Ep 5. Hops Home

Ms. Frizzle's class is in for a wild ride when they embark on a journey alongside their teacher and her magical school bus in The Magic School Bus season 1 episode 5, titled Hops Home. While on a visit to the local brewery, the students learn about the process of making beer and discover that the hops, one of the key ingredients, are missing.

Ms. Frizzle buckles her seatbelt and turns the bus into a time machine to transport the class back to colonial America. They arrive at a farm where they meet a young girl named Lizzie, who is struggling to harvest her family's crop of hops. Ms. Frizzle explains that hops are not only used in beer, but also for medicinal purposes and as a flavoring agent in food.

Ms. Frizzle assigns each student a task to help Lizzie with the hop harvest, such as picking and sorting hops or carrying them to storage. Along the way, the class learns about the hard work and dedication required in farming, and the importance of working together to complete a task.

As they finish up the harvest, the students notice that the farm's livestock are acting strangely. Ms. Frizzle explains that the hops have a calming effect on animals, which is why they are often used in animal feed. However, without a sufficient supply of hops, the animals become agitated and can be dangerous. The class realizes that they must get the hops back to their own time and place them in the brewery before the animals cause any harm.

After a precarious journey back to the present, Ms. Frizzle and her class successfully deliver the hops to the grateful brewery owner, who declares that they will now be able to make their famous beer once more. The class celebrates their success and reflect on their newfound appreciation for agriculture.

The Magic School Bus season 1 episode 5, Hops Home, teaches valuable lessons about cooperation, agriculture, and the important roles that hops play in our lives. With Ms. Frizzle as their guide, the students learn to appreciate the hard work and dedication required in farming, as well as the impact of missing ingredients on a final product. Through their adventure, the class also gains a deeper respect for the environment and the interconnectedness of people and animals within it.