List of The Magic School Bus episodes facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Welcome to the exciting world of The Magic School Bus! This popular TV show is based on the fun book series by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen. It follows the amazing adventures of Ms. Frizzle and her class as they travel to incredible places in their magical school bus.

Each episode teaches you about science in a super cool way. You'll explore everything from outer space to inside the human body! The episodes don't always happen in order, so you can jump in anywhere and still enjoy the ride. For example, in the very first episode, Arnold mentions they've already visited a rotten log and the bottom of the ocean!

Series overview
Episodes
Home Media

Series overview

Season	Episodes	Originally aired
Season	Episodes	First aired	Last aired
1	13	September 10, 1994 (1994-09-10)	December 3, 1994 (1994-12-03)
2	13	September 9, 1995 (1995-09-09)	December 2, 1995 (1995-12-02)
3	13	September 14, 1996 (1996-09-14)	December 25, 1996 (1996-12-25)
4	13	September 13, 1997 (1997-09-13)	December 6, 1997 (1997-12-06)

Episodes

Season 1 (1994)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Topic	Directed by	Written by	Guest star	Original air date	Prod. code
1	1	"Gets Lost in Space"	The Solar System	Lawrence Jacobs	Brian Meehl & Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	September 10, 1994 (1994-09-10)	MSB-01
Arnold's cousin, Janet, joins the class for a planetarium trip. When it's closed, they decide to go to outer space instead! They explore Mercury, Venus, and Mars. Janet tries to collect an asteroid as proof, but they lose Ms. Frizzle and get lost in space.
2	2	"For Lunch"	Digestion	Lawrence Jacobs	Ellen Schecter, Brian Meehl, John May & Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	September 17, 1994 (1994-09-17)	MSB-02
Arnold accidentally swallows his gum. Ms. Frizzle takes the class on a field trip inside Arnold's body! They explore his digestive system to see what happens to food. Arnold ends up winning an award for having the "best field trip ever."
3	3	"Inside Ralphie"	Germs	Lawrence Jacobs	John May & Jocelyn Stevenson	Tyne Daly	September 24, 1994 (1994-09-24)	MSB-03
Ralphie is sick, so the class can't get a story idea from him for Broadcast Day. Ms. Frizzle says there's a battle inside him. They shrink and go into his body through a cut on his leg. They travel to his sore throat to see what's making him sick.
4	4	"Gets Eaten"	The Food Chain	Lawrence Jacobs	Jocelyn Stevenson & John May	N/A	October 1, 1994 (1994-10-01)	MSB-04
Arnold and Keesha forgot their report on two beach things that go together. Keesha brought a tuna sandwich, and Arnold brought pond scum. They think they have nothing in common. The class learns about the food chain to see if these items are connected.
5	5	"Hops Home"	Habitats	Lawrence Jacobs	Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	October 8, 1994 (1994-10-08)	MSB-05
