The Magic School Bus Goes to Mussel Beach
Original airdate: September 27th, 1997
Subject: Tidal zones
Focus Student(s): Wanda, Ralphie
The class manages to hit the beach before the crowds come, and Ralphie insists that one particular area is the best spot. The crowds come, however, and in the meantime Ms. Frizzle gets a phone call from her uncle Shelby about finding the right spot for a mussel named Mert. As Ralphie stays on the beach to hold the fort, the class learns how carefully animals must choose their homes.
Producers Segment
The male producer answers the questions about the episode while Liz cleans up their belongings before they leave the beach.
Tropes
- Beach Episode: Complete with everyone in their swimsuits.
- Chekhov's Gun: The owl limpet that detached the kids in mussel form gives them the idea to turn the bus into a similar creature, so as to make space for Mert in his old spot.
- Determinator: Ralphie will stay in what he thinks is "the best spot," even at the risk of getting sand on him and Frisbees tossed his way. He ends up revealing it's because the spot is the closest to the ice cream truck.
- Everything Is Trying to Kill You: For mussels, sea stars will eat them in the lower zone and seagulls will swoop on them in the high zone.
- Killer Rabbit: Starfish. They will eat mussels rather quickly despite being really pretty.
- Tempting Fate: Right after DA points out that the class is alone on the beach, the crowds come.
- Terrible Interviewees Montage: The episode plays out this way in trying to find a good home for mussels. Where the other mussels are, a large creature called the owl limpet tends to shove mussels away and detach them. Lower in the ocean, the class finds that sea stars will eat mussels, and in the high zone seagulls will offer the same courtesy. They end up going back to Mert's old place and clearing space for the mussel.
