The Magic School Bus at the Waterworks (1986)

The first of Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen's wildly popular Magic School Bus series, which follows Miss Frizzle's class as they take fantastic field trips in the course of investigating various scientific topics, The Magic School Bus At the Waterworks sees teacher and students ascending into the clouds, shrinking down to the size of rain-drops, and experiencing the water-cycle up close and personal. From falling as rain and racing along in a stream, to traveling through a water treatments plant and then into their city's water supply, Miss Frizzle's students learn first hand how water moves through various stages and cycles.

Although I have long been familiar with this picture-book series, which launched in 1985, I had never actually picked one of them up. I'm glad that I finally have, as I now understand what all the fuss is about! Informative and educational, while also entertaining and imaginative, the narrative here combines scientific fact with fantastic adventure, while the cartoon-like illustrations add to the fun. The children's dubious initial response to their teacher, and their various conversational asides, are quite amusing, while the topic at hand - how cities and towns get their water - is one that younger readers may not have considered. Highly recommended to all young scientists, as well as to those who think that science is dull - this book might change their minds! ( )

Ms. Frizzle, an unflappable science teacher, drives the magical school bus into a cloud where the children shrink to the size of water droplets and follow the course of water through the city's waterworks system.***SRC Quiz***

You cannot go wrong with Ms. Frizzle and her magic school bus. These books are so enjoyable, children and parents alike delight in them. I don't know why it took me so long to discover this series, but I'm glad it happened! I cannot say enough great things about it! Do yourself a favor and read a few of these stories; you will not regret it. ( )

Summary: whats seemed to be an ordinary day in class turns out to be the ad venture of a life time for mrs frizzles class.Mrs frizzle takes the class on a field trip on her magic school bus. her magic school buss turns in to everything the children need to be safe like a boat an under water submarine and even a hot air balloon threw out the story the children learn about the water works and take notes on what they learned, and they all get to experiencing the water purification system from the inside.

Personal reaction:
I loved this book I use to read the magic school bus as a child and I would always learn so much and be amazed.

Classroom extension:
1. I can teach the students about evaporation threw this book i can have them sit out a glass of water and we can watch it every day as the water evaporates

2. as the water evaporates the children can use math to measure how much water has evaporated since its starting point. ( )

Genre: Science Fiction. This book is science fiction because the events that took place in the story are imaginary, even though the book is full of scientific information and facts. Throughout the field trip, the class goes through the water cycle and even through the water reservoir and the path water must take to get to the city. We learn a lot about water from the side notes and pictures on each page.

Setting: The setting takes place in water, which is very important to the story, considering this is what the book is trying to teach readers. We learn about water and the places it travels or the cycles it undergoes because the class literally follows the water wherever it goes. This setting helps readers better understand water.

Media: colored pencil