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Magic School Bus TV Tie-Ins
The Magic School Bus Makes a Rainbow: A Book About Color
The class rides into a whitelight pinball machine to learn about the dazzling wonders of color and light.
32 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1997
About the author
Joanna Cole
505 books212 followersJoanna Cole, who also wrote under the pseudonym B. J. Barnet, was an author of children’s books who teaches science.
She is most famous as the author of The Magic School Bus series of children's books. Joanna Cole wrote over 250 books ranging from her first book Cockroach to her famous series Magic School Bus.
Cole was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby East Orange. She loved science as a child, and had a teacher she says was a little like Ms. Frizzle. She attended the University of Massachusetts and Indiana University before graduating from the City College of New York with a B.A. in psychology. After some graduate education courses, she spent a year as a librarian in a Brooklyn elementary school. Cole subsequently became a letters correspondent at Newsweek, and then a senior editor for Doubleday Books for Young Readers.
She is most famous as the author of The Magic School Bus series of children's books. Joanna Cole wrote over 250 books ranging from her first book Cockroach to her famous series Magic School Bus.
Cole was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby East Orange. She loved science as a child, and had a teacher she says was a little like Ms. Frizzle. She attended the University of Massachusetts and Indiana University before graduating from the City College of New York with a B.A. in psychology. After some graduate education courses, she spent a year as a librarian in a Brooklyn elementary school. Cole subsequently became a letters correspondent at Newsweek, and then a senior editor for Doubleday Books for Young Readers.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 7, 2021
The Magic School Bus Makes a Rainbow: A Book About Color by Joanna Cole, Jocelyn Stevenson,
This book I listened to and it starts out with about the author and about the illustrator.
Starts out with kids asking the teacher why the colors are in the order they are.
The kids talk among themselves and experiments they try to do. The closet is making noises and they go to investigate.
She teaches them how to use the machine and how to use regular white light to make a rainbow.
Field trip takes them to magic bus. They go into the machine, prisms and colors, so magical.
Teacher shows them to game to play to make the colors. I have seen the prisms in my eyeglasses and in my magnifying glass, it so so cool and you can easily get lost just watching as you turn just a tiny bit.
I can just imagine how colorful this book is. They have a problem getting out of the machine til one thinks harder about it...
Letters to the editors are included at the end. Note from the teacher also and she talks about transparent items will allow light to go through.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
This book I listened to and it starts out with about the author and about the illustrator.
Starts out with kids asking the teacher why the colors are in the order they are.
The kids talk among themselves and experiments they try to do. The closet is making noises and they go to investigate.
She teaches them how to use the machine and how to use regular white light to make a rainbow.
Field trip takes them to magic bus. They go into the machine, prisms and colors, so magical.
Teacher shows them to game to play to make the colors. I have seen the prisms in my eyeglasses and in my magnifying glass, it so so cool and you can easily get lost just watching as you turn just a tiny bit.
I can just imagine how colorful this book is. They have a problem getting out of the machine til one thinks harder about it...
Letters to the editors are included at the end. Note from the teacher also and she talks about transparent items will allow light to go through.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
December 31, 2022
I have loved the magic school bus since they came out, but was above the reading level by that time so mostly read them to my younger brother. I found one at the book fair that wasn't released till I was in high school and he was too old, so brought it home to read to the niece and nephew.
August 19, 2020
We love the Magic School Bus series. These books are so informative and visually appealing for readers of all ages.
July 2, 2021
Magic School Bus + rainbows + prisms + arcade games, yes please.
July 21, 2021
You can’t go wrong with the Magic School Bus not only is it fun but it’s informative.
January 21, 2023
This was fun, a really neat way to explore colours. Can't wait to see what magic School Bus book is next to come home from the library 🙂
June 4, 2008
My generic review of the Magic School Bus books -
We really love the series. This book doesn't have all the cartoony dialouge asides that the earlier books have. There are maybe a comment or two per page instead of full conversations. Some people hate that; I think I prefer it. The page is less busy.
These books clearly explain a certain topic. There are often additional activities at the end of the book for further learning.
We read these for 'fun' during picture book time and we read them when learning about a certain subject.
Most of the books have movies which correspond. We've enjoyed those as well.
We really love the series. This book doesn't have all the cartoony dialouge asides that the earlier books have. There are maybe a comment or two per page instead of full conversations. Some people hate that; I think I prefer it. The page is less busy.
