Complete as many challenges as you can throughout the summer. A parent’s initials are required to prove that you completed each
challenge.
Fun Places to Go
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Plan and go on a camping trip with your family to Klondike Park or other local park. (25 points) _______
Visit one of the many caves in Missouri. Visit www.cavern.com for more info. (25 points) ______
Visit the St. Louis Art Museum (25 points) _______
Visit the St. Louis Science Center. (25 points) _______
Visit St. Louis Union Station. (25 points) ______
Visit the Missouri History Museum. (25 points) _______
Visit the National Blues Museum. (Just opened!) (25 points) _______
Visit the County Heritage Museum at Heritage Park. (25 points) _______
Visit the St. Louis Zoo and check out the Monsanto Insectarium. (25 points) _______
Visit Forest Park. (25 points) ______
Visit Camp River Dubois, a Lewis & Clark Illinois State Historic Site in Hartford, Illinois. (25 points) _______
Visit the National Great Rivers Museum in Alton, Illinois. (25 points) ______
Walk or ride your bike over the Missouri River on Boone Bridge (opening this summer) or Page Bridge. (25 points) ______
Visit Purina Farms in Grey Summit, MO (25 points) _______
Visit the City Garden in St. Louis. (25 points) _______
Visit Cahokia Mounds in Illinois. (25 points) _______
Check out some unique motorcycles at the Moto Museum. (25 points) ______
Take a tour of the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company Factory in St. Louis. (25 points) ______
Take a tour of the Anheuser-Busch brewery. (25 points) ______
Visit the Soulard Farmer’s Market (25 points) ______
Walk around Ballpark Village. (25 points) ______
Walk the entire solar system at the Delmar Loop Planet Walk (www.loopplanetwalk.com) (25 points) ______
Go to the Magic House (free every third Friday evening of the month from 5:30-9:00 pm) (25 points) ______
Find the T.S. Eliot birthplace plaque located somewhere in St. Louis. (Figure out who T.S. Eliot was.) (50 points) _______
Climb the stairs to the top of Fort Bellefontaine. (50 points) _______
Take a backstage tour of the Fox Theatre (Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday morning at 10:30.) (25 points) _______
Visit the Cathedral Basilica near the arch. (25 points) _______
Visit the Missouri Botanical Garden (free after 5:00 pm on Wednesdays) (25 points) _____
Visit the Old Courthouse in St. Louis. (25 points) _______
Take a picture with the Stan Musial statue. (25 points) _______
Visit the St. Louis Walk of Fame. (25 points) _______
Visit the World Chess Hall of Fame. (25 points) _______
Visit Fitz’s and witness their vintage 1950’s soda bottling equipment in action. (25 points) _______
Visit the National Horseshoe Pitchers Hall of Fame in Wentzville. (25points) _______
Peruse the relics at a flea market. (25 points) ______
See a show at the Muny. Sit in the free seats if you don’t have tickets. Go see Wizard of Oz (starring Brynley Wall in the
Kid’s Chorus) on June 13-22! (25 points) _______
Go to Ted Drewes and enjoy delicious frozen custard. (25 points) ______
Go to Gus’ Pretzels and enjoy a delicious pretzel. Come before noon to watch them twist the pretzels. (25 points) ______
Visit one of the museums at Jefferson Barracks. (25 points) _______
Visit the World Bird Sanctuary (25 points) _______
Visit Lone Elk Park (25 points) _______
Get a taste of life on the farm at Suson Park in South County. (25 points) _______
Go to Laumeier Sculpture Park. (www.laumeiersculpturepark.org) (25 points) _______
Go across a river via a river ferry boat (Grafton, IL is the closest ferry). (25 points) ______
Go for a bike ride on the Katy Trail. (25 points) _______
46. Go on a hike at a Missouri State Park (Castlewood in Ballwin or Babler in Wildwood). (25 points) _______
47. Plan a weekend road trip (within 100 miles) for you and your family. Using the internet or a map find at least 4 interesting,
unique, or weird places to stop on the way (example: the world’s largest ball of string in Weston, MO) (50 points) ______
48. Plan and go on a canoeing/rafting/float trip. (25 points) ______
Things to Do
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Create a scrapbook, photo album, PowerPoint, or slideshow set to music with pictures (or other items) of all the things you
completed from Mr. Ensrude’s Summer Challenge and bring it to school next year. (150 points) _______
Go to the library (and check out some books) in the month of June. (25 points) _______
Go to the library (and check out some books) in the month of July. (25 points) _______
Go to the library (and check out some books) in the month of August. (25 points) _______
Make breakfast for your entire family. Something other than cereal!  (25 points) _______
Bake a cake, cookies, or brownies from scratch (not out of a box). (25 points) ______
Make homemade ice cream. (25 points) _______
Attend a free kid’s workshop at Home Depot. (First Saturday morning of the month.) (25 points) ______
Grow something from a seed. It could be a flower, fruit, vegetable, tree, etc… (25 points) ______
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High five any former Messiah 5 grader when you see them somewhere off school/church grounds. (5 points) ______
Have a lemonade stand/garage sale and donate the profits to a charity. (25 points) _______
Mail a letter or postcard to someone who would not expect it. (Grandparent, cousin, old friend, etc…) (50 points) _______
Find a geocache. (Check out www.geocaching.com for more information.) (25 points) ______
Pack a picnic lunch for you and your family and eat it at a park. (25 points) ______
Play with/babysit a child under the age of 4 (could be a younger sibling, neighbor, cousin, niece, nephew, etc.) for one hour
free of charge. You must play the activities of their choice. No electronics or TV. (25 points) ______
Wear a cowboy hat or sombrero for an entire week (yes, even in public.) (25 points) ______
Plan a family game night for one night a week for 4 weeks. (50 points) ______
Learn to deal and play Solitaire (with a real deck of cards). (25 points) ______
Donate some of your unused toys or clothes to Goodwill. (25 points) _______
Sign up for Kids Bowl Free Program and get 2 free games per day for the entire summer at participating bowling alleys.