Wanda's pet frog, Bella, escapes. Wanda is determined to find her. Ms. Frizzle takes the class to different places to find a perfect frog habitat. They learn what animals need to survive in their homes.
6	6	"Meets the Rot Squad"	Decomposition	Lawrence Jacobs	John May & Jocelyn Stevenson	Ed Begley Jr.	October 15, 1994 (1994-10-15)	MSB-06
Wanda wants to remove a rotting log to plant a new tree. The class learns about decomposition by shrinking and examining the log up close. Arnold wants to keep the log as it is, leading to a debate about nature's processes.
7	7	"All Dried Up"	Desert Adaptation	Lawrence Jacobs	Brian Meehl & Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	October 22, 1994 (1994-10-22)	MSB-07
Phoebe worries about animals in the desert and how they survive. She decides to go there to help them. The class learns about how animals and plants adapt to live in dry desert environments.
8	8	"In the Haunted House"	Sound	Lawrence Jacobs	John May, Kristin Laskas Martin & Jocelyn Stevenson	Carol Channing	October 29, 1994 (1994-10-29)	MSB-08
Carlos invents a new instrument for the class concert, but it sounds terrible. The bus breaks down, making them miss rehearsal. They learn how sound is made in the Sound Museum at night, hoping to fix Carlos's instrument.
9	9	"Gets Ready, Set, Dough"	Kitchen Chemistry	Lawrence Jacobs	Brian Meehl, John May & Jocelyn Stevenson	Dom DeLuise	November 5, 1994 (1994-11-05)	MSB-09
The class wants to throw a surprise birthday party for Ms. Frizzle, but they have no cake. The bus shrinks on the way to the bakery, leaving them tiny. They must figure out how to make a cake when they are only a millimeter tall, learning about chemistry in the kitchen.
10	10	"Plays Ball"	Forces	Lawrence Jacobs	John May, Brian Meehl & Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	November 12, 1994 (1994-11-12)	MSB-10
Dorothy Ann's physics book is used as home plate by Ralphie. The bus shrinks and lands on a "frictionless" baseball field inside the book. The class learns that friction is essential for simple actions, like playing baseball or even walking.
11	11	"Goes to Seed"	Seeds	Lawrence Jacobs	Ronnie Krauss, Brian Meehl & Jocelyn Stevenson	Robby Benson	November 19, 1994 (1994-11-19)	MSB-11
The class is planting a garden. Phoebe's special plant is at her old school. They decide to visit, but Phoebe worries Ms. Frizzle will embarrass her. They learn all about seeds and how plants grow.
12	12	"Gets Ants in its Pants"	Ants	Lawrence Jacobs	Jocelyn Stevenson, Kristin Laskas Martin & Brian Meehl	N/A	November 26, 1994 (1994-11-26)	MSB-12
The class plans to make a movie about ants. Keesha finds an ant to be the star, but it runs away into a huge ant hill. Keesha gets frustrated trying to find it. The class learns about ant colonies and their behavior.
13	13	"Kicks Up a Storm"	Weather	Lawrence Jacobs	John May, Brian Meehl & Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	December 3, 1994 (1994-12-03)	MSB-13
Ralphie calls himself "Weatherman," which annoys Keesha. To prove her wrong, Ralphie tries to create a thunderstorm. Things quickly get out of control as the class learns about how weather systems form.

