🚀 Space, DinosaursGrade 3Reading: grades 3-4AdditionSubtractionRoundingBar modelsMissing addends
The Galactic Amber Heist
An alarm blares across the Dino-Dome Space Station! The priceless Golden Fossil, preserved in cosmic amber, has been snatched from the central bio-deck. A sneaky Cyber-Dino Thief bypassed the forcefields. Now, we must track down the culprit before they escape into the deep dark nebula!
Suspects
Possible suspects
Cross off a row as each clue rules it out. On screen, tap a row.
21 of 21 still in play
| Name | Cyber Upgrade | Space Gear | Dominant Claw | Spacesuit Helmet Color | System Vulnerability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penny Ptera | Gravity Stomp | Rocket Boots | Left clawed | Stardust Pink | Magnetic Nets |
| Orbit Olivia | Gravity Stomp | Asteroid Drill | Left clawed | Neon Orange | Bright Flares |
| Veloci Victor | Gravity Stomp | Nebula Goggles | Left clawed | Neon Orange | Bright Flares |
| Bronto Buzz | Plasma Roar | Nebula Goggles | Left clawed | Stardust Pink | Magnetic Nets |
| Nova Tricera | Jetpack Blast | Asteroid Drill | Left clawed | Stardust Pink | Water Sprays |
| Zelda Zero | Jetpack Blast | Nebula Goggles | Left clawed | Stardust Pink | Magnetic Nets |
| Billy Blast | Plasma Roar | Nebula Goggles | Right clawed | Stardust Pink | Magnetic Nets |
| Cosmo Cleo | Jetpack Blast | Rocket Boots | Right clawed | Laser Blue | Water Sprays |
| Orion Raptor | Gravity Stomp | Rocket Boots | Right clawed | Stardust Pink | Magnetic Nets |
| Spike Nebula | Gravity Stomp | Rocket Boots | Left clawed | Neon Orange | Magnetic Nets |
| Rex Rocket | Jetpack Blast | Solar Claws | Left clawed | Stardust Pink | Magnetic Nets |
| Rex Orbit | Force Field | Asteroid Drill | Left clawed | Stardust Pink | Magnetic Nets |
| Raptor Ryan | Plasma Roar | Nebula Goggles | Left clawed | Neon Orange | Water Sprays |
| Comet Carrie | Force Field | Solar Claws | Left clawed | Stardust Pink | Magnetic Nets |
| Stego Stella | Plasma Roar | Comet Shield | Right clawed | Neon Orange | Bright Flares |
| Galaxy Greg | Gravity Stomp | Rocket Boots | Left clawed | Laser Blue | Bright Flares |
| Draco Dino | Plasma Roar | Asteroid Drill | Right clawed | Laser Blue | Magnetic Nets |
| Trixie Comet | Gravity Stomp | Comet Shield | Left clawed | Laser Blue | Magnetic Nets |
| Daisy Dino | Gravity Stomp | Comet Shield | Left clawed | Neon Orange | Bright Flares |
| Apollo Rex | Force Field | Rocket Boots | Right clawed | Neon Orange | Magnetic Nets |
| Saber Sam | Plasma Roar | Nebula Goggles | Right clawed | Neon Orange | Magnetic Nets |
Clue 1
Addition
Ranger Rex counts the empty space cabbage crates left behind. We need to add up the crates to find the first clue!
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
501
463
910
547
612
547
225
910
215
T
501
771
369
910
547
242
369
T
501
849
910
668
579
242
910
798
612
587
668
537
369
537
537
587
910
547
196 + 305 =T
216 + 321 =G
334 + 576 =E
114 + 255 =O
149 + 314 =H
280 + 299 =R
245 + 342 =L
398 + 214 =U
321 + 450 =D
236 + 311 =S
126 + 99 =P
334 + 515 =W
432 + 236 =A
260 + 538 =B
167 + 75 =N
94 + 121 =C
0/16 letters found
Clue 2
Subtraction
The getaway ship drained fuel from our reserve tank. Subtract the lost gallons to unlock the sensor logs!
