Once upon a time, in a small magical town, lived a cowboy named Jack. He was unlike any ordinary cowboy; he possessed a unique set of magical abilities. Jack had the power to communicate with animals, and they were always his loyal companions on his adventures. He could also summon gusts of wind to help him navigate through treacherous terrains and blow away any obstacles in his path. The townspeople admired and respected Jack for his extraordinary powers. He was the town's protector, ensuring the safety of everyone against any magical threats that might arise.
Twenty-five years ago, Scholastic's "The Magic School Bus" veered off the written page and into our television sets, bringing with it a credo that emphasized taking chances, making mistakes and getting messy. Support from the National Science Foundation helped bring the celebrated book series to the airwaves and to young viewers like Peterson, sitting frog-legged on living room floors across the country.
In her university lab, Peterson studies the enzymes that form biofilm, a slimy buildup of microorganisms that can grow on all types of surfaces, from teeth and buildings to pacemakers and ponds. Today, NSF-funded shows like Cyberchase, SciGirls, Peep and the Big Wide World, Peg Cat Design Squad , Splash and Bubbles and others continue to break new ground in children s science learning through media.
He was the town's protector, ensuring the safety of everyone against any magical threats that might arise. Whenever there was a problem, they would come to Jack for help. One day, a powerful sorcerer began terrorizing the town with his dark magic.
#NSFstories: What a magic school bus can teach us about science education
A school bus full of third graders sits stranded, submerged in a dense, sticky substance with no way to escape. Then someone comes up with an idea. They add baking soda to a vial of vinegar and top it with a balloon. The mixing of the two substances causes an immediate chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide, inflating the balloon and lifting them to safety. Ms. Frizzle’s students have once again used science to get them out of a jam -- this time in the form of a cake.
Twenty years ago, four-year-old Alex Peterson was on the edge of her seat watching Ms. Frizzle and her class escape from being baked inside a cake on the "Ready, Set, Dough" episode of "The Magic School Bus."
"I loved baking when I was a kid. Watching those air bubbles form, it just clicked for me that chemistry is what makes cakes, and I realized that this is what I wanted to do," says Peterson, now a doctoral student in biochemistry at the University of Maryland. "I have a very vivid memory from third grade of looking at the schedule and counting down the time to science class because I just couldn't wait to do science in 'real life.'"
Peterson in her lab (left) and dressed up as Ms. Frizzle with her cat dressed up as Liz for Halloween (right)
In her university lab, Peterson studies the enzymes that form biofilm, a slimy buildup of microorganisms that can grow on all types of surfaces, from teeth and buildings to pacemakers and ponds. She's looking for a way to effectively break down the notoriously impenetrable substance, which can make it hard for medications to reach the infections they need to treat. Finding a way to reduce biofilms could make treatments more effective. When asked about the effect "The Magic School Bus" had on her current career path in science, Peterson says, "It's absolutely why I'm a chemist."
Twenty-five years ago, Scholastic's "The Magic School Bus" veered off the written page and into our television sets, bringing with it a credo that emphasized taking chances, making mistakes and getting messy. Support from the National Science Foundation helped bring the celebrated book series to the airwaves and to young viewers like Peterson, sitting frog-legged on living room floors across the country.
Sandy Welch was the director of education at PBS when the network picked up "The Magic School Bus" as part of its portfolio of children's programming.
"We were excited because it was the first fully animated science show," Welch says. "I was excited to see a teacher featured, and not just any teacher -- [Ms. Frizzle] was a delight!"
Welch says Ms. Frizzle helped inspire teachers to use the programming in their classrooms.
Today, Welch is part of a division in NSF’s education directorate dedicated to providing funding for children's media programs that focus on STEM education. It supports the agency's multi-decade effort to boost science learning beyond the classroom, where research has shown most learning takes place.
"We know that children learn intuitively and that a lot of it happens in an informal setting," says Welch.
NSF supports a wide range of informal STEM programming in museums, through after school programs and citizen science projects. With mass media, however, there is a potential to reach millions.
According to Welch, for NSF to fund a media program it must meet rigorous criteria. Creators must demonstrate the concept was developed based on existing knowledge of best practices in STEM education and how children learn through media. They must have clearly defined goals on how to interest, engage and impact learners. They must have a way to evaluate the program's impact.
And they must be innovative.