Season 2 (1995)

Danny Tamberelli takes over as the voice of Arnold.
Andre Ottley-Lorant takes over as the voice of Tim.

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Topic	Directed by	Written by	Guest star	Original airdate	Prod. code
14	1	"Blows its Top"	Volcanoes	Charles E. Bastien	Sean Kelly, George Arthur Bloom, & Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	September 9, 1995 (1995-09-09)	MSB-14
Ms. Frizzle says there's a new, undiscovered island. Carlos wants to name it "Carlos Island." When they arrive, there's no island. They learn that the island is still forming from an underwater volcano.
15	2	"Flexes its Muscles"	Body Mechanics	Charles E. Bastien	John May, Jocelyn Stevenson, & George Arthur Bloom	Tony Randall	September 16, 1995 (1995-09-16)	MSB-15
The bus needs repairs at R.U. Humerus's Body Shop. Ralphie dreams of having a robot to do his chores. The class tries to build one, learning how human bones and muscles work first.
16	3	"The Busasaurus"	Dinosaurs	Charles E. Bastien	Ronnie Krauss, Brian Meehl, & George Arthur Bloom	Rita Moreno	September 23, 1995 (1995-09-23)	MSB-16
The class visits Dr. Skeledon at a dinosaur dig. Arnold takes a fossilized egg, and they travel back in time. An Ornithomimus steals the egg, leading Arnold to face a Tyrannosaurus rex.
17	4	"Going Batty"	Bats	Charles E. Bastien	Ronnie Krauss, Brian Meehl, & George Arthur Bloom	Tyne Daly, Dana Elcar, Elliott Gould, Eartha Kitt, & Edward James Olmos	September 30, 1995 (1995-09-30)	MSB-17
Ralphie thinks Ms. Frizzle is a vampire when she shows up in a cape. She takes the parents on a field trip, and Ralphie fears the worst. The class learns about bats and their unique habits.
18	5	"Butterfly and the Bog Beast"	Butterflies	Charles E. Bastien	Brian Meehl & George Arthur Bloom	N/A	October 7, 1995 (1995-10-07)	MSB-18
The class needs a new soccer team mascot. Phoebe wants a butterfly, but others disagree. Janet suggests a "Bog Beast." Ms. Frizzle takes them to a swamp to find out what a Bog Beast is, learning about butterflies and other swamp creatures.
19	6	"Wet All Over"	The Water Cycle	Charles E. Bastien	Jocelyn Stevenson, George Arthur Bloom, & Kristin Laskas Martin	N/A	October 14, 1995 (1995-10-14)	MSB-19
Wanda and Arnold are working on a project. Arnold accidentally leaves Ms. Frizzle's keys and Liz in the bathroom with the water running. The bus turns them into water, and they experience the water cycle firsthand.
20	7	"In a Pickle"	Microbes	Charles E. Bastien	Jocelyn Stevenson, Brian Meehl, & George Arthur Bloom	N/A	October 21, 1995 (1995-10-21)	MSB-20
The class returns from vacation to find their prize-winning vegetables rotted, replaced by a pickle. Keesha suspects Ms. Frizzle. Ms. Frizzle admits she did something, claiming microbes turned the cucumber into a pickle. The class goes on a trip to prove it.
21	8	"Revving Up"	Engines	Charles E. Bastien	Sean Kelly, Brian Meehl, & George Arthur Bloom	Sherman Hemsley	October 28, 1995 (1995-10-28)	MSB-21
Mr. Junkett wants to send the bus to the junkyard after inspecting it. Ms. Frizzle and the class shrink and go inside the bus's engine to save it. They find that peanut butter is causing all the problems.
22	9	"Taking Flight"	Flight	Charles E. Bastien	Kermit Frazier & George Arthur Bloom	N/A	November 4, 1995 (1995-11-04)	MSB-22
Wanda and Tim build a model airplane. Ms. Frizzle shrinks the class to fly in it. The remote control breaks, and the class learns about flight. Meanwhile, Tim, Phoebe, and Liz try to turn the bus into different airplanes to rescue them.
23	10	"Getting Energized"	Energy	Charles E. Bastien	Brian Meehl & George Arthur Bloom	N/A	November 11, 1995 (1995-11-11)	MSB-23
At the Walkerville carnival, the Ferris Wheel isn't working. Carlos's little brother, Mikey, suggests using the energy of falling rocks to power it. The class must figure out how to get the rocks to the wheel safely.
24	11	"Out of this World"	Space Rocks	Charles E. Bastien	Libby Hinson & George Arthur Bloom	Swoosie Kurtz	November 18, 1995 (1995-11-18)	MSB-24
Dorothy Ann has a nightmare about an asteroid hitting her school. She spots one heading for Earth and worries it will come true. The class calls NASA and decides to "find it, follow it, and finish it off," learning about asteroids, meteors, and comets.
25	12	"Cold Feet"	Warm/Cold-Blooded	Charles E. Bastien	Jocelyn Stevenson, John May, & George Arthur Bloom	Michael York	November 25, 1995 (1995-11-25)	MSB-25
Liz disappears, and the trail leads to a reptile spa called Herp Haven. The class overhears a woman talking about her turtle being "toasted and stuffed." They launch a rescue mission, learning about reptiles and how cold-blooded animals control their body temperature.
26	13	"Ups and Downs"	Buoyancy	Charles E. Bastien	Brian Meehl & George Arthur Bloom	Cindy Williams	December 2, 1995 (1995-12-02)	MSB-26
A reporter claims there's a monster in Walker Lake. The class wants to find it. The bus's sinking lever is rusted, so they must find another way to make it sink. They learn about buoyancy by adding weight and "crumpling" the bus.