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
293
264
509
662
264
391
535
739
159
509
219
509
570
219
727
535
535
509
570
762
122
779
295
509
582
T
293
662
295
779
159
623 - 330 =T
678 - 108 =D
444 - 322 =Y
1124 - 345 =A
961 - 199 =B
932 - 270 =C
676 - 94 =F
1038 - 299 =S
284 - 125 =W
375 - 156 =R
296 - 32 =H
757 - 222 =P
783 - 392 =I
997 - 270 =O
549 - 254 =L
692 - 183 =E
0/16 letters found
Clue 3
Rounding
The radar scanner is damaged and only shows rounded numbers. Round the distance of the escaping pod to read the transmission!
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
60
40
2000
80
2000
T
60
7000
3000
5000
2000
T
60
600
T
60
50
7000
20
20
2000
700
T
60
40
2000
T
60
40
200
2000
4000
Round 59 to the nearest tenT
Round 21 to the nearest tenP
Round 6,558 to the nearest thousandA
Round 206 to the nearest hundredI
Round 734 to the nearest hundredD
Round 553 to the nearest hundredS
Round 4,835 to the nearest thousandN
Round 2,370 to the nearest thousandE
Round 4,221 to the nearest thousandF
Round 2,732 to the nearest thousandL
Round 48 to the nearest tenR
Round 41 to the nearest tenH
Round 79 to the nearest tenM
0/13 letters found
Clue 4
Bar model word problems
Compare the size of the footprints in the cargo bays using this bar model to see where the suspect ran!
Draw a bar model to solve each word problem. Its answer reveals a letter — write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Astrandof hairturnedupatthescene.
S
8
60
39
15
57
46
S
8
60
58
I
N
K
Ranger Rex has 2 times as many oxygen canisters as a teammate. The teammate has 4 oxygen canisters. How many oxygen canisters does Ranger Rex have?
draw a bar model
Answer:→S
Ranger Rex has 135 oxygen canisters, packed 9 to a bag. How many bags can be filled?
draw a bar model
Answer:→R
The red team has 96 meteor fragments and the blue team has 39 meteor fragments. How many more meteor fragments does the red team have?
draw a bar model
Answer:→D
Ranger Rex shares 117 oxygen canisters equally among 3 teams. How many oxygen canisters does each team get?
draw a bar model
Answer:→A
One group collected 4 space ferns and another group collected 42 space ferns. How many space ferns in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→U
One group collected 21 rocket carrots and another group collected 37 rocket carrots. How many rocket carrots in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→P
The red team has 82 space ferns and the blue team has 22 space ferns. How many more space ferns does the red team have?
draw a bar model
Answer:→T
0/7 letters found
Clue 5
Missing addends — the last clue
To power up the main computer, we must fill the energy core to its target. Find the missing energy units to read the final file!
First solve each problem. Then find each answer in the list below and cross that sentence out. One sentence will be left — that's exactly what the villain did!
Step 1 — solve these
4 + ___ = 8
10 + ___ = 20
3 + ___ = 8
5 + ___ = 17
10 + ___ = 17
3 + ___ = 9
6 + ___ = 17
3 + ___ = 12
9 + ___ = 12
3 + ___ = 11
8 + ___ = 9
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain sliced the door with a laser tail, then tunneled out with an asteroid drill.
2.The villain cracked the floor with a gravity stomp, then zoomed away in rocket boots.
3.The villain cracked the floor with a gravity stomp, then tore through the fence with solar claws.
4.The villain blocked the alarms with a force field, then tunneled out with an asteroid drill.
5.The villain blocked the alarms with a force field, then tore through the fence with solar claws.
6.The villain melted the lock with a plasma roar, then zoomed away in rocket boots.
7.The villain sliced the door with a laser tail, then zoomed away in rocket boots.
8.The villain sliced the door with a laser tail, then tore through the fence with solar claws.
9.The villain blasted off with a jetpack, then spotted the target using nebula goggles.
10.The villain blasted off with a jetpack, then tore through the fence with solar claws.
