Yahaaa · Reading
Stories for the classroom
Short narratives that put vocabulary into a scene a learner can follow. 7,459 on the shelf, each with a discussion question.
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Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Big Machines
The Adventure of the Machinery Barge
A cargo barge transports heavy machinery with the help of a helicopter, bulldozer, passenger tractor, and crane, and successfully arrives at its destination.
Talk about it 1. What was the cargo barge carrying? 2. What machines were on board the barge? 3. How did the helicopter help the barge's journey? 4. What did the bulldozer do during the journey? 5. How did the passenger tractor help? 6. What did the crane lift onto the barge? 7. How did all the machines work together to unload the cargo at the destination?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: China
Beyond the Border: A Bamboo Adventure
A curious young boy named Bambi discovers a magical world beyond the border of his ancient civilization filled with wonders, including forests made entirely of bamboo.
Talk about it 1. What is the name of the protagonist in the story? 2. What is the main character's civilization known for? 3. What does the protagonist find when he crosses the border? 4. What is the significance of bamboo in the story? 5. Why do the people of Bambi's civilization decide to explore the new land?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Colonial Life
The Brave Ox and the Lantern
Oscar, the hard-working ox, overcomes his fear of the dark with the help of a lantern and becomes a hero to other lost oxen during the colonial period.
Talk about it 1. What was Oscar afraid of? 2. Why did Oscar take the lantern? 3. Who did Oscar meet on his way home? 4. Did the lantern help Oscar find his way home? 5. How did Oscar feel at the end of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Colonial Life
The Scientific Journey of Maria
A girl's love for science and medicine leads her to become a famous doctor, known all over the world.
Talk about it -What did Maria learn about science and medicine at the mill? -How did the use of electricity help make the medicine? -How did Maria's experience at the mill influence her future? -What was the name of the machine used to mix the ingredients for the medicine? -Why did people come from far and wide to see Maria when she became a doctor?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Colonial Life2
The Schoolhouse's Farm Adventure
A schoolhouse helps a farmer fix his broken refrigerator and has a fun adventure on the farm.
Talk about it 1. Why did the traffic jam happen in the story? 2. What did the schoolhouse do to help the farmer fix his refrigerator? 3. What did the schoolhouse and the farmer do on the farm together? 4. How did the farmer thank the schoolhouse for its help? 5. What was the most exciting part of the schoolhouse's adventure on the farm?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Crocs and Gators
Croc and the Little Girl: A Story of Friendship and Acceptance
A fierce but lonely endangered reptile finds friendship and acceptance with a lost little girl.
Talk about it 1. Why was Croc feeling lonely at the beginning of the story? 2. How did the little girl react when she first saw Croc? 3. What did the little girl learn about Croc after spending time with him? 4. How did Croc feel after he became friends with the little girl? 5. What message does the story send about judging people based on their appearance?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Deep in the Ocean
Max the Oceanographer and the Fish Census
Max, a curious oceanographer, uses a special tool called a "feeler" to tag all the fish in the ocean and record important information about their behavior during a census.
Talk about it 1. Why did Max want to conduct a census of the fish in the ocean? 2. What was the special tool that Max invented to help him tag the fish? 3. How did Max use the "feeler" to tag the fish? 4. What information did Max record about the fish during the census?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Deep in the Ocean
The Underwater Volcano Adventure
A scientist discovers a thriving underwater ecosystem near a volcano in the Arctic ocean and shares her findings with the world.
Talk about it 1. Why did the scientist want to explore the Arctic ocean? 2. What kind of submersible did the scientist build? 3. What did the scientist discover near the underwater volcano? 4. How did the bacteria and marine species benefit from the oxygen given off by the volcano? 5. Why was the scientist excited to share her discovery with the world?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Diabetes and Me
Max and His Battle with Diabetes
A young boy named Max with diabetes learns to manage his condition by monitoring his intake of carbohydrates and taking the right amount of insulin.
Talk about it 1. What is diabetes and how does it affect the body? 2. Why is it important for Max to be careful about the type and amount of food he eats? 3. What does insulin do in the body? 4. Why was Max relieved to find out that diabetes is not contagious? 5. How did Max learn to live a happy and healthy life with diabetes?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Eggys Easy Out
The Winning Fastball
The Little League team "Mighty Mitts" wins the game with a fast fastball and a pop-up catch in the last inning.
Talk about it 1. What was the name of the Little League team in the story? 2. What was the coach's teaching philosophy? 3. Who was ready to catch the fast fastball in the last inning? 4. How did the game end? 5. What was the title of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Every Dog Has Its Day
Benny the Brave Bear and the Big Burst of Laughter
A young bear named Benny learns to stand up for himself and not let others bother him with a loud yank.
Talk about it 1. Why did Benny run away from the big bear? 2. What did Benny's mother tell him to do if he was ever in trouble? 3. How did Benny feel when he first saw the big bear charging towards him? 4. Why did the big bear stop chasing Benny? 5. What lesson did Benny learn from this experience?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Fantastic Flying Machines
The Incredible Journey of the Cargo Blimp
A cargo blimp goes on an exciting adventure with troops through the skies, space and a distant planet using various modes of flight.