(www.kidsbowlfree.com) (25 points) ______
Give a garbage collector or mail carrier a cold beverage while they are picking up your trash or dropping off your mail. (25
points) _____
Make cookies for a neighbor. (25 points) ______
Make treats and deliver them to a local fire department. (25 points) _____
Physical Challenges
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Do 700 curl-ups in one week. (Do a few each day.) (50 points) ______
Do 300 push-ups in one week. (Do a few each day.) (50 points) ______
Create a daily stretching routine and do it every day for a month. (See if your flexibility improves.) (25 points) ______
Swim 100 laps (down and back) at a regulation pool over the course of the summer. (25 points) ______
Walk/run 20 miles in a month. (20 minutes of brisk walking equals about 1 mile.) (50 points) ______
Plank for 1 minute each day for a week. (25 points) ______
Wall sit for 1 minute each day for a week. (25 points) ______
Drink 5 cups (8 oz each) of water a day for one week. (Not all at once.) (25 points) ______
Eat 3 servings of fruit a day for one week. (25 points) ______
Eat 3 servings of vegetables a day for one week. (25 points) ______
Mental Challenges
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Read 1 chapter from Proverbs, 5 Psalms, and 1 Gospel story every day for one month out loud to someone. (Example: If it is
June 1 you would read Proverbs 1, Psalms 1-5, and pick one story from Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.) (750 points) ______
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Complete the summer reading program at the St. Charles County Library: Starts May 23 . (50 points) _______
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Complete the Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Triathlon between May 17-September 1. (50 points) _______
Complete the Missouri Botanical Garden summer reading program (Tales and Trails). Could not find information on their
website, but a flyer came home a few weeks ago. (50 points)
Learn to count to 10 in German. (25 points) ______
Learn to count to 10 in French. (25 points) ______
Learn to count to 10 in Swahili. (25 points) ______
Be ready to say them to Mr. Ensrude if he asks!
Learn to count to 10 in Japanese. (25 points) ______
Learn to count to 10 in Chinese. (25 points) ______
Learn to count to 10 in Korean. (25 points) ______
Memorize the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution and recite it to an adult. (100 points) ______
Memorize the Gettysburg Address and recite it to an adult. (0nly getting help 3 times) (500 points)_____
Make your bed every day for an entire month. (50 points) _______
Do a 1,000 piece puzzle. (50 points) ______
Do a 500 piece puzzle. (25 points) ______
Go without TV for one week. (100 points) ______
Go without video games/iPod/iPad/Kindle/electronic device for one week (100 points) ______
Go without TV for one month (500 points) ______
Go without video games/iPod/iPad/Kindle/electronic device for one month (500 points) ______
Competitions
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Enter the St. Charles County Library Summer Photo Contest. Photos may be submitted between May 23 and August 1.