11.The villain cracked the floor with a gravity stomp, then deflected the guards with a comet shield.
12.The villain cracked the floor with a gravity stomp, then spotted the target using nebula goggles.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Galactic Amber Heist
Culprit: Penny Ptera (Gravity Stomp · Rocket Boots · Left clawed · Stardust Pink · Magnetic Nets)
- Clue 1 (Addition): "THE SUSPECT DOES NOT WEAR NEBULA GOGGLES"196 + 305 = 501 (T) · 216 + 321 = 537 (G) · 334 + 576 = 910 (E) · 114 + 255 = 369 (O) · 149 + 314 = 463 (H) · 280 + 299 = 579 (R) · 245 + 342 = 587 (L) · 398 + 214 = 612 (U) · 321 + 450 = 771 (D) · 236 + 311 = 547 (S) · 126 + 99 = 225 (P) · 334 + 515 = 849 (W) · 432 + 236 = 668 (A) · 260 + 538 = 798 (B) · 167 + 75 = 242 (N) · 94 + 121 = 215 (C)
- Clue 2 (Subtraction): "THE CHIPS WERE DROPPED BY A LEFT CLAW"623 - 330 = 293 (T) · 678 - 108 = 570 (D) · 444 - 322 = 122 (Y) · 1124 - 345 = 779 (A) · 961 - 199 = 762 (B) · 932 - 270 = 662 (C) · 676 - 94 = 582 (F) · 1038 - 299 = 739 (S) · 284 - 125 = 159 (W) · 375 - 156 = 219 (R) · 296 - 32 = 264 (H) · 757 - 222 = 535 (P) · 783 - 392 = 391 (I) · 997 - 270 = 727 (O) · 549 - 254 = 295 (L) · 692 - 183 = 509 (E)
- Clue 3 (Rounding): "THE METAL NETS TRAPPED THE THIEF"Round 59 to the nearest ten = 60 (T) · Round 21 to the nearest ten = 20 (P) · Round 6,558 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (A) · Round 206 to the nearest hundred = 200 (I) · Round 734 to the nearest hundred = 700 (D) · Round 553 to the nearest hundred = 600 (S) · Round 4,835 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (N) · Round 2,370 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (E) · Round 4,221 to the nearest thousand = 4000 (F) · Round 2,732 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (L) · Round 48 to the nearest ten = 50 (R) · Round 41 to the nearest ten = 40 (H) · Round 79 to the nearest ten = 80 (M)
- Clue 4 (Bar model word problems): "STARDUST PINK"Ranger Rex has 2 times as many oxygen canisters as a teammate. The teammate has 4 oxygen canisters. How many oxygen canisters does Ranger Rex have? = 8 (S) · Ranger Rex has 135 oxygen canisters, packed 9 to a bag. How many bags can be filled? = 15 (R) · The red team has 96 meteor fragments and the blue team has 39 meteor fragments. How many more meteor fragments does the red team have? = 57 (D) · Ranger Rex shares 117 oxygen canisters equally among 3 teams. How many oxygen canisters does each team get? = 39 (A) · One group collected 4 space ferns and another group collected 42 space ferns. How many space ferns in all? = 46 (U) · One group collected 21 rocket carrots and another group collected 37 rocket carrots. How many rocket carrots in all? = 58 (P) · The red team has 82 space ferns and the blue team has 22 space ferns. How many more space ferns does the red team have? = 60 (T)
- Clue 5 (Missing addends): surviving statement (box 2) → Penny Ptera4 + ___ = 8 = 4 · 10 + ___ = 20 = 10 · 3 + ___ = 8 = 5 · 5 + ___ = 17 = 12 · 10 + ___ = 17 = 7 · 3 + ___ = 9 = 6 · 6 + ___ = 17 = 11 · 3 + ___ = 12 = 9 · 9 + ___ = 12 = 3 · 3 + ___ = 11 = 8 · 8 + ___ = 9 = 1
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 3 math
- Math topics
- Addition, Subtraction, Rounding, Bar models, Missing addends
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Galactic Amber Heist — set in The Dino-Dome Space Station
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects