Educator Guide: News Stories Give Spiders a Bum Rap

September 24, 2022

a close-up photo of a jumping spider — Online news stories about people’s encounters with spiders, such as this harmless jumping spider, frequently contain misinformation or sensationalized language, a new study finds.

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About this guide

Are your students creeped out by spiders? They aren’t alone. In this guide, students will learn about how inaccurate news coverage has promoted common misconceptions about the largely harmless critters. Students can also discuss misinformation, thinking about where they’ve encountered it before, its impacts and ways to correct it.

This Guide Includes:

Spinning tales about spiders

Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “News stories have caught spiders in a web of misinformation,” which describes new research looking at how spiders are portrayed by the media. A version of the article, “News stories give spiders a bum rap” appears in the September 24, 2022 issue of Science News.

Being mindful of misinformation

Let spiders and their unfair reputation help you teach students about identifying and correcting misinformation. Learning outcomes: Media literacy, communicating information.