The Magic School Bus Dries Up

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Field Trip Notes
Can anyone do something about the weather? It's a hot, muggy day and a thunderstorm might help break the heat. Ralphie fantasizes being a superhero - Weatherman - who controls the weather. He gets to live out his daydream when the class rides the Magic School Bus into the clouds. As Weatherman, Ralphie makes wind, an updraft, clouds, and rain. Then a thunderstorm moves in and the Magic School Bus is caught in the middle of it! Can Weatherman save then day?

Where's The Water?

Going Hands-On

For once, Arnold is prepared for a field trip! He's wearing desert survival gear. But the class discovers that desert animals have 'built-in' adaptations, or ways of surviving. One adaptation many desert animals have is the ability to get water from their food. Have children work in small groups to find out if foods they eat contain water.

What You Need

for each group:

• 4 bite-size pieces of different foods (Try apple, turkey, cheese, bread, chips.)
• 4 plastic sandwich bags that zip close
• gooseneck lamp with 75-watt bulb
• copies of WHERE’S THE WATER? Page

Talk About It

Ask children if they think there is water in the food they eat. Why? Together, make a list of foods that kids think contain water.

What To Do

1. Give each group the materials.
2. Arrange a spot for kids to place bags about 20 inches under the lamp.
3. Help kids discover if the foods contain water. Have them write their responses on the WHERE’S THE WATER? page. (The moisture from the food evaporates and condenses in the sandwich bag.)
   
   

Next Stop 

Ask children: What foods would you want to take with you if you were going on a hike in the desert?

How Much Rain?
Students make predictions about how much rain a storm will yield. They then put a jar outside during a rainstorm and measure the results afterwards.

Friz TV: Test Your Science Facts with Ms. Frizzle, from The Magic School Bus
Free online science activities for kids. Children test their science facts with everyone's favorite teacher, Ms. Frizzle, from Scholastic's The Magic School Bus.

Climate Change
Read through this special collection of Scholastic News Online's coverage of climate change to learn more about this important issue.

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