Go to www.youranswerplace.org. (50 points) ______
Enter a 5K race/walk. (50 points) ______
Participate in the Rangers 370 Lakeside Fishing Derby (Fishing Contest). I couldn’t find any information on this, but they
always do it in June. Check www.stpetersmo.net for information. (50 points) _______
Events
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Go to church 12 times over the summer. (25 points each Sunday)
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5/29
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6/12 6/19 6/26
7/3
7/10 7/17 7/24
7/31
8/7 8/14
Attend a free “Concert in the Park”. (25 points) _______
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Dardenne Prairie: June 11 , July 6 , August 6
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Lake St. Louis (Boulevard Park): June 4 , July 16 , July 30 , August 13th
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O’Fallon (Civic Park): June 7 , June 14 , June 21 , June 28 , July 12 , July 19 , July 26 , August 2 , August 9
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Streets of St. Charles: June 8 , July 13 , August 10
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Missouri Botanical Garden: Every Wednesday between Memorial Day – July 29 . (Free after 5:00 pm)
Attend a free “Movie in the Park”. (25 points) _______
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St. Charles Community College (Food Truck Frolic): May 29 , June 26 , July 24
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Lake St. Louis Boulevard Park: June 24 , July 8 , August 5
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Dardenne Prairie: August 6
Attend a Food Truck Event. (25 points) _______
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Frontier Park on June 21st or August 16 from 5-8
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O’fallon Sports Park on June 3 from 5-8
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Fort Zumwalt Park August 5 from 5-8
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Attend the Picnic on the Riverfront (opening of the new riverfront beneath the Arch) on June 2 from 5:00-8:45. There will
be music, food, and fireworks. (50 points) _______
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Attend the St. Peters Kite Festival/Family Bike Ride on June 4 from 9:00-1:00. Free kite building kits for the first 200
people. (50 points) _______
Attend the Kimmswick Strawberry Festival in Kimmswick, MO on June 4th-5th from 10-5. (50 points) ______
Attend VBS on June 20-24. (50 points) ______
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Attend Fair St. Louis on July 2 -4 . (www.fairstlouis.org) (25 points) _____
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Attend a Lake St. Louis Waterski Team Show at Fair St. Louis on July 4 or other dates (www.lslski.com) (25 points) _____
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Participate or watch the Cardboard Boat Race at Alligator Creek in O’Fallon on July 17 . (25 points) _____
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Mail Mr. Ensrude a birthday card on July 27 . (12 Bell Tower Court, Saint Charles, MO 63304) (50 Points) _______
Sleep in your backyard under the stars with no tent for one night. (The Perseids Meteor Shower happens around August 1112 and the Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower will happen around July 28-29.) (50 points) ______
14. Attend a demolition derby. (50 points) ______
15. Attend a tractor/truck pull. (50 points) ______
Total Points:__________________________
Parent Signature:______________________________________________
I promise that I completed all the tasks totaling the point value above, so help me God. Forever and ever, Amen.
____________________________________________________________
(Student Signature)
________________________________________
(Date)
Book Recommendations
Here is a small selection of books that Mr. Ensrude has been trying to read over the past 3 summers. They range from
novels to graphic novels. Everyone should be able to find something they enjoy. Read as many as you can and let me
know what you think of them! Give them a rank of 1-5 with 1 being “excellent” and 5 being “terrible”. Please note that I
have not read any of these books! Some may be better for readers below or above 5th grade!
Humor
_____Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer By Kelly Jones
_____The Terrible Two By Jory John and Mac Barnett
_____The Strange Case of Origami Yoda series By Tom Angleburger
_____Frank Einstein and the Electro-Finger By Jon Scieszka
_____Dragons at Crumbling Castle By Terry Pratchett
_____Unicorn on a Roll by Dana Simpson
_____Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry
_____In a Glass Grimmly by Gidwitz
_____A Whole Nother Story by Cuthbert Soup
_____I Funny series by James Patterson
Historical Fiction
_____The WAR that Saved my Life By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
_____In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse By Joseph Marshall III
_____Wonderstruck By Brian Selznick
_____Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen
_____Midnight Tunnel: A Suzanne Snow Mystery by Angie Frazier
_____Gladiator School series by Dan Scott
_____Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams
_____The Detective’s Assistant by Kate Hannigan
_____I Survived series Lauren Tarshis
_____Finding My Place by Margo L. Dill
Fantasy & Magic