These books clearly explain a certain topic. There are often additional activities at the end of the book for further learning.
We read these for 'fun' during picture book time and we read them when learning about a certain subject.
Most of the books have movies which correspond. We've enjoyed those as well.
December 1, 2013
The Magic School Bus is an excellent series, so I expected a lot from this text. The Magic School Bus Makes a Rainbow: A Book About Color explains how color and rainbows work through a pinball game locked in Ms. Frizzle's closet. This book used an engaging way to explain a topic that can be abstract for students. I really enjoyed how they students had to solve what would reflect what colors as well. The illustrations were colorful and accurate to the topic being discussed. This book is overall an excellent resource for teaching this topic and I would readily recomend it for any classroom.
January 12, 2010
A fantastic field trip inside a special pinball machine highlights this edition of the Magic School Bus TV tie-in series. It isn't my favorite book in the series, but it is colorful and informative and our girls just love these books.
January 25, 2011
I taught this very topic to freshman in high school physics--and this book describes the science of a rainbow more understandably than any textbook I've encountered as a teacher. My 5 year old wants to read it again and again and again. If only I'd come across this book when I was teaching! A very solid 5 stars from a scientific teaching standpoint.
October 12, 2011
I love the Magic School Bus books. I've read quite a few over the years. Legomeister loved them a couple of years ago. He still checks them out sometimes, but he doesn't ask me to read them to him anymore. Now it's Little Miss who requests them.
It's about using a prism to separate white light into rainbow colors. And about trying to win Ms. Frizzle a pinball machine.
It's about using a prism to separate white light into rainbow colors. And about trying to win Ms. Frizzle a pinball machine.
April 10, 2012
This is an awesome book to do a character study in. Since there are many Magic School bus books, you can use these books as an introduction to many different scientific concepts. This book would be a great book to introduce how rainbows are created and what ultraviolet light is. This book can be used in any grade level.
April 10, 2012
Ms. Frizzle's class takes a field trip into a pinball machine. They learn about the speed of light and which colors of the rainbow have the longest and shortest wavelengths. This book would best be read during a unit on light for grades 3-5. It correlates with the 4th grade GPS standard for physical science on light.
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October 16, 2012Grade 4-5. Light/ color. Understanding the reflection of light using mirrors, prisms, lens and a light source.
Students will be given a full explanation of how light is reflected off a mirror, prism or lens with white light and produces colors. The book will be read after the engagement activity in order to provide for a full explanation.
Students will be given a full explanation of how light is reflected off a mirror, prism or lens with white light and produces colors. The book will be read after the engagement activity in order to provide for a full explanation.
February 12, 2015
Light is kind of hard to explain to pre-schoolers, but this book does a great job of introducing light and rainbows. LOVE magic school bus! This one is a little long on text. I prefer the ones that give more info in bubbles/notes all over the page so that you can delve into it in more detail when there is more time/attention. There is very little "outside text" in this one.
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July 11, 2016Ms Frizzle takes her students on a magical adventure. In this book the students are turned into light to make a rainbow. The students learn about how rainbows are formed. This book would be great for a 2nd-4th grade science lesson.
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February 15, 2010its about rainbow thats magical
June 16, 2011
...this was definitely one of my favourite childrens book series and oh of course I just loved the tv series too...
July 24, 2011
The Magic School Bus Makes a Rainbow: A Book About Color (Paperback)
by Joanna Cole
The students learn about learn about rainbows. This is a great science supplements for the classroom
August 26, 2011
This is the greatest work of literature ever!!!!!
February 11, 2012
Very good! My fav magic school bus book!
April 27, 2012
Loved watching this TV show as a kid. I feel like I learned so much from the books and the show!
July 3, 2012
The Magic School Bus books are educational in a cute and fun way. My kids get hooked on them over and over again.
January 17, 2013
Understanding color can be a tricky concept. This book is brilliant to add to a lesson about light and color.
Grade: 2-8
Topic: color, light, rainbows
Grade: 2-8
Topic: color, light, rainbows
February 11, 2013
Science
Light source
Reflection
Lens
Prisms
Gr2-4
Light source
Reflection
Lens
Prisms
Gr2-4
April 15, 2013
1 copy
September 1, 2015
Who doesn't love the Magic School Bus!? Very neat way to explain rainbows and gave me a few ideas if that is ever in the lesson plan one day :)
December 5, 2015
I liked the machine that was so awesome. It has so many things in it - mirror, prism, eyes, trees.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews