Arachnid

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/arachnid

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Arachnida
2. What are arachnids and what do they have in common?Arachnids are a group of eight‑legged animals that include spiders, scorpions, mites, ticks, and more. They all have a hard outer shell, breathe air, and use their legs to walk, climb, or catch food.
3. How did spiders and scorpions become good at living on land?Early arachnids had a tough exoskeleton that stopped water from leaving their bodies, and they developed special lungs or tubes that let them breathe air. These changes helped them move from the sea to the land.

Chelicerae: The primary pair of appendages in arachnids, typically used for feeding, sensing, or defense, often modified into fangs.
Book Lungs: Internal respiratory organs found in many arachnids, consisting of stacked lamellae that facilitate gas exchange with the air.
Spinnerets: Abdominal appendages in spiders that produce silk from specialized glands, used for webs, egg sacs, and draglines.
Arthropod Phylogeny: The study of the evolutionary relationships and classification of arthropods, including arachnids.