“The Magic School Bus: Catches a Wave” contains three water-related episodes designed to teach your children science without their even knowing it. That’s why I love this series – it’s educational and fun at the same time.
The first episode on this DVD is “Wet all Over.” Wanda and Arnold are paired together for their science report, and Wanda wants to make sure to get it just right by using real water. When Miss Frizzle suggests that they go to Water Land to explore water, the kids think it’s great. But then she turns them into water themselves, and they are dripped into a rain gauge outside. When the sun heats them up, they evaporate, and they learn all about the water cycle.
Then we see “Rocks and Rolls.” The children are carving a statue of the town’s founder out of rock, and they are amazed to learn that ice formed in the crevice of a rock has the power to split that rock in two.
The last episode is “Ups and Downs.” Reports of a strange monster in Walker Lake have been coming in, and the children want to investigate. The bus turns into a submarine, but it’s not heavy enough to sink. The children learn the concept of sink and float as they tie heavy barrels to the sub to make it sink. When an enterprising television reporter decides she doesn’t want the children to mess with her story, she unties the barrels and the sub rises to the surface again. In the end, though, the children reach their goal and learn the truth about the monster.
As always, I enjoyed this DVD and my children had a great time learning science at the same time. I highly recommend this series for any family who wants to strengthen their child’s understanding of science.
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