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 R: Scaredy Camp
The Petrified Cat and the Magic Crystal
A young girl and her petrified cat inspect a magical crystal that they use to help others, but only if its use is deemed adequate.
Talk about it 1. Why was Shadow petrified when he saw the shiny object on the beach? 2. Why did Lily want to convince Shadow to help the fisherman? 3. What did Shadow and Lily do to make sure the crystal was used for good? 4. What did the fisherman wish for? 5. Do you think it was a good decision for Lily and Shadow to allow others to use the crystal? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Scaredy Camp2
The Brave Boy and the Voracious Monster
A brave young boy befriends a misunderstood monster and puts an end to the terror it brought to their village.
Talk about it 1. Why did the villagers stay up all night? 2. How did the boy feel when he learned what the monster really was? 3. What lesson did the villagers learn about things that seem scary? 4. How can we be brave like the boy in the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Sea Turtles
Timmy the Turtle and the False Crawl
A turtle named Timmy learns the importance of a protective shell and how to stay safe from danger with the help of a crab.
Talk about it 1. What are the three types of animals mentioned in the story? 2. What did Timmy want to have like the crab? 3. What did the crab show Timmy? 4. What did Timmy practice every day? 5. What did Timmy do when danger approached?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Ships and Boats
Captain Hook and the Exotic Treasure Hunt
Captain Hook sets off on an exotic treasure hunt in his submarine, facing challenges like a tangled propeller and a giant octopus attack before finally discovering a chest of glittering gold coins.
Talk about it 1. What kind of vessel did Captain Hook sail in? 2. What happened to the submarine's propeller on the voyage to the island? 3. Who attacked the submarine and what did Captain Hook do about it? 4. What was the treasure that Captain Hook found on the mysterious island? 5. How did Captain Hook feel when he found the treasure? 6. What did Captain Hook do with the treasure he found?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Skydiving
Sam's Skydiving Adventure: Learning About Discipline and the Static Line
A little skydiver named Sam learns about discipline and the static line while going on a tandem jump with his teacher.
Talk about it 1. What is discipline and why is it important for skydiving? 2. What is a static line and how does it open the parachute? 3. What is a tandem jump and why did Sam do it with his teacher? 4. What does the canopy of a parachute look like and what does it do? 5. How do you think Sam felt about his skydiving adventure?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Skydiving
The Sky Flying Duo: Adventures in the Birdman Suit
A paratrooper named Max and his friend Sam, a rigger, become known as the "Sky Flying Duo" and perform daring stunts in birdman suits while jumping from airplanes.
Talk about it 1. What is a paratrooper? 2. Why did Max love to jump out of airplanes? 3. How did Max and Sam become known as the "Sky Flying Duo"? 4. What did the children watching Max and Sam's performances think of them? 5. What is a ripcord? 6. How does the altimeter help Max before he jumps from an airplane? 7. What is a birdman suit? 8. What is a rigger?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Speed
The Litho-Dragster: The Fastest Machine in the World
A mechanical engineer named Max designs the fastest machine in the world, the Litho-Dragster, inspired by a peregrine falcon diving at the speed of sound.
Talk about it 1. What inspired Max to design the Litho-Dragster? 2. What is the speed of sound? 3. What is a peregrine falcon and what does it have to do with the story? 4. How fast can the Litho-Dragster fly? 5. Why was Max amazed by the Litho-Dragster's performance?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Storm Chasers
Max the Meteorologist and the Tornadoes of Tornado Alley
Max, a meteorologist in Tornado Alley, tracks a supercell and issues tornado warnings while observing a tornado and a rare waterspout.
Talk about it 1. What is a Doppler radar and what does it do? 2. Why is Tornado Alley an important place for meteorologists to study? 3. What is a tornado warning and what should people do when they hear one? 4. Why did Max rate the tornado an F-3? 5. What is a waterspout and how is it different from a tornado?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: The Genius of Tesla
Max the Inventor and the Magic Coil
Max, a curious inventor, creates a magical coil that generates endless current, becoming famous and continuing to invent amazing things to improve the world.
Talk about it 1. What was Max's invention? 2. How did Max become famous? 3. What was the importance of coils and currents in Max's invention? 4. What did Max invent after the magical coil? 5. How did Max's inventions make the world a better place?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: The Genius of Tesla
Max the Energy Engineer: A Tale of Design and Innovation
A young engineer named Max designs and experiments with technology to create a machine that can convert energy into electricity and vice versa, impressing a company and securing a long-term contract for further research and development.
Talk about it 1. Who is the main character in the story? 2. What does Max love to do? 3. What was the contract Max received from the company? 4. What did Max build to fulfill the contract? 5. What happened during the experiment with Max's machine? 6. How did the company react to Max's invention? 7. What did Max continue to do after the experiment?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: The Hard Stuff All About Bones
Benny the Bunny and His Amazing Body Parts
A story about a bunny, Benny, who learns about the different body parts that help him move and be healthy after hurting his leg.
Talk about it 1. What is a vertebrate? 2. What is cartilage and how does it help us move? 3. What is a ligament and what does it do? 4. How does eating legumes help our bones grow strong? 5. What is a tendon and what role does it play in movement?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: The Hollow
Brave Sarah and the Haunted Halloween House
A brave little girl named Sarah protects her friends from a haunted house on Halloween night by entering it to find the ghost.
