Teach Primary Issue 19.5

Meet the author BIG MANNY ON CONNECTING WITH KIDS, AND THE LANGUAGE OF SCIENCE What has your technician experience taught you about communication? I was working in schools not long after lockdown, around the time TikTok started blowing up. I noticed that students were more engaged with short-form content; towards the end of longer lessons, they’d start losing focus. So I found that breaking things into bite-sized chunks really helped. I started doing live experiments in class to keep them engaged. That worked really well. What do you want teachers to know about your book? I’d say the book is unique and unconventional – mainly because of the language. I use everyday, conversational language to make science concepts easier to understand. It’s a light, easy read, which makes it more digestible for young readers. I do still include the key scientific terms needed for exams – that’s essential. But I also mix in casual, colloquial language around them to make the reading experience less heavy. It helps students stay interested and makes the content more accessible. You’re also a performer, and have done videos with celebs... Yeah, I produce music and write lyrics. Some of it is science-themed, but mostly I use music to document my journey – my education, working as a technician, getting into content creation. I want to inspire others and give them a blueprint for following a similar path. And yes! I did videos with Brian Cox and Prince William. They were both incredible. Brian Cox is super knowledgeable – I used to watch all his space documentaries growing up. And Prince William really surprised me; he had a genuine interest in science and asked loads of questions during the experiment. It was great to see. BigManny’s books, Science is Lit: Crazy chemistry and epic experiments , and Science is Lit: Awesome electricity andmadmagnets (£8.99, Puffin), are out now. www.teachwire.net | 73 Music of the Mountains BySabrinaShah, ill.ManalMirza (£7.99, Barefoot Books) Science is Lit: Awesome electricity and mad magnets byBigManny, ill. Subi Bosa (£8.99, Puffin) RESOURCES RECOMMENDED WAGOLL WRITING PACKS Support pupils’ writing with these engaging resources, differentiated for KS1, LKS2 and UKS2. Each of the 86 packs includes model texts, planning guides, templates and more. Each one focuses on a particular kind of text, encouraging children to make appropriate vocabulary, register and layout choices. Visit tinyurl.com/PlzWAGOLL KS2 KS1/2 If you, or any of your students, are familiar with TikTok, there’s a good chance you’ve already heard of Big Manny. It’s certainly not an exaggeration to say he’s a sensation (it’s even on his book covers). If you haven’t heard of him, I urge you to look him up right away. Big Manny reproduces science experiments in short format, and – essentially – uses colloquial language to explain them. This book brings together a selection of these experiments in written form, and is the hotly anticipated follow-up to his first Science is Lit book. Whether your pupils are into science or not, they’re sure to find these hands-on activities riveting, and the book will provide plenty of ideas for teaching, too. A must-have. With striking, full-page illustrations, and a gentle story about a young Pakistani girl, Roohi, who is worried about performing the rabab (a traditional string instrument) at an upcoming Eid celebration, this is at once an exploration of a specific culture, and a universal tale. Whether you’re learning about Pakistan, have an upcoming unit on string instruments, or just want to introduce your pupils to an uplifting, engaging story, Roohi’s journey is ripe for both enjoyment and learning opportunities. If you’re particularly keen on the latter, see the final pages, where the author and illustrator have provided more information on the rabab, the area of Pakistan where Roohi lives, and Roohi’s clothing, as well as some Pashto words. ©Charlotte Knee