Includes free pullout

An inquisitive young girl, Annie, visits a Butterfly Farm and becomes fascinated by its colony of Leafcutter ants. After persistent pressure on her mother, Annie is eventually allowed to visit a Butterfly Farm in Belize. Having investigated the work of the Farm and marvelled at the Maya culture, she is persuaded to take a cup of hot chocolate which, magically, reduces her in size so that she is able to enter a Leafcutter colony. It is an experience which inspires her to become a scientist and work on the conservation of threatened species.

This beautifully-illustrated story shows how narrative may be developed out of personal interests or inspired by work on other topics and provides the basis for a study of narrative form, characterisation, the uses and presentation of speech, settings and the creation of atmosphere, narrative devices and a range of language use. It also offers a stimulus for the study of: bio-diversity; habitat; conservation; other cultures and traditions, including the Maya; and the countries of Central America.

In addition to writing their own narratives, children might also engage in: the close response to narrative features required by their SATs; art work inspired by aspects of the text; role play dramatising some of the moral conflicts raised by the story; wall displays representing the outcomes of their researches into elements of the book; and readings of their own work.

To see more information about the artwork please see Illustrations page.

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