This fall my daughters are VERY excited about starting science because they’ve seen me getting this curriculum ready. They LOVE the Magic School Bus! We looked at getting a few Magic School Bus kits but quickly realized the cost was too expensive for us.
We then looked for free alternatives and found a few lesson plan ideas using SOME of the Magic School Bus Episodes but none that used all of the episodes, or else they didn’t included a living book or experiment element to them. When I later discovered all the amazing resources that the Magic School Bus provides on their website for FREE, I decided it was time to see what I could do about forming our own Magic School Bus lesson plans. The result is what you will see below. You can download it for FREE to use in your own homeschool or classroom this year.
What is included?
The Magic School Bus Science in 180 Days is a compilation of all Magic School Bus episodes, Magic School Bus Activities and Experiments, supplemental activities and crafts, and a list of highly rated books that support each topic being discussed. Intended primarily for Kindergarten, 1st grade, or 2nd grade use, the curriculum is divided into 13 units covering space, plants, energy, animals, the human body, and more. This is an excellent curriculum for those wanting to provide their students with an overview of all types of science and experience Magic School Bus experiments on a budget.
What is Needed?
- Access to the Magic School Bus DVDs. You could try your local library, Netflix, YouTube, or avoid the hassle and purchase them on Amazon. The choice is yours.
- Most experiments and activities use items you can find in most kitchens and classrooms. However, you may want to check the supply list (found on each activity and experiment description) before beginning a new unit just to make sure you have all the items needed on hand.
Other Things You Need to Know
- Several of the Magic School Bus activities are geared for the classroom setting. However, they can easily be adapted to a smaller family or homeschool setting which is what we will be doing.
- The Magic School Bus does NOT support the new earth or creation view of science. While most episodes do not oppose this belief necessarily, a few episodes such as the one on dinosaurs, may want to be previewed or skipped depending on your belief in how you approach the time period/subject in science.
- The book recommendations are not mandatory but incorporating at least some living books into your studies is encouraged. Selections include both fiction and non-fiction choices.
- If you are looking to purchase the Magic School Bus DVDs, I highly recommend you set up a price watch on CamelCamelCamel. Occasionally Amazon offers the full set for as low as $26.99.
Want to do less than 180 days? All the activities with the asterisks are non-Magic School Bus reinforcement activities. You may want to start by eliminating those or you can just pick and choose which activities you’d like to use in each unit to complete the days desired. The choice is up to you.
That’s it! So you ready to get started with Magic School Bus Science? Download your lesson plans now to get started!