Talk about it 1. What kind of problems did the cargo blimp face in the story? 2. How did the troops help the blimp return to the sky? 3. What did the troops attach to the blimp to make it fly faster on the distant planet? 4. What was the outcome of the journey of the cargo blimp and the troops?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: George Washington Carver
The Professor's Inventive Solution
A famous professor during the Civil War invents a solution to improve crops and helps slaves receive fair treatment and respect.
Talk about it 1. Why did the professor care about the slaves? 2. How did the professor invent a solution to help the crops grow better? 3. What was the professor's invention presented to? 4. Why was it important for the slaves to receive fair treatment? 5. What did the professor teach us about hard work and determination?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Goldilocks and the Other Three Bears
Billy the Bear's Morning Porridge
Billy the bear wakes up to the sound of his dad knocking, eats porridge for breakfast, and goes outside to play before returning home in "Billy the Bear's Morning Porridge.
Talk about it 1. What did Billy have for breakfast? 2. How did Billy feel when he woke up? 3. Who woke Billy up in the morning? 4. Why did Billy have to go outside and play? 5. Did Billy like his breakfast of porridge?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Benny the Brave Bear: An Adventure in Helpfulness
A little bear named Benny helps a bird find its feather, faces a hungry wolf with bravery, and returns to his home, learning that the best answers come from the heart.
Talk about it 1. Why did Benny groan when he was asked to go see who was knocking at the door? 2. How did Benny feel after helping the bird find its feather? 3. How did Benny face the hungry wolf? 4. What did Benny learn from his adventure? 5. Can you think of a time when you helped someone, like Benny did in the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: How Animals Sleep
Brain's Adventure in the Sky
A little bird named Brain discovers a beautiful world while gliding through the sky, and lives a happy life eager for adventure.
Talk about it 1. Where did Brain live? 2. How did Brain feel when it first saw the ceiling above it? 3. What did Brain do every day after it discovered the world above the tree? 4. How did Brain feel about exploring the world? 5. What did Brain discover on its adventures in the sky?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: How to Make Ice Cream
Lily's Vanilla Pancake Adventure
Lily becomes a talented little chef creating and sharing her special vanilla pancake creation with her family.
Talk about it 1. What ingredients did Lily use to make her pancakes? 2. How did Lily remember the exact measurements for her mixture? 3. What toppings did Lily add to her pancakes? 4. Why did Lily put her pancakes in a sealable container? 5. What did Lily's family think of her creation?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: How We Measure
Lily's Metric Adventure
A curious girl named Lily learns about the metric system and uses it to measure everything she can find.
Talk about it 1. What is the metric system and why is it important? 2. How does Lily use the metric system to measure things? 3. Why did Lily ask her friend Jack for help when measuring her height? 4. What did Lily learn about using the right system to measure things? 5. Can you think of something you would like to measure and see how tall, heavy, or long it is in meters and grams?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Im the Guest
Max the Polite Mouse
A polite mouse named Max overcomes adversity and becomes popular among guests at a fancy dinner party.
Talk about it 1. Why did the other guests give Max a nasty glare? 2. How did Max feel when Yank jumped out and began to hiss at him? 3. What did Mrs. Whiskers do when she saw what was going on? 4. Why did Max become very popular after the party? 5. What did Max always remember to do no matter what?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Introducing Planet Earth
Lulu's Adventures at the Ends of the Earth
A young girl named Lulu learns about the equator, continents, longitude and latitude, the North and South Poles, Antarctica, seasons, and Earth's tilt on her adventures.
Talk about it 1. Where is the equator located on the Earth? 2. How many continents are there on Earth? 3. What are longitude and latitude lines used for? 4. What is special about the North Pole and South Pole? 5. What season does Antarctica have? 6. Why does Earth have different seasons? 7. What did Lulu learn about Antarctica?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Jane Goodall
The Chimpanzee's Tool-Using Ways: A Study in Africa
A scientist travels to Africa to study the behavior of chimpanzees and discovers their intelligence and use of tools.
Talk about it 1. What did the scientist observe about the chimpanzees? 2. Why was it interesting to the scientist? 3. How did the scientist learn about the chimpanzees? 4. What did the scientist realize about the chimpanzees in the end? 5. What can we learn from the story about chimpanzees and their behavior?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Jessica Loves Soccer
The Invisible Champions: A Spectacular Soccer Story
A soccer team uses their invisibility to surprise the referee and win the championship in a spectacular game.
Talk about it -What was the problem the soccer team faced before the championship game? -How did the team become invisible? -What did the referee think about the team's spectacular goals? -What made the coach and the fans in the neighborhood proud?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Joeys Stop Sign
The Accomplished Petitioners: A City Council Tale
A group of animals research and present a successful petition to the city council for a better city.
Talk about it 1. Why did the animals start a petition? 2. How did the majority of animals support their cause? 3. What was the agenda of the city council meeting? 4. How did the animals feel after their proposal was accepted by the council? 5. What does the story teach us about accomplishing goals and working together for a better community?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary L: Kenya
The Savanna's Treasured Plant: A Story of Protection and Harmony
A tribe of animals work together to protect a rare plant in the highlands, ensuring the balance and beauty of their savanna for generations.
Talk about it - Why was it important for the tribe to protect the rare plant? - How did the tribe work together to protect the plant? - How did the tribe's actions impact the savanna and its ecosystem? - What can we learn from the tribe about taking care of our environment?
Open reading