_____Circus Mirandus By Cassie Beasley
_____Ratscalibur By Josh Lieb
_____Nightbird By Alice Hoffman
_____Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
_____Zombiekins By Kevin Bolger
_____Robot Dreams By Sara Varon
_____Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures By Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater
_____The Lost Track of Time By Paige Britt
_____The Green Ember By S.D. Smith
_____Petlandia By Peter Hannan
_____Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard By Rick Riordan
_____Rapunzel’s Revenge (Graphic Novel) By Shannon Hale and Dale Hale
_____The Menagerie (Books1-3) by Tui T. Sutherland and Kari Sutherland
_____Harry Potter (Books 1-7) by J.K. Rowling
_____Skulduggery Plesant by Derek Landy
_____The Island of Dr. Libris By Chris Grabenstein
_____The Alchemyst By Michael Scott
_____Echo By Pam Muñoz Ryan
_____Inkheart By Cornelia Funke
_____The Invention of Hugo Cabret By Brian Selznick
_____Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of Room 11 By N. Griffin,
_____Bayou Magic By Jewell Parker Rhodes
_____The Mysterious Benedict Society By Trenton Lee Stewart
_____Animas: Legacy of the Claw by C.R. Grey
_____Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
_____Amulet (Graphic Novel) by Kazu Kibuishi
_____Artemis Fowl (Novel or Graphic Novel) by Eoin Colfer
_____The Water and the Wild By K.E. Ormsbee
_____Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
_____Starcatchers series by Dave Barry
_____The Cloak Society by Jeramy Kraatz
_____Baker’s Magic by Diane Zahler
_____Thrones of Bones: Frostborn by Lou Andres
_____Emily Windsnap series by Liz Kessler
_____Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland
Sci Fi
_____Fuzzy Mud By Louis Sachar
_____Six: A Devastating Call. An Impossible Journey. And No Turning Back. By M.M. Vaughan
_____The Phantom Tollbooth By Norton Juster
_____Secret Coders: Get with the Program (Graphic Novel) by Gene Luen Yang
_____The Last Dogs: The Vanishing by Christopher Holt
_____Hyperspace High: Crash Landing by Zac Harrison
_____The Name of this Book is Secret (The Secret Series) by Pseudonymous Bosch
Adventure
_____NERDS By Michael Buckley
_____The Outcasts: Brotherband Chronicles by John Flanagan
_____Shark Bait (Extreme Adventure series) by Justin D’Ath
_____Last of the Sandwalkers By Jay Hosler
_____Urban Outlaws by Peter Jay Black
_____The Underneath By Kathi Appelt
_____H.I.V.E. by Wark Walden
_____The Kingdom Keepers series by Ridley Pearson
_____Mrs.Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
_____Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
_____The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable by Dan Gutman
_____The Storm Makers by Jennifer E. Smith
Nonfiction
_____Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah By Laurie Ann Thompson
_____Gingerbread for Liberty!: How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution By Mara Rockliff
_____Growing up Pedro By Matt Tavares
_____Why’d They Wear That?: Fashion As the Mirror of History By Sarah Albee
_____The Founding Fathers!: The Horse-Ridin’, Fiddle-Playin’, Book-Readin’, Gun-Totin’ Gentlemen Who Started
America By Jonah Winter
_____I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives By Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda
_____Who was… series by various authors
Realistic Fiction
_____Cassidy’s Guide to Everyday Etiquette (and Obfuscation) By Sue Stauffacher
_____A Handful of Stars By Cynthia Lord
_____The Penderwicks in Spring By Jeanne Birdsall
_____Listen, Slowly By Thanhhà Lai
_____Gone Crazy in Alabama By Rita Williams-Garcia
_____Dear Hank Williams By Kimberly Willis Holt
_____The Pirates of Crocodile Swamp By Jim Arnosky
_____The Way Home Looks Now By Wendy Wan-Long Shang
_____Fish in a Tree By Linda Mullaly Hunt
_____Lost in the Sun By Lisa Graff
_____The One and Only Ivan By Katherine Applegate
_____Roller Girl (Graphic Novel) By Victoria Jamieson
_____The Same Stuff as Stars By Katherine Paterson
_____Smile (Graphic Novel) by Raina Telgemeier
_____Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M.M. Blume
_____All Four Stars by Tara Daiman
_____Liberty Porter, First Daughter by Julia DeVillers
_____The Absolute Value of Mike by Kathryn Erskine
_____Honey By Sarah Weeks
_____Diary of a Sixth Grade Ninja by Marcus Emerson
_____The Classroom: Trick Out My School by Robing Mellow
_____Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
_____The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall
_____Kate Walden Directs Night of the Zombie Chickens by Julia Mata
_____Awkward (Graphic Novel) by Svetlana Chmakova
_____Confectionately Yours series by Lisa Papademetriou
Sports
_____Tangerine By Edward Bloor
_____The Prince of Fenway Park by Julianna Baggott
Mystery
_____Eddie Red: Undercover Mystery in Mayan Mexico By Marcia Wells
_____The Curious Cat Spy Club By Linda Joy Singleton
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_____Warren the 13 and The All-Seeing Eye By Tania Del Rio
_____Book Scavenger By Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
_____William & the Missing Masterpiece By Helen Hancocks
_____The Sweetest Heist in History By Octavia Spencer
_____Pieces and Players By Blue Balliett
_____Loot by Jude Watson
_____P.K. Pinkerton and the Petrified Man by Carolinen Lawerence
_____The Water Castle by Megan Frazer
_____39 Clues series by various authors
_____The Magnificent Lizzie Brown and the Ghost Ship by Vicki Lockwood