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 O: About Trees1
The Little Seed That Became a Mighty Tree
A little seed grows into a strong and magnificent tree with the help of fruit and advice from a wise nut.
Talk about it 1. How did the sapling feel at the beginning of the story? 2. What advice did the wise nut give the sapling? 3. How did the sapling change over time? 4. What did the tree become in the end? 5. What kind of things can a tree provide for other creatures?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: About Trees2
Timmy the Tenacious Tree
A little tree named Timmy learns how to protect himself and get the nutrients he needs despite living by a busy highway.
Talk about it 1. How does Timmy protect himself from the traffic? 2. How does chlorophyll help Timmy? 3. Why does Timmy grow a thicker seed coat? 4. How does Timmy make food in the winter? 5. How does Timmy become stronger?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Acropolis Adventure
Leo's Adventure at the Acropolis
A boy named Leo admires the ancient columns of the Acropolis and discovers the joy of comedy amidst a struggle.
Talk about it 1. What was Leo's favorite landmark in Athens? 2. How did Leo feel when he first saw the columns at the Acropolis? 3. Why was there a struggle outside the Acropolis? 4. What did Leo do to overcome the struggle and reach the Acropolis? 5. What did Leo do when he heard laughter coming from one of the buildings? 6. What is Leo's weekly routine now?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Alia and the Furniture Troll
Gurt the Troll Joins the Cleanliness Department
Gurt the troll becomes a successful cleaner in the village's Cleanliness Department after overcoming his slobbery habit.
Talk about it 1. What made Gurt decide to join the Cleanliness Department? 2. Why did Gurt feel embarrassed at work? 3. How did Gurt solve his drooling problem? 4. What did the villagers think of Gurt's change? 5. How did Gurt feel about himself at the end of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Alia and the Furniture Troll
The Magic Flying Chair
A sad piece of furniture transforms into a magical flying chair that helps children make their dreams come true with its power to swallow anything.
Talk about it 1. What made Fred feel sad at first? 2. How did Fred become a magical flying chair? 3. What reward did the baby bird give Fred? 4. What did Fred do to spread joy and happiness? 5. How did the children use Fred to make their dreams come true?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Art Around Us
Lily and the Magic Dragon of Pottery
A talented potter makes a soft sculpture of a dragon that comes to life and becomes her friend, helping her with her pottery and bringing her joy.
Talk about it 1. What was the name of the potter in the story? 2. What did Lily make with her pottery wheel? 3. How did the dragon come to life? 4. What did the dragon do in the studio? 5. Did Lily have any other adventures with the dragon?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Art Around Us
The Artistic Adventures of Lily: A Ceramic and Weaving Tale
A young artist named Lily combines her love of ceramics, weaving, and found object art to create unique installations that become famous worldwide.
Talk about it 1. What inspired Lily to create a mural made of ceramic tiles? 2. How did Lily use found objects in her art? 3. Why did Lily become famous for her art? 4. Can you think of other things that Lily might have used in her installations? 5. What do you think is the most important thing about being an artist like Lily?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Beckys Puzzle Problem
Lily's Playground Challenge
A girl named Lily designs and organizes the best playground for her school after overcoming a challenge given by her teacher.
Talk about it 1. What was the challenge that Lily's teacher gave to the class? 2. How did Lily organize her ideas for the playground design? 3. Why was Lily proud of herself after presenting her design? 4. What elements did Lily have to consider when designing the playground? 5. What was the final outcome of the playground challenge?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Beckys Puzzle Problem
The Energetic Robots and the Defective Parts: A Lesson in Perseverance and Problem-Solving".
A group of robots learn to overcome challenges by separating, comparing and organizing parts to design a successful production line.
Talk about it 1. What was the challenge that the robots faced? 2. How did the clever robot solve the problem with defective parts? 3. What was the lesson that the robots learned about perseverance and problem-solving? 4. What did the other robots think of the clever robot's trick? 5. Can you think of a time when you had to overcome a difficult challenge like the robots in the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Breeds of Dogs
The Mixed-Breed Dog's Adventure on the Farm
A mixed-breed dog proves its worth on a farm filled with various breeds, showing that breed doesn't determine a dog's abilities and love.
Talk about it 1. What types of dogs did the farmer have on his farm? 2. What happened when the farmer found the mixed-breed dog? 3. How did the mixed-breed dog prove itself on the farm? 4. Why do you think the farmer took in the mixed-breed dog? 5. What is the message of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Coyote and the Star
Max the Resilient Coyote: A Desert Tale
Max the coyote takes on trials to help a cursed spirit and becomes known as the most resilient coyote in the desert.
Talk about it 1. What was the challenge Max faced in the story? 2. How did Max show resilience in the story? 3. Who helped Max in his journey? 4. What happened at the end of the story? 5. Can you think of a time when you showed resilience like Max?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Daniel Boone
John the Pioneer: A Journey to Purify and Cure
A pioneer named John sets out on a journey to cure a widespread illness and becomes a hero among settlers.
Talk about it 1. Why did John become a hero among the settlers? 2. What did John vow to do in order to help the settlers? 3. How did John find the cure for the illness? 4. Why was the horizon important for the settlers? 5. Why were some of the settlers still mourning despite finding the cure?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Deep Inside a Copper Mine
Lily's Adventure in the Mine
Lily goes on a tour of a mine and learns about the hard work of miners and the importance of safety with a hard hat.
