The Big Dreams of Small Creatures
Gail Lerner
If a creature frightens us, does that mean it wants to hurt us?
Explore fear, empathy, and our assumptions about other living things through The Big Dreams of Small Creatures. This booklet brings together 15 activities for middle school students, connecting the story with science, art, and creative writing.
Eden wants to understand insects. August wants to get rid of them. When their paths cross at a secret institute where humans and insects communicate, their conflicting views raise questions about fear, empathy, and how we judge other living things.
This 11-page booklet offers 15 activities for middle school students exploring Gail Lerner’s The Big Dreams of Small Creatures. Character comparisons, a scientific text about ant rafts, and Van Gogh’s Butterflies and Poppies invite students to discuss, draw, write creatively, and rethink their first impressions.
Activities at a Glance
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