Magic School Bus for science?

[Didache Academy]

Does anyone have or know of good resources for using the Magic School Bus books as the basis for a unit study of sorts for science? I have an 8yo dd who has often declared "I love science". She definitely did not get that love from me!! We joined a co-op last year for the main reason that they offer science classes for the older kids. They don't have much this year science-wise for her age, though. I want to try and kindle her interest without adding a whole lot more work for me. We have a lot of the MSB books and some DVD's and she really likes them. Didn't know if there was something out there that helps take them further or not. Thanks.

[charlotteb]

A few years ago, I used the Magic School Bus tv show as our spine for science. I would tape one of the shows each week and whatever topic it covered would be our topic as well. I would go to the library to find books to go along with the topic. It worked very well for us.

[Heather in VA]

I think MSB is great. We have 50 something episodes on our DVR and my kids watch them all the time. My two oldest are doing more science since they are older but just about every day my 5 year old watches one of the episodes during school time. I even talked to my DH about doing exactly what you are talking about in a year or two. I'd say go for it. Pick an episode. Go to the library for some additional books. There are some great easy experiment books out there too that you could pull some hands-on stuff from. You know - there might even been lesson plans on the internet somewhere that have this laid out. MSB has great information and would be a very good starting point for that age.

Heather

[Amy+2]

pre-made kits that incorporate the use of these books and have go along science projects! We have a couple of these kits and my boys LOVE them!

[chiguirre]

If you haven't seen it yet, check out Sid the Science Kid on PBS. My kids are fascinated by it and were interested enough in the episode on rot to ask for more materials.

[VaKim]

Just Google "magic school bus lessons" or "magic school bus units" and you will find all kinds of goodies online.

[Heather in VA]

pre-made kits that incorporate the use of these books and have go along science projects! We have a couple of these kits and my boys LOVE them!

you're kidding!!! Where can I get these???

[charlotteb]

Here are some lesson plan activities from the scholastic website for MSB : http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/teacher/index.htm I used these ocassionally when we did MSB for Science.

[charlotteb]

you're kidding!!! Where can I get these???

http://www.discoverthis.com/magic-school-bus.html These look great! Unfortunately, they weren't out when we used MSB for Science.

[Amy+2]

Try this website:

http://scientificsonline.com/

I believe they sell the kits!;)

[kayte]

I've lurked here for a while and I registered just so I could answer your question :)

The Scientist's Apprentice uses 4 MSB books along with 4 DK eyewitness explorers. It includes lots of hands on activities with each lesson. It's for K-6. I found it through Rainbow Resource.

[Julie Smith]

My son is a big fan of the books. He doesn't watch TV, he would rather be sent to his room then watch TV.

We make unit studies bases on which ever book is currently interesting him.

For awhile his favorite was, "MSB gets lost in space".

I then got lucky and bought from the thrift store some cutout of all the planets. He taped them on the wall properly and added added the dwarf planets "Cirus, MakeMake, Erius" (Please forgive my spelling) he also tried, but I wouldn't let him draw on the asteriod belt and the Kuiper Belt System.

We watched the moon come up, found Venus in the sky... We used a globe and moon (Tennis ball) and a light to learn exactly how day and night works. We went to the park with some balls and did this 'experiment':
http://www.homeschoolscience.com/sample_lessons/sample_astro.html

Here are some of the extra books we read from the library:
The Planets, by Gail Gibbons
Pluto a Dwarf planet, by WinRich Ralph
The Moon, by Winrich Ralph
The Milky Way Galaxy,
Galaxies, Galaxies, by Gail Gibbions
The Sun, by landau Elaine
Space Explorers Magic School Bus chapter book #4, by Eva Moore
The Magic School Bus sees stars, by Joanna Cole
The Magic School Bus out of this world, a book about space rocks, by Joanna Cole
Dwarf Planets, by Loewen, Nancy

Then it was " The Magic School Bus Gets Eaten: A Book About Food Chains". We read lots of "Read and Find out books" about food chains and animal habitats. I was getting ready to make a giant food web on the wall, but we went on vacation. We also read "Food Chain Frenzy (The Magic School Bus Chapter Book, No. 17 ) by Anne Capeci and John Speirs"

It was then "MSB at the Waterworks". Once I read it and he laughed so hard he peed. On two pages it looks a sunny side up egg is floating in the water, and one point it even says, "ouch". (I think it's suppose to be a germ) We of course then had to make eggs. :)

We did some 'experiments' with water. He put many different things in water and left them for days, to see what happens to them.

On Monday next week we will do a water cycle experiment:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2120710_design-water-cycle-experiments.html

I can think of lots of interesting experiments for water, then again my Dad is a water engineer.

The Magic School Bus wet all over, by Joanna Cole
The Magic School Bus ups and downs, a book about floating and sinking, by Joanna Cole
The WaterCycle, by Kalman, Bobbie
Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today? by Rabe, Tish (This explains very nicely why the oceans are salty)
Clouds, by Herriges, Ann
Clouds, by Bauer, Marion Dane

It now looks like we will be learning lots about the weather.... :p That's a big subject!, I was hoping we could start looking at the human body or go back to Food chains and animal habitats.

[Mapi]

Great tips! Thank you ladies.

[Didache Academy]

Wow!! Thanks so much for all of the responses.

[Elm in NJ]

Rainbow Resource also has the Magic school Bus kits. We are planning on doing some of these this year in addition to our regular science.

[hmschoolmom22]

we just recently bought the MSB Secrets of Space kit and we love it!!! we're using it with Apologia Astronomy, here's a link to it:
http://www.hometrainingtools.com/product_categories/156/products/6702-secrets-of-space-kit

[kelfro]

I've lurked here for a while and I registered just so I could answer your question :)

The Scientist's Apprentice uses 4 MSB books along with 4 DK eyewitness explorers. It includes lots of hands on activities with each lesson. It's for K-6. I found it through Rainbow Resource.

I know its been awhile, but I just found your post and was wondering what you thought of The Scientists Apprentice program?

I just heard about it and am considering it for my soon to be 10yo.

Thank you for any help!

[EppieJ]

Teacher Created Resources also has Science/Literature Guides that are based on The Magic School Bus. And I think it was Scholastic that has online pages of activity ideas that go with the books.

[AngelBee]

:lurk5: