The Mysterious Space Box: A Waffle Disaster! by Ms. Winther’s 4th & 5th Grade Class

A CHOICE-FILLED ADVENTURE STORY

THE MYSTERIOUS SPACE BOX: A WAFFLE DISASTER! Written by Students of MS. WINTHER’S 4TH & 5TH GRADE CLASS at SUMMER GRIZZLY LEARNING CAMP

FIRST EDITION AN 826MICHIGAN DIGITAL PUBLICATION

Copyright © 2022 by 826michigan and Blotch Books.

All rights reserved by 826michigan, the many whims of Drs. T & G Blotch, and the authors.

The views expressed in this book are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of 826michigan. We believe in the power of youth voice and are thrilled that you picked up this book. No part of this book may be reproduced without express written permission from the publisher, except for small excerpts for the purposes of review or scholarly study.

By purchasing this book, you are helping 826michigan continue to offer free student programs. For more information, please visit: 826michigan.org

You are at a sleepover in space (inside a giant box) where you and your bed are floating. All of your snacks, like your bag of Spicy Chili Doritos and your Swedish Fish, are open and floating everywhere.

You’re in your banana spaceship which takes you to the mouth of a mysterious cave. The cave is full of purple lava syrup and rainbow crystals. You notice the walls are made of waffles, and you wonder if this cave can give you special powers. You also see on one side of the cave there is graffiti of a Spinosaurus and a Tyrannosaurus rex.

If you decide to go into the cave and look for wildlife, turn to page 2.

If you decide to drink the lava to see if you get powers, turn to page 3.

1

You fall into the cave and you’re tempted to eat the walls, but you notice there are big holes in the ground, where there is toxic water coming out. In the distance, you see a beach and a dinosaur. A ladder is coming down above you, but you can’t reach it. The T-rex roars, and you hear calls for help!

If you take the magical crystals to build a way out, turn to page 4.

If you turn around and run away from the T-Rex, turn to page 5.

2

You take the lava to the scientist doctor Mr. Deven. He tests the lava with the fire: part of it is poisonous and part of it is okay. You drink the okay part. It’s hot and tastes like grape Mountain Dew. The lava makes you invincible and gives you fire breath.

If you want to toast the wall waffles and have a big feast, turn to page 6.

If the waffles on the walls give you evil powers, turn to page 7.

3

The first crystal is the red one: it gives you super strength. The T-rex touches a gray crystal and turns gray. The Spinosaurus gets attacked by the T-rex and also turns gray.

If you turn gray, write your own ending.

If you use your super strength to find a way to the ladder,

write your own ending.

4

(start again at page 1)

The T-rex chases after you and more dinosaurs are coming. You start kicking to try to scare them away. Fire starts flowing up from the holes in the ground. Your footie pajamas from the sleepover protect your feet, but the dinosaur has bare feet and starts to get burns — ouch! You shoot fire with a crystal at the wall to make an escape route.

If you escape while the dinosaur gets stuck in the cave wall,

write your own ending.

If you find crystals that turn you invisible and give you laser eye power, write your own ending.

5

(start again at page 1)

The waffles make you hyper and you start jumping around. You suddenly see a bunch of dinosaurs approaching and think they are going to eat you.

You explain yourself and they turn out to be very friendly.

If you want the dinosaurs to bring you to the king of the kingdom, write your own ending.

If you find a sparkly, edible rock, write your own ending.

6

(start again at page 1)

You start being mean to everyone and you want to destroy the world with a robot. There are people screaming and running everywhere. Suddenly, Sparkly Rock Man bursts onto the scene to save the day.

If you help Sparkly Rock Man, write your own ending.

If you work against Sparkly Rock Man, write your own ending.

7

(start again at page 1)

(space to write your own ending)

THE END 8

(start again at page 1)

(space to write your own ending)

THE END 9

(start again at page 1)

826michigan inspires school-aged students to write with skill and confidence in collaboration with adult volunteers in their communities.

Our writing and tutoring programs uphold a culture of creativity and imagination and support students in establishing strong habits of mind. Through publication and community engagement, we provide students with an authentic and enthusiastic audience for their writing.

Our programs provide an energizing creative outlet for students and meaningful volunteer opportunities for community members. We believe that with one-onone attention from caring adults, students improve their academic performance, develop a sense of belonging, and discover the unique value of their voices.

We also believe that the more fun a student has, and the more directly we speak to a student’s interests, the more we can help students find the fun in learning.

That’s why our programs are more than just extra homework. All of our programs are challenging and enjoyable, and ultimately strengthen each student’s power to express ideas effectively, creatively, confidently, and in their individual voice.

