The Spellbound Science resources were developed through the PUPPETS project. They contain stories designed to create problems for children to solve. These innovative, original stories provide starting points for scientific enquiry and help children to develop scientific understanding in the middle years of primary school. Each story ends with a Concept Cartoon where the characters in the book argue about their ideas as a starting point for children's discussion. The stories come with a bank of key science vocabulary, a range of ideas for different kinds of enquiries, key questions and background science in child-friendly language. The CD contains writeable planning and ideas pads, with 'drag and drop' key vocabulary to support children with limited writing skills and to encourage children to focus on appropriate science ideas. The book is linked to Spellbound Science 1 which provides 12 more stories covering key concepts at a less demanding level. The main characters (Benny, Jasmin, Grandad and Millie) in each story are based around puppets. Having the puppets brings extra power to the stories. Children love the idea of the characters coming 'alive' and being able to talk to them and share their ideas with them.
There are 83 pages in this book. This book was published 2006 by Millgate House Publishers .
Laura Murray was a teacher before becoming a writer, and she has had to deal with many an escaped gingerbread man in her time. She lives in McLean, Virginia. Mike Lowery is a professor of illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design and a children's book illustrator. His works include The Gingerbread Man Loose at Christmas and the Doodle Adventures series. He lives with his wife and their daughter in Atlanta, Georgia. Brenda and Stuart Naylor are the husband-and-wife team behind the Science on the Underground posters. They are ex-teachers and now train teachers at Manchester Metropolitan University. They developed science 'concept cartoons' in the course of their work with primary teachers and realised they had great potential for science teaching at all ages.
