In our first year science course, we were instructed to create a dramatized science lesson in groups. Our group (Myself, Jordan, Jesslyn, Evan, Ida-Mae) decided to create a lesson about the solar system, using the Magic School Bus as inspiration! Everything you see in the picture, we made from scratch!! The lesson was intended to be approximately an hour, so we had to be really creative in the activities we did. We all took on the identity of one of the students in Ms. Frizzle's class and did a skit at the beginning to mimick the TV show episode that went along with it. After we did the skit and some minor explanation, we had the class create their own planets with art supplies we brought for everyone. The class was instructed to be as creative and open minded as they could! The lesson worked out really well because we had the resources and space to make it work! It might not be that realistic for a real classrom due to the prep work and space required. It may be a neat activity to do with a few classes and do in a gym.
One of the drawbacks of teacher education programs sometimes is that razzle dazzle lessons are what earn you good marks but they are not very helpful when it comes to actual classroom practice. I am sure there are parts of this lesson that you could adapt for an elementary classroom, though. Think about arts integration - what visual art PLOs could be achieved, as well as PLOs for drama and science. This could be the centrepiece of a truly integrated unit focused on the magic schoolhouse books. A class could create their own magic bus in art and then use it as a prop for other lesson activities. When a lesson seems too big, imagine how it can expand to a unit.
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