksheets

Related Resources

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I hold a master’s degree in child development and early education and am working on a post-baccalaureate in biology. I spent 15 years working for a biotechnology company developing IT systems in DNA testing laboratories across the US. I taught K4 in a private school, homeschooled my children, and have taught on the mission field in southern Asia. For 4 years, I served on our state’s FIRST Lego League tournament Board and served as the Judging Director. I own thehomeschoolscientist and also write a regular science column for Homeschooling Today Magazine. You’ll also find my writings on the CTCMath blog. Through this site, I have authored over 50 math and science resources.