Talk about it 1. Why did Sarah want to protect her friends from the haunted house? 2. How did she take a position to guard the entrance? 3. What happened when the ghost appeared? 4. How did Sarah feel when she entered the haunted house? 5. Do you think you would be brave like Sarah if you were in her shoes?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: The Stanley Cup Hockeys Greatest Prize
Max the Goalie: A Dream Come True in the Playoffs
Max, a young hockey player, becomes recognized as one of the best goalies in the league after making an incredible save during a crucial playoff game.
Talk about it 1. What did Max want to achieve in the playoff competition? 2. Why was the game in the playoffs so important to Max? 3. How did Max feel about his performance during the game? 4. Why was Max crying at the end of the game? 5. What does Max's victory teach us about setting goals and working hard?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: The Thesaurus
The Magic of Words: A Story of Imaginative Creatures
A creature brings words to life and creates a world filled with imaginative creatures through the magic of a thesaurus.
Talk about it - What was the creature's favorite word game? - How did the creature bring words to life? - What kind of creatures came to life in the world of words? - How did the creature feel about these new creatures? - How does the story show the power of words?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Treasure Found
The Historian's Quest for Treasure
Max, a historian, finds a valuable treasure on a shipwreck using a map with strange markings, a sonar device, and a metal detector.
Talk about it 1. What is the name of the historian in the story and what does he like to do? 2. How did Max find the clue about the treasure? 3. What tools did Max and his team use to find the shipwreck? 4. Why was Max's team so excited when they found the chest filled with gold coins? 5. How did Max know the markings on the map were important?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Turtle Tom
Max the Brave: A Tale of Salvation
A little mouse leads a group of animals to clean up a polluted stream, becoming a hero in the process.
Talk about it 1. Who is the main character in the story? 2. What was the problem with the stream? 3. Why did Max go to seek help from the other animals? 4. How did the animals work together to solve the problem? 5. What did Max become after he saved the stream?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Two Artists Vermeers Forger
The Master's Challenge: A Tale of Talent and Forgery
A talented artist challenges a forger to a painting competition and wins, leading the forger to discover the importance of true talent and hard work.
Talk about it 1. Why was Pablo upset about the forgeries of his paintings? 2. What happened at the painting competition between Pablo and the forger? 3. How did the forger change their ways after the competition? 4. Why was Pablo considered a national treasure? 5. What did the forger learn about talent and hard work?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Weird Bird Beaks
Sammy the Brave Stork and the Fire Adventure
A stork named Sammy bravely fights a forest fire by using air pockets and wattles to douse the flames.
Talk about it 1. Why did Sammy want to put out the fire? 2. What did Sammy use to carry water to the fire? 3. How was Sammy able to rise above the heat of the fire? 4. What did the animals and trees do after the fire was out? 5. Why was Sammy called a hero?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Weird Bird Beaks
The Pelican's Mission: Saving the Extinct Animals
A pelican teams up with hummingbirds to perform a ritual and spread the message of conservation to save endangered species from extinction.
Talk about it 1. Why was the pelican on a mission to save the other animals? 2. What did the pelican and hummingbirds do together to help the animals? 3. Why were the shellfish and hummingbirds in danger of becoming extinct? 4. How did the people respond to the pelican and hummingbirds' message about conservation? 5. What was the result of the pelican's mission?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Weird Bird Beaks2
The Four Friends and Their Special Bills
The story is about four friends in a forest who discover their unique bills are not just for eating but also for sharing and taking care of each other.
Talk about it 1. What are the four friends in the story? 2. What is special about each friend's bill? 3. What did the friends discover about their bills? 4. How did the friends use their bills to help each other? 5. Can you think of another animal that regurgitates food?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Were in Business
Fulfilling Potential: A Journey to Achieve a Proposed Goal
A young girl named Lily uses her potential and works hard to fulfill her proposed goal of becoming a doctor and helping others.
Talk about it 1. What is Lily’s potential? 2. Why does she want to become a doctor? 3. What does her teacher tell her about the present? 4. How does Lily fulfill her requirements for being a doctor? 5. What does Lily feel proud of at the end of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Whale Sharks Giant Fish
Flash's Adventure: A Journey of Migration, Camouflage and Survival
A peaceful fish named Flash migrates to escape a parasite and learns new skills to survive in the tropical rainforest, discovering the power of camouflage and suction along the way.
Talk about it 1. Why did Flash need to migrate? 2. What did Flash learn from the creature with the long snout? 3. How did Flash use his scales and suction to protect himself from predators? 4. How did the creature with the long snout use camouflage to blend in with its surroundings? 5. Why was Flash grateful for his friends and the world he lived in?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Wildlife Rescue
Sammy the Orphaned Squirrel's Adventure
Sammy the orphaned squirrel is rescued, rehabilitated, and returns to his habitat with the help of rescue workers and a wildlife rehabilitator.
Talk about it 1. Why did Sammy need to be rescued? 2. How did the rescue workers help Sammy? 3. What kind of equipment did the rehabilitator use to help Sammy get better? 4. How did the rehabilitator keep track of Sammy after he returned to his habitat? 5. Do you think Sammy would have been okay without the help of the rescue workers and the rehabilitator? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Wonders of Nature
Cammy's Clever feast
A carnivorous bird named Cammy uses her camouflage and gliding skills to hunt for food in a burrow filled with insects and small rodents.
Talk about it 1. What is Cammy's special ability? 2. Why does Cammy visit the burrow every day? 3. How does Cammy stay hidden from predators? 4. What kind of food does Cammy find in the burrow? 5. Can you think of any other animals that use camouflage to hunt for food?
Open reading