Talk about it - What did Lily learn on the tour of the mine? - Why was it important for Lily to wear a hard hat in the mine? - What did Lily appreciate about the miners' work?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Deep Inside a Copper Mine
Max and the Humongous Copper Deposit
A brave miner named Max discovers a humongous copper deposit deep beneath the earth and becomes rich and famous.
Talk about it 1. Why did Max go on a journey to find copper? 2. What made Max feel claustrophobic in the tunnel? 3. How did Max find the humongous copper deposit? 4. What did Max do with the copper he found? 5. Why did Max become rich and famous?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Desert People
The Nomad's Journey Through the Atacama Desert
A nomad named Sam travels through the Atacama Desert, learning from indigenous people how to adapt and survive in this harsh environment.
Talk about it 1. What did Sam learn from the Bushmen about surviving in the desert? 2. How did the Australian Aborigine's ancestors adapt to life in the desert? 3. What lessons did Sam take from each nomad he met? 4. Why is an oasis a rare and precious place in the desert? 5. Can you think of other ways that people have adapted to their environment throughout history?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Dictionary Dave
Max the Know-It-All Learns a Lesson
Max learns the value of humility, kindness and the joy of learning from others.
Talk about it 1. Why did Max think he was a know-it-all? 2. How did Max feel when his friend told him he sometimes said silly things? 3. What did Max learn about being humble and asking for help? 4. How does being kind and humble make us better than being always right?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Dictionary Dave
Lily and Billy's Vocabulary Adventure
Lily helps Billy improve his vocabulary after playing a prank on him, leading to their friendship and newfound confidence.
Talk about it 1. Why did Lily play a prank on Billy? 2. How did Billy feel when he realized he wasn't a know-it-all? 3. How did Lily help Billy improve his vocabulary? 4. How did their relationship change after they worked together on their vocabulary? 5. What lesson did they learn about being confident and not embarrassed to ask for help?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Dogs at Work
Max the Assistance Dog: Hero of the Beach
The assistance dog named Max helps a lifeguard capture a criminal and becomes a hero of the beach after assisting his owner during a seizure.
Talk about it - What is the name of the assistance dog in the story? - What was Max's special training? - What happened to Max's owner while they were at the beach? - Who did Max help at the beach? - Why was the lifeguard grateful to Max? - How did Max become known as a hero?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Dogs at Work
Lucky, Rusty, and Max: The Brave Heroes
Max, a boy with a disability, teams up with his guide dog Lucky and the guard dog Rusty to rescue livestock and put out a fire at a nearby farm, proving that disabilities don't stop bravery.
Talk about it 1. How did Max feel about his disability before the fire at the farm? 2. What did Rusty do to get help for the animals at the farm? 3. Why was Max able to help with the rescue? 4. What did Max, Lucky, and Rusty prove by working together? 5. How did their town view Max and his disability after the fire?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Fantastic Flying Machines1
The Adventure of Tim the Military Astronaut
An astronaut named Tim saves his crew and successfully delivers supplies to the International Space Station after a dangerous mission.
Talk about it 1. Who was Tim and what was his job? 2. What happened to the space shuttle during the mission? 3. How did Tim and his crew return to Earth safely? 4. Who helped Tim and his crew in their time of need? 5. What did Tim do that made him a hero?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Fantastic Flying Machines2
The Troops and the Helium Balloons: A Race Against the Speed of Sound.
A group of troops use helium balloons to deliver a package and overcome obstacles while racing against the speed of sound.
Talk about it 1. Why was the journey to deliver the helium package difficult? 2. How did the troops use the helium balloons to overcome obstacles? 3. What made the speed of sound their greatest enemy? 4. Why were the people of the faraway land grateful for the troops' delivery? 5. Can you think of other ways the troops could have completed their mission?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Friends Around the World
The Boomerang Boy of Tasmania
An Aboriginal boy in Tasmania discovers a boomerang and learns about its cultural significance, becoming known as the "Boomerang Boy".
Talk about it 1. Where did Tom find the boomerang? 2. What did Tom's friends think of the boomerang? 3. Why was Tom proud to be part of his culture? 4. What did Tom's father tell the group about the boomerang? 5. Why did Tom become known as the "Boomerang Boy"?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Friends Around the World
The Adventure of the Six Generations
A group of kids from different countries go on an adventure to learn about each other's cultures and discover they are all connected by their love for each other and their home.
Talk about it 1. How are the kids in the story similar, even though they come from different countries? 2. How does the Inuit culture compare to the other cultures in the story? 3. What do you think the kids learned on their adventure? 4. Can you think of any other ways people from different countries can connect and learn from each other?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Giant Pandas
Po's Adventure to the Preserve
A giant panda named Po goes on an adventure to find a preserve where animals are protected and their habitats are kept safe.
Talk about it - What is the main problem that Po faces in his habitat? - Why is Po vulnerable in his shrinking habitat? - Why is Po happy to have found the preserve? - What can we learn from Po's adventure about preserving habitats and protecting endangered animals?
Open reading