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: The Mona Lisa Mystery
The Masterpiece Mystery
A little boy solves the mystery of a forgery posed as an antique masterpiece in a museum.
Talk about it 1. What was the little boy's name in the story? 2. Why did the painting look different from the others? 3. What did the museum's curator tell the little boy about the painting? 4. What was the motive behind the forgery? 5. How did the little boy solve the mystery of the painting? 6. How did the varnish used on the painting affect it? 7. What did the little boy learn from his experience at the museum?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: The Steam Engine
The Inventor and the Steam Engine
A inventor named Tim builds a powerful steam locomotive and solves the problem of high pressure with a valve, but eventually becomes less popular with the invention of diesel engines.
Talk about it 1. Why was Tim worried about the pressure in the boiler of his locomotive? 2. What was Tim's invention to prevent the boiler from exploding? 3. Why did people all over the world start using Tim's steam engine in their trains? 4. What new type of engine was invented that made Tim's steam engine less popular? 5. Why was Tim proud of his invention?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: The Story of the Statue
The Liberty Bird Statue
A sculptor and an engineer work together to create a symbol of freedom, independence and liberty, inspiring the community with their creation.
Talk about it 1. What was the main idea behind the statue created by Jai and Priya? 2. What did the statue symbolize? 3. Why did Priya decide to help Jai with the statue? 4. How did the statue inspire people in their community? 5. What do you think freedom, independence and liberty mean to you?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Voyagers in Space
Starflyer's Mission to Understand
Starflyer, a curious spaceship, embarks on a mission to understand and help friendly creatures on a distant planet.
Talk about it 1. What was Starflyer's mission? 2. What did Starflyer discover on the planet? 3. How did Starflyer help the creatures on the planet? 4. What did Starflyer learn from its mission? 5. Why is it important to understand and help others?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Voyagers in Space
Max's Adventure on Planet Gravity: Exploring the Wonders of the Solar System
Max, a brave astronaut, explores the planet Gravity, gathering information about its atmosphere and magnetic field, and becomes known as an expert on gravity in the solar system.
Talk about it 1. What was Max's mission in the story? 2. What did Max bring with him to Gravity? 3. How did Max record information about the planet? 4. What did Max learn about gravity after exploring Gravity? 5. Who did Max become known as after his adventure on Gravity?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Women of the Supreme Court
The Brave Latina and the Fight for Justice
A Latina named Maria fights for justice using the Constitution and its amendments to end discrimination and protect people's rights.
Talk about it 1. What does the Constitution do? 2. How does Maria use the Constitution to help with the discrimination case? 3. Why is it important to have amendments to the Constitution? 4. What is the meaning of justice and how does Maria show it in the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: A Landforms Adventure
Treasure Beneath the Tectonic Plates
A group of curious kids go on an adventure to explore beneath the earth's surface and discover a main deposit of precious minerals.
Talk about it 1. Why did the kids go on an adventure beneath the earth's surface? 2. What did the kids find when they reached the site of the deposit? 3. How did the kids feel when they discovered the main deposit of precious minerals? 4. What did the kids do with the valuable deposits they extracted from the earth?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: A Landforms Adventure
Delta and Plateau's Landform Adventure
Delta and Plateau, two unique landforms, explore their surroundings and create a beautiful peninsula.
Talk about it 1. What was Delta's landform like? 2. Who did Delta meet on the isthmus? 3. What did Delta and Plateau create together? 4. How did Delta's creation make those in the land feel? 5. What other adventures do you think Delta and Plateau had?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: A Visit to Kitt Peak
Tim's Night Sky Adventure
An amateur astronomer named Tim discovers the beauty of the night sky and is encouraged to continue his journey as an astronomer.
Talk about it 1) What was Tim's dream? 2) How did Tim feel when he saw the stars through his telescope? 3) Why did Tim go to the control room at the observatory? 4) How did the professional astronomer react to Tim's pictures? 5) What did Tim learn from his night sky adventure?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Amelia Earhart A Legend in Flight1
Designing Adventure: An Equatorial Expedition in Australia
Designers embark on an historic expedition to the equator in Australia, making discoveries and overcoming challenges with their vehicle's powerful engine.
Talk about it 1. What was the team of designers trying to do? 2. What kind of vehicle did they use to cross the Atlantic Ocean? 3. What did they encounter along their journey? 4. What did they find at the equator in Australia? 5. How did they document their expedition?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Amelia Earhart A Legend in Flight2
Jack the Navigator: The Stunt Across the Pacific
Jack, a famous navigator, charts a new route across the Pacific and performs a stunt to showcase his skills, becoming known as the greatest navigator of all time.
Talk about it 1. Why did Jack decide to perform a stunt? 2. How did Jack become known as the greatest navigator of all time? 3. What happened to Jack's ship during his journey across the Pacific Ocean? 4. Who helped Jack with his stunt? 5. How did the people of New Guinea help Jack when he was in trouble?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Arthurs Bad News Day
Timmy's Sticky Diaper Adventure
A baby named Timmy is reluctant to have his diaper changed but overcomes his aversion with the help of tickles and laughter.
Talk about it 1. Why did Timmy make a "yuck" face when he smelled the syrup? 2. What did Timmy's dad do to make him happy again? 3. How did Timmy's mom try to make diaper changing more fun? 4. What was in Timmy's diaper that made it nearly full?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Castles1
Marcy the Brave Merchant
Marcy the merchant fights off an attacker and becomes known for her bravery and love of artisan's crafts.
