1. A THIEF IN PARIS

In Paris, France, two thieves used a special electric ladder truck to climb into the world-famous Louvre Museum. It was early in the morning, and the museum had just opened. The robbers quickly broke a window and ran into a fancy room filled with royal jewels—necklaces, earrings, and even a crown once worn by an empress! In just seven minutes, they smashed open glass cases, grabbed eight pieces of treasure, and escaped down the ladder to meet two more helpers on scooters. They left behind some jewels, including the crown, and tried to burn the ladder basket to cover their tracks. The museum was filled with visitors at the time, but no one was hurt. Police are now working hard to find the stolen items and catch the people who took them. France’s president called it “an attack on history,” and promised the jewels would be found. The Louvre is the most visited museum in the world, filled with important art and treasures—including the famous Mona Lisa. This theft reminded many people of a time over 100 years ago when even the Mona Lisa was stolen… and later returned. Create your own story or comic strip about the jewelry being stolen from the Louvre. Include at least three facts from the story.

2. THE CASE OF THE STOLEN LEGOS

Police in California recently solved a very strange mystery: someone had stolen thousands of Lego pieces! When officers searched a house, they found tubs full of Lego bricks, unopened Lego sets, and shelves lined with tiny Lego people—many with their heads popped off and sorted into neat rows. The police said a man had been running a Lego theft ring. That means he asked others to steal expensive Lego sets from stores so he could sell them for more money online. Some rare Lego sets can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars! Because Lego toys are small, popular, and hard to trace, they are sometimes stolen and sold by collectors looking to make money. Police are still investigating to find out where the stolen Legos came from and who else might be involved. Even though Legos are fun to build and collect, this story shows that stealing—even toys—is a serious crime. Some Lego sets are worth a lot of money because they are rare or part of a special collection. Think of a toy, game, or collectible you really like—maybe it’s Legos, trading cards, or stuffed animals. On a sheet of paper, make a list of 3 things that would make a toy more valuable (for example: limited edition, hard to find, or in perfect condition). Then, write 2 or 3 sentences about why people should take care of their toys and never take things that don’t belong to them.

3. WHEN KIDS RUN THE SHOW

Usually, adults who study art choose what goes into museum exhibits. But now, some museums are letting kids and teens help decide! In places like California, Colorado, and Boston, students have been picking paintings, writing labels, and even choosing wall colors for real museum shows. In California, 15 high schoolers helped create an art show called Piece of Me. They looked at lots of artworks, chose a theme, and built a whole exhibit about how it feels to grow up with social media. In Denver, younger kids from a Native American tribe picked art that reminded them of their own family history and memories. One child even picked a painting because it looked like their favorite restaurant! The museums say letting kids help makes the exhibits more fun, creative, and real. Even if they’re not experts, young curators bring new ideas and stories to the art. Imagine your local museum asked you to help create a new art exhibit! On a piece of paper, draw one piece of art you would choose for your show. Then, write 3 to 5 sentences explaining why you picked it and what your exhibit would be about.

4. SECRET CODE

At the headquarters of the C.I.A. (a government agency that works with secret information), there’s a big metal sculpture called Kryptos. It has four hidden messages written in code. The artist, Jim Sanborn, made it in 1990 to be a fun and tricky puzzle. Over the years, smart people figured out the first three messages—but the fourth one stayed a mystery for 35 years! This year, two friends found the answer by looking through old papers at the Smithsonian museum. They didn’t break the code using computers—instead, they used research skills and found clues in paper scraps that the artist had accidentally included in the museum’s files. They were surprised and excited to solve it! Now, people are wondering what will happen to the sculpture’s secret. The artist had planned to sell the answer in an auction to raise money, but now the secret isn’t a secret anymore! Codes and puzzles are used all over the world to keep information secret. Think of a time when you wanted to keep something private—like a surprise, a diary entry, or a gift. On a sheet of paper, write a short story (3–5 sentences) about a secret message you might hide and who it would be for. Then, create your own simple code by making up symbols or changing the letters in the alphabet. Rewrite one sentence from your story using your secret code.

5. THE RAT HOLE MYSTERY

In Chicago, a funny-looking hole shaped like a squished animal appeared in the sidewalk. People started calling it the “Chicago Rat Hole” or even “Splatatouille.” Some thought a real rat had walked into wet concrete, got stuck, and left behind its shape. People visited the spot, took photos, and even left tiny gifts like candles and toy rats. But scientists recently studied the shape and size of the hole and discovered something surprising—it wasn’t made by a rat at all! It was probably made by a squirrel. By looking at photos and measuring the hole using coins for size, the scientists found that the shape matched a squirrel’s body much better than a rat’s. They think the squirrel may have fallen from a tree onto wet concrete. Even though the truth has been found, people in Chicago still love the story. It didn’t matter if it was made by a rat or a squirrel—what mattered most is that it made people smile and brought them together. Scientists used clues like photos, coins, and measurements to figure out what animal made the sidewalk imprint in Chicago. Imagine you are a scientist trying to solve your own mystery! On a sheet of paper, draw an animal footprint, tail mark, or body shape in pretend wet concrete. Then, write 3 clues someone could use to guess which animal made the mark. Finally, write one sentence explaining how scientists use evidence and observation to solve mysteries like this one.