Season 3 (1996)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Topic	Directed by	Written by	Guest star	Original airdate	Prod. code
27	1	"In a Beehive"	Honeybees	Charles E. Bastien	Doug Booth	N/A	September 14, 1996 (1996-09-14)	MSB-27
Wanda and Tim are delivering honey, but a bee causes their cart to tip over. Desperate to replace the honey, the class learns about the life cycle of honeybees and how they make honey. They even help the bees replace their lost supply.
28	2	"In the Arctic"	Heat	Charles E. Bastien	Brian Meehl	N/A	September 21, 1996 (1996-09-21)	MSB-28
Arnold wonders what happened to the heat from his cocoa. Ms. Frizzle takes the class to the Arctic to learn about heat. The bus accidentally drives into the water, and its engine freezes. The class must find a way to warm it up to escape.
29	3	"Spins a Web"	Spiders	Charles E. Bastien	Robert Schechter	Ed Asner	September 28, 1996 (1996-09-28)	MSB-29
The class goes to a drive-in movie about a giant praying mantis. Carlos hates insects and spiders, but Phoebe wants to save the mantis. Ms. Frizzle drives the bus into the movie! They learn about spiders and their webs to stop a general from using Liz as bait.
30	4	"Under Construction"	Structures	Charles E. Bastien	Libby Hinson	Rosalind Chao	October 5, 1996 (1996-10-05)	MSB-30
The class is visiting a new bridge being built. Wanda's mom needs her to watch her little brother, William. William accidentally shrinks the class and the bus, locking them in the bathroom. They use available materials to build structures to escape.
31	5	"Gets a Bright Idea"	Light	Charles E. Bastien	Ronnie Krauss	N/A	October 12, 1996 (1996-10-12)	MSB-31
Janet is disappointed by a light show, wanting a magic show instead. She claims a ghost haunts the theater. When Arnold goes missing, they find his "ghost." Keesha discovers Janet is using the Pepper's Ghost Effect to create illusions, teaching them about light.
32	6	"Shows and Tells"	Archaeology	Charles E. Bastien	John May	Alex Trebek	October 19, 1996 (1996-10-19)	MSB-32
Arnold is on a game show but forgets his rock collection. He brings a strange object instead. No one knows what it is. Ms. Frizzle takes the class on a field trip to find out, turning the bus into a "Suppose-O-Tron" to test their ideas about archaeology.
33	7	"Makes a Rainbow"	Color	Charles E. Bastien	George Arthur Bloom, Jocelyn Stevenson	Paul Winfield	October 26, 1996 (1996-10-26)	MSB-33
Ms. Frizzle invents a magical pinball machine that uses light instead of balls. The light goes through a prism, and players try to bounce different colored beams into the right eye to "make the rainbow." The class shrinks to help her win the game.
34	8	"Goes Upstream"	Migration	Charles E. Bastien	Ronnie Krauss	N/A	November 2, 1996 (1996-11-02)	MSB-34
Ralphie wonders where all the salmon have gone for the school fish fry. Ms. Frizzle turns the bus into a salmon with a special disc that makes it think like a real salmon. The bus starts migrating, and the class learns about animal journeys.
35	9	"Works Out"	Circulation	Charles E. Bastien	Jocelyn Stevenson, George Arthur Bloom, & Robert Schecter	Dan Marino	November 9, 1996 (1996-11-09)	MSB-35
Ms. Frizzle competes against Mr. Sinew, the gym teacher, in the Teacherathalon. Ralphie wants to know how lungs relate to muscles. They go on a field trip inside Ms. Frizzle herself to learn about the circulatory system and how the body works during exercise.
36	10	"Gets Planted"	Photosynthesis	Charles E. Bastien	Ronnie Krauss	N/A	November 16, 1996 (1996-11-16)	MSB-36
The class is performing Jack and the Beanstalk. Phoebe has stage fright and makes the props. Her real beanstalk won't grow, and her built one breaks. Ms. Frizzle turns Phoebe into a plant, and the class learns how plants get food through photosynthesis.
37	11	"In the Rainforest"	Rainforest Ecology	Charles E. Bastien	Brian Meehl	Matt Frewer	November 23, 1996 (1996-11-23)	MSB-37
For Earth Day, the class gives Ms. Frizzle a cocoa bean tree from the Amazon Rainforest. The tree isn't producing beans. They go to the rainforest to find out why. They discover that the absence of mud holes, where pollinating insects lived, is the problem.
38	12	"Rocks and Rolls"	Erosion	Charles E. Bastien	Jocelyn Stevenson, George Arthur Bloom, & Robert B. Schechter	Jessica Walter	November 30, 1996 (1996-11-30)	MSB-38
The class is sculpting a statue of Captain Walker. They interpret his instructions to sculpt it "without hands" too literally. The statue breaks and falls down the mountain. Ms. Frizzle turns the bus into a rock, and they follow, learning about erosion by water.
39	13	"Holiday Special"	Recycling	Charles E. Bastien	Brian Meehl, John May	Dolly Parton	December 25, 1996 (1996-12-25)	MSB-39
It's the day before winter holidays, and the class is taking items to the recycling center run by Ms. Frizzle's cousin, Murph. Arnold accidentally sends Wanda's toy soldier to be recycled. Wanda wishes recycling never existed, so Ms. Frizzle shows them a world without it.