Talk about it 1. What kind of wares did Marcy the merchant sell? 2. How did Marcy defend herself from the attacker? 3. What did the villagers do to show their gratitude to Marcy? 4. What did Marcy promise to do with the artisan's creations? 5. Why did Marcy become known as a brave merchant?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Castles1
John the Brave Farmer: A Mini-Castle Adventure
A farmer named John builds a mini-castle and protects it from invaders, becoming known as the bravest farmer in the kingdom.
Talk about it 1. What did John learn from his class visit to the castle? 2. How did John build his mini-castle? 3. What tools did John use to protect his mini-castle from invaders? 4. How did John become known as the bravest farmer in the kingdom? 5. What does this story teach us about bravery and hard work?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Cesar Chavez Migrant Hero1
The Magic of Following the Condition
The story teaches the importance of following conditions for happiness and health, and the consequences of cheating.
Talk about it 1. What was the condition that everyone had to follow? 2. What happened when Jack cheated the condition? 3. Why did Jack become persuasive in cheating the condition? 4. What did the people learn about cheating and following the condition? 5. Why is following conditions important for happiness and health?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Cesar Chavez Migrant Hero1
The Migrant Workers' Strike: A Tale of Unity and Protection
A group of migrant workers unite to boycott and strike for their rights, inspiring others to support them until their demands are met.
Talk about it 1. Why did the migrant workers decide to strike? 2. How did the immigrant community show their support? 3. What was the outcome of the strike? 4. Why is it important to stand up for one's rights?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: China
The Legacy of the Mandarin Civilization
A historian records the rich culture and strong economy of a Chinese civilization known for its domesticated animals, valuable Mandarin porcelain utensils, and paddy crops, despite changes brought by a communist government.
Talk about it 1. What was the civilization in the story known for? 2. What did the historian do in the society? 3. What kind of crops did the people grow? 4. What was special about the porcelain utensils made in the civilization? 5. How did the government change the society in the end?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Chinzaemon the Silent
The Noble Knight and the Power-Hungry Apprentice
A noble knight, with the help of his armorer and an apprentice, defeated an evil sorcerer and learned a valuable lesson about power.
Talk about it 1. What did the knight's advisor suggest they do to defeat the sorcerer? 2. What was the courtier's gift to the knight before he was dismissed? 3. Why did the knight have to dismiss the courtier? 4. What lesson did the knight learn from his experience with the courtier?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Coral Reefs
The Barrier Reef Adventure: Saving the Lagoon from Bleaching
The polyps build a barrier reef to protect the lagoon from bleaching and save its creatures.
Talk about it 1. What was the problem in the lagoon? 2. What is bleaching and how does it affect the coral reef? 3. What did the polyps do to solve the problem? 4. What did the polyps learn from the atoll? 5. How did the barrier reef help protect the lagoon?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Earthquakes Volcanoes and Tsunamis
Mount Vicious: A Tale of Natural Disasters
A cautionary tale about the dangers of living near a volcano, where an earthquake triggers a landslide, magma eruption, tsunami, and ash cloud, leading to the town's realization of always being prepared for natural disasters.
Talk about it 1. What is an earthquake? 2. What is a fault line? 3. Why was Mount Vicious angry? 4. What did the Richter scale measure? 5. What happened to the people near the shore when the tsunami hit? 6. Why is it important to be prepared for natural disasters?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Eleventeen
The Comeback of Luke: A Unison Adventure
An adolescent named Luke goes on a journey to regain his voice, making a triumphant comeback in unison with the kingdom's choir.
Talk about it 1. How did Luke feel when he lost his voice? 2. What did Luke do to regain his voice? 3. Why was the kingdom filled with happiness at the end of the story? 4. How did Luke's friends help him in his journey? 5. What lesson can you learn from Luke's story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Eleventeen
The Prince's Dilemma: A Lesson in Responsibility
A prince learns the importance of responsibility and hard work by overcoming the dilemma of building a straight column in the garden.
Talk about it 1. Why was Prince Max known for his sarcasm and extraordinary wit? 2. Why was building the column a dilemma for Prince Max? 3. How did Prince Max overcome the dilemma of building the straight column? 4. What did Prince Max learn from this experience? 5. Why is responsibility important?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Emily
The Real Treasure of the Countryside
A fidgety rabbit and his cooperative animal friends discover that the real treasure is their friendship after searching for a significant one in the countryside.
Talk about it 1. What was the significant treasure that Benny and his friends were searching for? 2. Why did they all feel richer at the end of the story? 3. What lesson did Benny learn about treasures? 4. Who offered to help Benny on his quest for the treasure? 5. Why did Benny say what he said when they found the pile of rocks?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Extreme Animals
The Flying Reptile and the Colorful Algae
A temperamental reptile learns to fly and eventually becomes a beloved teacher in a quiet and transparent pond filled with colorful algae.
Talk about it 1. Why did the other creatures in the pond want to learn how to fly from the reptile? 2. How did the algae help the reptile become a better teacher? 3. What do you think the pond looked like after everyone learned to fly? 4. Can you think of a time when you had to be patient with someone who was temperamental? 5. What did you learn from the story about the importance of celebration and friendship?
Open reading