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Cover of Big and Small and In-Between

P P HIGGINS

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Big and Small and In-Between

by Carter Higgins

Pacing Material

This poetic picture book explores the spectrum of sizes and states of being that exist in our world. Through lyrical language, the text celebrates the beauty found in everything from the enormous to the microscopic.

Big Idea

There is a place and a purpose for everything, whether it is big, small, or somewhere in between.

Discussion Questions

  1. 1.How does the author use size to compare different things?
  2. 2.Why does the book focus on things that are 'in-between'?
  3. 3.How does the rhythm of the words make you feel?
  4. 4.What is your favorite 'size' or 'state' mentioned in the book?
  5. 5.Why is variety important in the world?

Classroom Activities

Poetic Comparison Hunt

Students go on a nature hunt to find items of varying sizes and write a short, poetic phrase to describe their scale.

Poetic Comparison Hunt

Students go on a nature hunt to find items of varying sizes and write a short, poetic phrase to describe their scale.

Lesson Plan

⏱ 50 minutes📦 Notebooks, pencils, magnifying glasses

Learning Goals

  • Practice using comparative language
  • Understand the elements of poetic structure
  • Observe environmental details
  • Develop descriptive vocabulary

Activity Steps

  1. 1.Walk through the schoolyard or classroom
  2. 2.Find one 'big' thing and one 'small' thing
  3. 3.Write a rhythmic phrase for each item
  4. 4.Use adjectives to describe their 'in-between' qualities
  5. 5.Read phrases aloud as a group poem

Standards Connections

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.5

Pace-Write-Read Study with Pace-Write It!

Carter Higgins uses line breaks and spacing to dictate the pacing of this poem. The reader must pause where the author pauses, allowing the imagery to sink in before moving to the next comparison.

ElementHow to notice or teach it in the novel
PacingEmphasize the white space on the page as a visual cue to take a breath between thoughts.
PlotThe 'plot' is a conceptual journey; track how the scale shifts from macro to micro.
ProsodyUse a soothing, rhythmic reading voice to match the lyrical quality of the text.
WordExamine the author's choice of synonyms for 'big' and 'small' to broaden vocabulary.
Voice & WorldviewEncourage students to adopt an observational, inquisitive voice throughout the reading.

Pace-Write It!

Write a three-line poem about an object in the room, focusing on whether it is big, small, or in-between.