Season 4 (1997)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Topic	Directed by	Written by	Guest star	Original airdate	Prod. code
40	1	"Meets Molly Cule"	Molecules	Lawrence Jacobs	Ronnie Krauss	Wynonna Judd	September 13, 1997 (1997-09-13)	MSB-40
Wanda wants to wash her favorite singer Molly Cule's car. Molly's hood ornament can't get wet. After cleaning the car, Molly finds a tiny tar blot. They shrink to the size of molecules to clean it. Wanda accidentally knocks the ornament into water, and they must rebuild it.
41	2	"Cracks a Yolk"	Eggs	Lawrence Jacobs	Ronnie Krauss	Paul Winfield	September 20, 1997 (1997-09-20)	MSB-41
Mr. Ruhle asks the class to care for his pet chicken, Giblets. Giblets escapes, so the class decides to hatch a new chicken from an egg. They learn that they need a fertilized egg to produce a chicken. Just in time, Giblets returns!
42	3	"Goes to Mussel Beach"	Tidal Zones	Lawrence Jacobs	John May, George Arthur Bloom, & Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	September 27, 1997 (1997-09-27)	MSB-42
The class goes to the beach. Ralphie insists on staying in a crowded spot. Ms. Frizzle's Uncle Shelby needs a special spot saved. They find a mussel living there. They explore different tidal zones and learn about the creatures that live in each.
43	4	"Goes on Air"	Air Pressure	Lawrence Jacobs	Brain Meehl, George Arthur Bloom, & Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	October 4, 1997 (1997-10-04)	MSB-43
For the Walkerville space capsule, the class needs to put something about air inside. Keesha brings an "empty" pickle jar, explaining it's "filled with air." Ms. Frizzle "accidentally" gets them stuck inside the jar, and they must use air pressure to escape.
44	5	"Gets Swamped"	Wetlands	Lawrence Jacobs	George Arthur Bloom, Robert B. Schechter	N/A	October 11, 1997 (1997-10-11)	MSB-44
Walkerville is debating whether to build a mall on a swamp. The class defends the swamp, while Janet argues against them. They discover the swamp is home to many organisms. A lightning strike floods the city, showing the importance of wetlands.
45	6	"Goes Cellular"	Cells	Lawrence Jacobs	Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	October 18, 1997 (1997-10-18)	MSB-45
Arnold is about to receive an award, but he's turned orange from eating too many Seaweedies. He asks about the difference between his skin and Phoebe's. The class goes on a field trip to compare their skin, learning about cells and how they get energy.
46	7	"Sees Stars"	Stars	Lawrence Jacobs	Noel MacNeal	Dabney Coleman	October 25, 1997 (1997-10-25)	MSB-46
It's Dorothy Ann's birthday, and she's sick. The class sees Horace Scope selling stars for seven dollars each. Tim thinks they can buy one for Dorothy Ann. Keesha is suspicious, so Ms. Frizzle takes them on a field trip to see the stars being sold.
47	8	"Gains Weight"	Gravity	Lawrence Jacobs	George Arthur Bloom	Paul Winfield	November 1, 1997 (1997-11-01)	MSB-47
Phoebe is chosen to do a slam dunk for school but isn't tall enough. Ms. Frizzle takes the class into outer space and turns the bus into a planet with adjustable gravity. They learn how gravity affects weight and movement.
48	9	"Makes a Stink"	Smelling	Lawrence Jacobs	George Arthur Bloom	Bebe Neuwirth	November 8, 1997 (1997-11-08)	MSB-48
Flora Whiff, a famous smell expert, judges the First Annual Smell Search. The class creates a unique smell, but Janet secretly changes it to a horrible stench. They discover the secret to what makes things smell and try to fix their creation.
49	10	"Gets Charged"	Electricity	Charles E. Bastien	Suzanne Bolch, George Arthur Bloom, & Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	November 15, 1997 (1997-11-15)	MSB-49
On Valentine's Day, the class sells light bulbs for a fundraiser. They visit Ms. Frizzle's house, but her doorbell isn't working. Tim and Wanda overhear Ms. Frizzle reading a "love letter." The class must fix the doorbell before her "big connection" arrives, learning about electricity.
50	11	"Gets Programmed"	Computers	Charles E. Bastien	John May, Ronnie Krauss	Malcolm McDowell, Paul Winfield	November 22, 1997 (1997-11-22)	MSB-50
Mr. Ruhle gets a new computer, and the class helps set it up. Carlos's little brother, Mikey, is a computer expert. Mikey sets the computer to do tasks every minute instead of every day. The class must get to Mikey to fix the problem.
51	12	"Takes a Dive"	Coral Reefs	Charles E. Bastien	Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	December 6, 1997 (1997-12-06)	MSB-51
For their coral reef projects, Wanda refuses to work with her partner, Dorothy Ann. Ms. Frizzle tells them about her pirate ancestor, Redbeard, and his treasure in a coral reef. The class learns about symbiotic relationships in coral reefs and must work together to save a bleached part of the reef.
52	13	"In the City"	City Critters	Charles E. Bastien	Noel MacNeal, George Arthur Bloom, & Jocelyn Stevenson	N/A	November 29, 1997 (1997-11-29)	MSB-52
On a trip to the zoo, the class wonders how animals live in the city. Ms. Frizzle turns them into various city animals like foxes, opossums, and peregrine falcons. The bus thinks it's a bear and leaves them. The class must get back to the bus before they are animals forever.

