The Magic School Bus: In The Arctic
By: Joanna Cole
Illustrated by: Bruce Degen
Activities Intended for a fourth grader and were created by Rachel Nowak
Academic Standards:
4.1.1 Describe and investigate the different
ways in which heat can be generated.
Book Summary:
Ms. Frizzle and her class take a field trip to the Arctic for the day. After the bus gets stuck in the freezing weather, the class explores the arctic and sees polar bears walruses. Ms. Frizzle teaches the class how heat radiates off their bodies and other objects and how insulation keeps them warm. After being covered in blubber, the class finally finds the perfect solution to warming up the magic school bus to end their field trip and head back to the school.
About the Author:
Joanna Cole was born in 1944 in Newark, New Jersey. Joanna has written over 250 books ranging from her first book Cockroach to her famous children’s series The Magic School Bus which was written in 1985 and published the following year. She loved science when she was a child, and was inspired by one of her teachers that she says is a little like Ms. Frizzle. Joanna currently lives with her husband Philip in Norfolk.
Instructions:
Please read all the instructions carefully and in the order they appear. Do NOT skip around.
You will be completing several activities, before, during, and after reading the book The Magic School Bus: In The Arctic. Every time you see an underlined word, you may click on it to get to the activity OR use the links on the left of the page to direct you to the different activities.
1. Please begin by printing out this packet of information in order to keep track of your progress throughout this project. Use the checklist at the beginning to check off the activities every time you complete one. The rubric of how you will be graded is also located in the packet.
2. Begin by reading the home page. These sections are: Book Summary, About the Author, and Instructions before you being working on Pre-Reading, During Reading, and After Reading.
3. Click on the Pre-Reading button on the left and complete all activities BEFORE reading The Magic School Bus: In The Arctic.
Be sure to use your checklist and put a CHECK after you have completed that Activity.
4. Once you have finished the Pre-Reading activities, click on the During Reading button on the left and be sure to CHECK and see where you need to stop to complete activities. Once you have completed ALL activities during your reading, be sure to read the rest of the book.
5. After finishing the book and activities listed in the During Reading link, please Click on the After Reading button. This is the last section of your project! You are almost done! :) Complete all activities listed.
6. Once you have completed the activities, please make sure to visit your checklist again to be sure you completed ALL the activities in the project.
7. Be sure to write your name on all papers you will be turning in and hand them in to the teacher.