Hello everyone! We’re starting off September with a MYSTERY! A mystery that one of you will hopefully solve!
When we were up in Alaska, we found a MYSTERIOUS piece of trash along the shoreline of the beach.
It didn’t look like the regular trash that washes up (empty bottles, pieces of net, jellyfish, etc) – there was a styrofoam box (on the left) attached to a stretchy rubbery material (on the right).
The styrofoam box had some MYSTERIOUS wires coming out of it:
And taped to the back of the styrofoam box was a MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE!
What in the world could it BE, we wondered?
Do any of YOU have an idea of what it might be? Make your suggestions in the comments and whoever gets it first wins a free book! Or, if nobody gets it right, we’ll pick whoever comes up with the most interesting answer! So put on your sleuthing hats and let us know what you think it might be…
I’ve put together a little rocket activity page based on the auction illustration that I did for the theme of the month. I thought it might be fun to see what the astronaut discovers on the surface of the moon, and to hear what he has to say about it.
Print it out, fill it in, and email a picture of it to us or post it on our Bobbledy Books Facebook page for a chance to win a free book! Also, check out or new Activities link for other downloadables!
When I think of rockets, I think of climbing into one and launching off into outer space. Well, would you believe that rockets were invented around NINE HUNDRED years ago???
This isn’t to say that people were exploring space that long ago. No, the science that eventually got us into space started out just being used in fireworks, in China. Gunpowder was invented in China 1,200 years ago and was burned (in the form of fireworks) to scare away evil spirits.
From then, it took around three hundred years for people to figure out that fireworks could be turned into small rockets. And one of the most powerful emperors of all time used those rockets to fight his enemies and conquer all kinds of people. His name was Genghis Khan, and don’t let his jolly little smile fool you.
But it wasn’t until about 90 years ago that a scientist named Robert Goddard started thinking rockets might be able to go into space. People thought he was CRAZY, and they nicknamed him “Moony” and made fun of him all the time in the newspapers.
It turns out he was right, so the moral of the story is: “Don’t stop believing in space travel just because people give you a silly nickname.”
I think of shooting off into space to explore new worlds. I think of seeing the earth from space and floating in zero gravity. I think of stepping onto the moon and taking giant leaps into the air.
When I was a kid, I used to think being an astronaut would be really cool. Now that I’m a grown-up, I think it’s terrifying. I wonder what happened to me since then that made me such a wimp?
Maybe it was that I watched the video below. It’s amazing and gives me chills, but boy howdy, once that countdown begins, you can’t really say, “Oh, man, never mind! I didn’t actually want to go to space today!”
Have a look and a listen – the sound of the blastoff is amazing!
What do you think of when you think of rockets? Do you know any interesting facts about rockets? Do you like to draw rockets (like Kato does)? Share what you’ve got in the comments or write me an email or post it on the Bobbledy Facebook page. Anyone who contributes gets a chance to win a free book or CD from our shop this month!
Alright folks – I just got this drawing in my inbox from Iris, and it was so perfect for last month’s Under the Sea theme that I felt I just had to post it.
Have you ever wondered how to draw a dolphin? I have. In fact, I was going to draw a dolphin earlier in the month and I just couldn’t figure it out. If only Iris had sent this sooner! Here is her step-by-step guide on how to draw a dolphin:
Iris did want me to share that her teacher Ms. Stuckey helped her out with the instructions. And I must say, I think the instructions really help! What a great dolphin it is!!
Thanks, Iris! I’m going to add this to my resource library for how to draw things. You and Ed Emberley and Lee J. Amesare mymasters of instruction. And stay tuned for the announcement of June’s Theme of the Month!
