THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS:

Inside a Hurricane

Written By Joanna Cole

Intended Grade Level: 3rd or 4th Grade

Website Created by Courtney Branscomb

Summary of the Book: As the children are working on their weather projects, Ms. Frizzle announces that they are going to take a trip to the weather station.  The children got into the bus to leave, but instead of driving to the weather station, it turned into a hot air balloon and began to rise into the sky.  The balloon ended up in the middle of a cloud.  Immediately, the students realized that they were actually in a real hurricane.  After many difficulties attempting to escape the hurricane, they finally make it to the gas station.  From there, they visit a local weather station, ending their adventurous day.

Author Joanna Cole and Illustrator Bruce Degen

About the Author: Joanna Cole was born on August 11, 1944 in Newark, New Jersey.  She worked as an elementary librarian and an editor at Doubleday Books for Young Readers.  She has a strong interest in science, and has used this to create her books.  So far, she has written over 90 fiction and non-fiction books.  She also won the 1991 Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Nonfiction award.

Before you begin, print off the checklist so you are able to keep track of your work!!!!!! Click for the Hurricane Checklist!

Activity 1: Review the hurricane names.  See if you can find your own name!  If you can, instead of just writing your name in the rest of the activities, also put the year that your hurricane occurred.

FEMA For Kids: Hurricane Names

Activity 2: Take the "What on Earth?" pop quiz. Click here!http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/quizzes

Activity 1: While you are reading, make a list of the characteristics of a hurricane at   Print.

http://interactives.mped.org/view_interactive.aspx?id=722&title=

Activity 2: Think about what happens at the beginning, middle, and end of a hurricane.  Make a plot diagram showing the steps.  Print.

ReadWriteThink: Student Materials: Plot Diagram

Activity 1: Create your own hurricane at Create-a-Cane. Follow  When you finish type a paragraph describing what four conditions create a hurricane. Print your paragraph.

http://interactives.mped.org/view_interactive.aspx?id=722&title=

Activity 2: Review the parts of a hurricane at Howstuffworks "Parts of a Hurricane".  Print the model of the hurricane.  On the printout, label the eye, the eye wall, and the rain bands.