The Stars Beneath Our Feet
Written by David Barclay Moore

Publisher’s Summary:
Unable to celebrate the holidays in the wake of his older brother’s death in a gang-related shooting, Lolly Rachpaul struggles to avoid being forced into a gang himself while constructing a fantastically creative LEGO city at the Harlem community center.

Primary Source Pairing:
Lolly is struggling with many challenges in his life. Working with LEGOs is a bright light amongst many dark clouds. The LEGO creations Lolly and Rose construct at the Harlem community center not only build incredible towers but also help build a powerful friendship between them. For this primary source pairing, invite students to study a LEGO construction made by a participant in the Build the Future, Brick by Brick NASA event.

Questions for Discussion:

• What do you notice first?
• Find something small but interesting.
• What do you notice that you didn’t expect?
• What do you notice that you can’t explain?
• Make a connection to Lolly’s LEGO creations and what you see in this photograph.

Credits:
Book Cover and Summary: Follett
Build the Future, Brick by Brick photograph: NASA/Maria Werries: https://www.nasa.gov