The Stars Beneath Our Feet

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What might be the impact of art and creativity on emotions? How might creativity be considered an important aspect of society? Where can creativity and art be found in everyday life?

Teaching Suggestion: Lolly, the novel’s protagonist, struggles to understand and cope with his violent surroundings. He uses Lego and the design and construction process as a coping mechanism to make sense of his world and escape his emotions. Students might use the prompt as a springboard for discussing the impact of art on society, the importance of creativity to the individual and to groups, and the overall purpose of art and creativity.

• This 6-minute video explores the purpose of art. (Teacher-appropriate; may not be student-facing for all groups due to brief images of wartime violence)
• This article describes how art positively affects the brain.

Short Activity

Research some of the world’s most interesting Lego builds and share your favorites with peers. Describe important details and timelines for the build. Then describe your experience designing, constructing, drawing, and composing some original creation.

Teaching Suggestion: In the novel, Lolly aspires to be an architect and builds a Lego city. Consider sharing the following video and article with students, then encourage them to explore Lego builds independently and share their favorites in small groups. Students might prepare a short list of 3-5 reasons why the build they found is their favorite, allowing for a brief sidebar lesson in superlatives (“tallest,” “most remarkable,” “most complex,” etc.).

• This 8-minute video portrays interesting Lego builds from around the world with details on how they were constructed.
• This PDF from PBS Kids and Design Squad introduces the design process in an accessible manner that might help students design their own building creations.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Describe a time when you had difficulty coping with a powerful emotion. What caused you to feel the way you did? What activities or strategies did you use to get a handle on the emotion? Do you think creativity is helpful in dealing with emotions? What creative activities have you witnessed other people using or expressing to address emotions?

Teaching Suggestion: Lolly uses Lego to help him cope with the anger and sadness he feels after the death of his brother. In turning these questions inward and asking students to examine their thoughts and the behaviors of those around them, they might brainstorm and journal privately. If small groups feel comfortable doing so, they might also discuss emotions, coping strategies for those emotions, and using creativity as an outlet for feelings.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who might benefit from an additional challenge (and keeping sensitivity to the individual in mind) might develop a better understanding of the grieving process. Students may research and describe the steps of grief and record them to refer to as they read the novel. It may be beneficial for students to share findings with peers so the stages of grief can be analyzed as Lolly processes them in the novel.