ONLINE LEARNING LAB In the spring of 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly transitioned all of our programs online. Our priority is to ensure the safety of our community, while continuing to offer engaging, high-quality opportunities to students. Each of our main programs—Schoolwork Support, Workshops, Field Trips, and In-school Projects—has been reimagined for the virtual space as part of our new Online Learning Lab. For the 2020–21 and 2021–22 school years, 826michigan programs remained online. Beginning in Spring 2022, we started moving slowly into engaging with in-person programming, and continue to offer all of our core programming virtually.

SCHOOLWORK SUPPORT The program formerly-known as tutoring has been given an updated name, but the same great foundations remain. We organize trained volunteer tutors to work with students one-on-one with their homework after school. Schoolwork Support is available for all subjects, for students ages 8–18. Students are paired with two tutors to work on assignments for school and writing projects of their choosing.

AFTER-SCHOOL WRITING LAB In 2021, we added this program to meet the interest of our many after-school students who wanted to go deeper into the writing process. Through breakout rooms, students are supported by volunteers as they brainstorm, write, revise, share, and publish their writing. Each week we focus on a different habit of writers (such as writers make plans . . . and change them).

WORKSHOPS We offer a number of free workshops taught by professional artists, writers, and our talented volunteers. From comic books to screenplays, bookmaking to radio, our wide variety of workshops are perfect for writers of all ages and interests.

One of the most popular workshops we offer is our weekly Wee-bots program for elementary-aged writers.

IN-SCHOOL PROJECTS Our trained volunteers go into local public schools every day to support teachers with their classroom writing assignments. Based on the teacher’s curriculum, assignments range from writing tales to crafting college essays to exploring poetry.

In addition, we hold regular Writers Clubs, in which small groups of students are able to work on a writing project over the course of a semester, culminating in a publication. We also partner with schools to hold Family Writing Labs: laughterfilled events in which families come together and participate in an evening of engaging writing activities and community connection.

FIELD TRIPS Always full of surprises and theatrics (and usually a visit from our crotchety editor, Dr. Blotch), our Field Trip program is an experiential writing extravaganza. We welcome teachers to bring their classes in for field trips during the school day.

Students join a group of volunteers, interns, and staff to help solve a problem through writing—whether that is Dr. Blotch’s insomnia, our looming story deadline, a mystery in need of solving, or one of the many others we encounter. Our field trips always end in a finished publication of original writing that students take home. Often the field trip writing is connected to a second leg of the students’ journey, whether a trip to a museum, library, or local record label, thanks to our many incredible community partners.

OUR STORES Our Robot Supply Co. stores are one-stop shops for robots, robot owners, and enthusiasts alike. They are designed to inspire creativity and bring awareness of our programs to the community. Come visit the Ann Arbor Robot Supply Co at 115 East Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor and, hopefully again soon at the Detroit Robot Supply Co. at 1351 Winder Street in Eastern Market in Detroit. In addition, our online store is always open; visit the Robot Supply Co. at onwardrobots.com. All proceeds from our stores directly fund our free student programming.

Onward robots!

WRITING IS

A way to figure things out by ourselves

We create a safe place to be ourselves and try new things We support the ways that writers work (like thinking, sketching, talking)

A way to help us connect to our world

We study the writing we want to do so we can try it We learn how to change our writing for genre, audience, and purpose

A way to help us learn who we are and who we will become

We work with a group of writers who help and support each other

A way for us to use our power to make changes and build a better world

www.826michigan.org

826 National was inspired to take a stand on issues of inclusion and diversity in light of the many events that spotlighted social and racial injustices throughout the country. We as educators, volunteers, and caring adults need to be aware of the wide range of issues our students face on a day-to-day basis. We need to support these young people as they navigate through and try to make sense of the world and their own identities.

We need the support and the feedback from our community to ensure 826 is living up to these standards.

Through our inclusion statement, our internal diversity and inclusion group, cultural competency resources provided to staff and volunteers, and partnerships with other organizations, we are always working towards being a more inclusive and supportive organization.

We at 826 have the privilege of working with the next generation of scholars, teachers, doctors, artists, lawyers, and writers. It's our job to make sure they are able to take their own stands.

As an organization committed to encouraging youth in their creative expression, personal growth, and academic success, 826 National and its chapters recognize the importance of diversity at all levels and in all aspects of our work. In order to build and maintain the safe, supportive 826 environment in which great leaps in learning happen, we commit ourselves to inclusion: we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, nationality, marital status, English fluency, parental status, military service, or disability.

The 826 National network is committed to encouraging youth to express themselves and to use the written word to effectively do so. We encourage our students to write, take chances, make decisions, and finish what they start.

And 826 strives to do this in an environment free from discrimination and exclusion.

by Gerald Richards, CEO

826michigan inspires school-aged students to write with skill and confidence in collaboration with adult volunteers in their communities.

Find out more at 826michigan.org