The Brian & Myrna Galactic Gazette
Your Personalized Adventure Log – Mission Alpha-12
Chapter 1: The Comet of Colors
The ordinary Fremont evening sky suddenly wasn’t so ordinary. From his window, Brian, Fremont’s most creative rocket scientist and artist, spotted it first: a shimmering streak of light painting the twilight with impossible colors. It wasn’t a plane or a satellite. It pulsed with vibrant pinks and electric blues.
“Myrna, you have to see this!” Brian called out. His best friend, Myrna, rushed to the window, her eyes widening in awe. Below in the yard, Roscoe the labradoodle chased his tail, Toby the terrier snored softly on the porch, and Jax the tuxedo cat watched the sky from the fence, his tail twitching with feline curiosity.
The comet seemed to be slowing down, heading not for a crash, but for a gentle landing somewhere near… the Fremont Hub! “It’s like it’s sending a message,” Myrna whispered. Brian felt a spark of inspiration. This wasn’t just a space rock; it was a canvas. A mission. They needed to investigate, and they’d need a plan, some clever science, and a whole lot of art. The adventure had just begun!
Mission Map: Operation Comet-Fall
Brian, your first mission is to chart a course. This map of Fremont shows key locations. Can you trace the comet’s likely path to its landing zone?
Riddle Corner
A true space explorer must have a sharp mind. Solve these riddles from the cosmos!
- I wear a tuxedo but never attend a party. I watch over your adventures from a comfortable perch. Who am I?
- I have a fiery tail and travel through space. I brought a splash of pink and blue to the Fremont sky. What am I?
- I have many stores but give nothing away for free. The comet seems to be landing near me. What am I?
Click for Answers
1. Jax the cat! 2. The Comet of Colors! 3. The Fremont Hub!
Word Scramble: Mission Supplies
Unscramble these words to reveal the essential items and crew for your mission!
- KORCET (Hint: Your vehicle)
- TARSIT (Hint: Your special skill)
- MFERNOT (Hint: Your home base)
- YNMAR (Hint: Your co-pilot)
- BYOT & SCOREO (Hint: The ground crew)
Click for Answers
ROCKET, ARTIST, FREMONT, MYRNA, TOBY & ROSCOE
I-Spy: Fremont Space Scan
Look around you right now, from your mission headquarters. I-Spy with my little eye…
- Something with the sleek, aerodynamic shape of a rocket.
- A color that reminds you of the deep blue of Neptune.
- A texture as rough as a moon rock.
- Something bright pink, like a distant nebula.
- An object with more circles than Saturn has rings.
The Backyard Rocket Project
PANEL 1: The Blueprint
Brian and Myrna are at a table, sketching wildly. Brian draws a rocket with huge fins while Myrna adds artistic swirls of color. Toby snoozes under the table.
PANEL 2: Construction Zone
In the yard, they’re building the rocket from cardboard boxes. Roscoe runs by with a paintbrush in his mouth, leaving a blue streak on the grass.
PANEL 3: The Masterpiece
The finished rocket, named “The Fremont Star-Hopper,” stands tall (and a bit wobbly). Jax the cat has claimed the nosecone as the perfect throne, looking majestic.
Craft: Nebula Art T-Shirt
Create wearable art inspired by the Comet of Colors! Make your own galaxy t-shirt.
You’ll Need:
- A dark-colored (black or navy) cotton t-shirt
- Small spray bottle
- Bleach
- Fabric paints or acrylic paints (pinks, blues, purples, white)
- An old toothbrush
- Cardboard
- Place cardboard inside the t-shirt to prevent paint from bleeding through.
- In a well-ventilated area (outside is best!), mix a 50/50 solution of bleach and water in the spray bottle.
- Lightly spray the t-shirt. Watch as cosmic clouds and orange-tinted galaxies appear! Let it dry completely.
- Use a sponge to dab on your pink and blue fabric paints, creating colorful nebula clouds.
- Dip the old toothbrush in white paint. Flick the bristles with your thumb to create a spray of stars across your galaxy.
- Let it dry completely, and you have a shirt fit for a space artist!
Science: Rocket Fuel Geyser
Let’s test a propulsion system with this explosive and fun experiment!
You’ll Need:
- A 2-liter bottle of diet soda
- A roll of Mentos mints (about 7-8 mints)
- A piece of paper
- This is an OUTDOOR ONLY experiment. Find an open space in your yard away from windows.
- Open the soda bottle and set it on a flat surface.
- Roll the paper into a tube just wide enough for the Mentos to slide through. Hold a finger over the bottom.
- Drop the Mentos into the tube.
- This is the fast part! Hold the tube directly over the bottle opening, remove your finger, and let all the mints drop in at once.
- Stand back immediately! You’ve created a nucleation reaction, and the escaping CO2 gas will create an amazing geyser, just like rocket exhaust!
Logic Puzzle: Planet Watch
Brian, Myrna, Jax, and Toby are each observing a different celestial object with the telescope. Use the clues to figure out who is looking at what.
Objects: The Moon, Mars, Jupiter, The Comet of Colors
- Myrna is not looking at a planet.
- Jax, the cat, is fascinated by the object with the Great Red Spot.
- Toby, the old terrier, is sleepy and just wants to look at something close by.
- Brian is focused on tracking their mysterious, colorful visitor.
Click for the Solution
| Crew | Object |
|---|---|
| Brian | The Comet of Colors |
| Myrna | The Moon (not a planet) |
| Jax | Jupiter (Great Red Spot) |
| Toby | Mars (our closest planetary neighbor after Venus) |
Mad-Libs: Supply Run to the Hub!
Fill in the blanks below, then read the hilarious story of your supply run.
Brian and Myrna knew their mission required supplies. They zoomed over to the Fremont Hub on their [ ADJECTIVE ] skateboards. First, they needed a [ NOUN ] for the rocket’s guidance system. Then, they saw a [ COLOR ] dog that looked just like Roscoe, who was [ VERB ENDING IN -ING ] near the fountain. For fuel, Myrna suggested a giant bottle of [ TYPE OF LIQUID ]. Brian thought they should also get a [ NUMBER ]-pack of [ PLURAL NOUN ] for snacks. They paid with a [ ADJECTIVE ] five-dollar bill and [ VERB, PAST TENSE ] all the way home, ready for their adventure.
Brain Break: Astronaut Training
An explorer needs to be ready for anything! Complete this training course in your yard.
- Meteor Hop: Place pillows or shoes on the ground. Hop between them without touching the “lava” floor. (1 minute)
- Zero-G Spin: Spin in a circle ten times, then try to walk in a straight line. (Be careful!)
- Alien Creature Walk: Invent a silly walk. Does it have 6 legs? Does it slither? Travel across the room using your walk.
- Rocket Launch Jumps: Crouch down low and count down from 5. At “BLAST OFF!”, jump as high as you can! (Repeat 5 times)
Secret Code from Mission Control
A secret message came through just for you, Brian! Use the A=Z, B=Y cipher (where letters are swapped for their opposite in the alphabet) to decode it.
KEY:
A=Z, B=Y, C=X, D=W, E=V, F=U, G=T, H=S, I=R, J=Q, K=P, L=O, M=N, N=M, O=L, P=K, Q=J, R=I, S=H, T=G, U=F, V=E, W=D, X=C, Y=B, Z=A
Click to Reveal the Message
BRIAN, YOUR ART IS A SUPERPOWER.