"Our program is explicit that we want to fund innovation," Welch says. "We are looking for proposals that experiment with new technology, a new approach, a new distribution platform. We're willing to fund things that may be risky -- like a new platform that hasn't been tried but seems to hold promise."
"The Magic School Bus," "3-2-1 Contact," "Reading Rainbow," "Zoom" and "Bill Nye the Science Guy" were just a few of the early NSF-funded shows that took an innovative approach to bringing science to life on the small screen.
Courtesy Peep and the Big Wide World/ PBS KidsToday, NSF-funded shows like "Cyberchase," SciGirls," "Peep and the Big Wide World," "Peg + Cat" "Design Squad," "Splash and Bubbles" and others continue to break new ground in children's science learning through media.
"Peep and the Big Wide World," for example, was one of the first programs to show that toddlers could learn basic science concepts and skills like measuring, comparing and estimating through television shows geared toward their age group.
Courtesy SciGirls/PBS Kids"SciGirls" was launched in response to the fact that women in the U.S. remain underrepresented in STEM, especially in fields like engineering and the computer sciences. The show engages tween viewers in STEM by following a group of real-world girls as they predict, observe, experiment and otherwise don their "scientist hats" to understand the world around them.
Many of today's shows have also been adapted to a multimedia and mobile world, augmenting their TV programming with innovative web content and downloadable apps. Kids who love "Cyberchase," a show designed to make math fun and accessible and that NSF began funding in the late 1990s, can now access educational games, videos and hands-on activities via the "Cyberchase" webpage on the PBS Kids website and through apps. The webpage for "Design Squad," another NSF-funded show on PBS, offers short videos on how to make everything from a two-wheeled balloon car to bristle bots made from toothbrush heads.
[More: Seven NSF-supported STEM resources that are perfect for at-home learning]
Through on-screen characters like Peep, Peg and Digit, and with access to hands-on activities and other innovative science content, NSF is ensuring quality science programming reaches newer generations of Alex Petersons, inspiring them to become scientists or -- at the very least -- to take chances, make mistakes and get messy!
The sorcerer cast spells that brought chaos and destruction everywhere he went. The people were terrified and didn't know how to stop him. When Jack heard about the sorcerer's rampage, he knew he had to intervene. He rode his trusty horse, Thunder, and set out to confront the sorcerer. With his magic powers and the support of the townspeople, he was determined to put an end to the sorcerer's reign of terror. Upon reaching the sorcerer's lair, Jack faced many challenges. The sorcerer unleashed his dark magic, creating fierce fireballs and summoning terrifying creatures. But Jack remained undeterred. He used his ability to communicate with animals to win over the creatures summoned by the sorcerer, turning them against him. With the sorcerer weakened, Jack summoned a powerful gust of wind that blew away the fireballs and disarmed the sorcerer. The magical town cowboy then confronted the sorcerer face-to-face. In an epic battle, Jack skillfully dodged the sorcerer's attacks and fought back with his own magical powers. With one final blow, Jack defeated the sorcerer and restored peace to the town. The townspeople rejoiced, grateful to their magical hero for saving them once again. Jack continued to protect the town from any evil that threatened its harmony, ensuring that it remained a safe haven for both humans and magical creatures alike. And so, the legend of the magical town cowboy, Jack, lived on, inspiring future generations with his bravery, skills, and unwavering determination to protect the innocent..
Reviews for "Unlocking the Secrets of a Magical Town Cowboy's Craft"
1. Amanda - 2 stars - I found "Magical Town Cowboy" to be incredibly underwhelming. The characters were flat and predictable, and the plot seemed contrived and lacking any real substance. The writing style was also inconsistent, with some sections feeling rushed and others dragging on unnecessarily. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it.
2. Jason - 2 stars - "Magical Town Cowboy" had an interesting premise, but it failed to deliver. The world-building was confusing and inconsistent, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. Additionally, the protagonist was unlikable and his motivations were unclear, which made it hard to root for him. The pacing was also off, with slow and dull sections sandwiched between brief moments of action. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and uninterested in continuing with this series.
3. Sarah - 1 star - I couldn't get past the first few chapters of "Magical Town Cowboy". The writing was amateurish and poorly edited, filled with awkward sentences and grammatical errors. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, and the characters lacked depth or development. I was hoping for an engaging and magical tale, but instead, I was met with a subpar and disappointing read. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-crafted and cohesive story.