Horseshoe Crab

Make Your Own Horseshoe Crab!

This model illustrates the major parts of the horseshoe crab.

Materials for each horseshoe crab

1. Small paper plate (6")
2. Coffee stirrer or small diameter drinking straw
3. 8-oz Styrofoam or hot-drink cup
4. Clear tape, crayons and/or markers

Directions

Refer to drawing if needed

1. Cut a semicircle section from the edge of the paper plate. (Main body of horseshoe crab)

2. On the top surface just in front of the cut out section color two large spots for eyes and directly in front of the cutout section place two small "eyes".

3. Cut the coffee cup in half vertically (Middle section of horseshoe crab)

4. Tape the "lip" of the cut coffee cup to the underside of the paper plate at the semicircle section. (This will be the hinge between head and gill section)

5. Push the coffee stirrer or straw through the bottom section of the coffee cup. (Tail) You have a horseshoe crab model!

Before assembling the model you may want to color the top and underside of the plates. The top surface can be colored a dark brown/green color with prominent eyes. On the underside students can draw the leg and mouth regions.

Be creative! Add pipe cleaner legs on the paper plate and small baking cups cut in half pasted into the coffee cup make the "book gills"

A great book for young children: Harry Horseshoe Crab-A Tale of Crawly Creatures by Suzanne Tate