Home Media

You can watch The Magic School Bus episodes on DVD! Each DVD usually has three episodes. Here are some of the DVD collections that have been released:

The Magic School Bus – Bugs, Bugs, Bugs (released September 28, 2004)
- Features episodes like Gets Ants in Its Pants, In a Beehive, and Butterfly and the Bog Beast.
The Magic School Bus – Space Adventures (released January 28, 2003)
- Includes Gets Lost in Space, Out of This World, and Taking Flight.
The Magic School Bus – Human Body (released September 6, 2005)
- Contains For Lunch, Inside Ralphie, and Flexes Its Muscles.
The Magic School Bus: Catches a Wave (released September 6, 2005)
- Features Wet All Over, Ups and Downs, and Rocks and Rolls.
The Magic School Bus – Super Sports Fun (released September 28, 2004)
- Includes Plays Ball, Works Out, and Shows and Tells.
The Magic School Bus – Creepy, Crawly Fun! (released August 20, 2002)
- Contains In the Haunted House, Going Batty, and Spins a Web.
The Magic School Bus – Holiday Special (released October 8, 2002)
- Features the Holiday Special episode, plus In the Arctic and In the Rainforest.
The Magic School Bus – The Complete Series (released September 25, 2012)
- This huge collection has all the episodes from the show!

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List of The Magic School Bus episodes Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.