Blake A. Hoena - The Black Hole Report

Blake A. Hoena once spent a whole weekend just watching his favorite science-fiction movies. Those movies made him wonder why those aliens, with their death rays and hyper-drives, couldnt actually conquer Earth. Thats when he created Eek and Ack, who play at conquering Earth like earthling kids play at stopping bad guys. Blake has written more than twenty books for children, and currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Steve Harpster has loved to draw funny cartoons, mean monsters, and goofy gadgets since he was able to pick up a pencil. In first grade, he avoided writing assignments by working on the pictures for stories instead. Steve was able to land a job drawing funny pictures for books, and thats really what hes best at. Steve lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wonderful wife, Karen, and their sheepdog, Doodle.

(BLAK HOHL) an area in space that sucks in everything around it (ek-splor-AY-shuhn) the act of studying something or somewhere unknown (ek-SPLOR) to travel in order to discover what a place is like (GAL-uhk-see) a large group of stars and planets (HOR-ur) great fear or shock (REE-surch) the act of collecting information about something (SHUV-uh-trahn) a long armlike machine on Eek and Acks spaceship that is used to push away dangerous things (SLUHMPD) sank down heavily (SWURLD) moved around in circles (VAK-yooms) machines that pick up dirt from carpets (WHIZ-luhr DRIVE) a machine on planet Gloop that makes alien spaceships go very fast

1. Ack did not like his research topic. Have you ever been given an assignment at school that you didnt like at first? Was it as bad as you expected?
2. What space object would you like to explore? Why?
3. Eek offers to help Ack in the story. Do you help your siblings? Do they help you?

1. Do your own research about black holes and write a paragraph about what youve learned.
2. Pretend you are in a galaxy exploration class, and you get to travel to outer space. Write a story about what you see.
3. Compare Eek and Ack to Zeek and Zack. Make a list of similarities and differences.

Its no surprise that Ack was worried about his research topic. Black holes are difficult to study.

These places in space have very, very strong gravity. Gravity is a force that pulls things in. Anything that comes too close to a black hole will be pulled in and disappear, even light.

A black hole is formed from a dying star. As a stars gases burn, heat pushes out from the star into space. Then the stars gravity pulls the heat back in.

But when a star gets older, it runs out of gases. The heat stops pushing out from the star, but gravity keeps pulling in. The star gets smaller and smaller, until it seems to disappear. Whats left is a black hole.

The scientists who study black holes have a hard job. Black holes are billions of miles away. They are also invisible. If scientists tried to send up special machines to get a closer look at the black holes, the gravity would damage the machines.

So scientists have to study the area surrounding the black hole. They use special telescopes to see what happens to things around the black hole.

Ack liked school. class was his favorite subject.

Today in class, he would get to learn about a strange, new place.

Students, I am going to hand out your research homework, Mrs. Grym said.

Ack could barely sit still. He was so excited.

I will give each of you a space object to , Mrs. Grym said.

That will be fun, Ack thought. Maybe Ill get to visit a planet where people speak in armpit noises. I can already toot the alphabet up to P!

After you are done, you will write a 100-page paper on what you learned, Mrs. Grym added. Now everyone, come get your subjects.

The students rushed to the front of the class.

Mrs. Grym handed Ack a piece of paper with two words on it.

Ack shouted. But I dont know anything about black holes.

Thats why its called research, Mrs. Grym said.

BBRRRIIINNGGG!

The final bell rang. Class was over. The other students jumped up and raced for the door.

Ack walked slowly to his bus.

Ack down in the seat behind his brother, Eek.

Whats wrong? Eek asked.

I have to write a report on black holes, Ack said. I dont know a thing about black holes.

Eek grabbed Acks sheet of paper. He got a big grin on his face.

This gives me an idea! he said.

Oh, no, Ack said. His stomach started to hurt. Your ideas always scare me.

Do you want help with your homework or not? Eek asked.

Um... I guess so, Ack said.

Ack wasnt sure if he trusted his brother. But he did need help.

As they got off the bus, Eek told Ack his plan. You need to see a black hole with your own eyes. And I know just where to find one, he said.

Eek and Ack raced to their spaceship. They climbed in, blasted off, and headed to the black hole.