Yahaaa · Reading
Stories for the classroom
Short narratives that put vocabulary into a scene a learner can follow. 7,417 on the shelf, each with a discussion question.
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Story Common Nouns in English: apex predators 3
The Adventures of Marty and his Jungle Friends
Marty the marlin embarks on a jungle adventure with his new friends, including a petrel, salamander, python, ocelot, and mandrills, learning that even unlikely creatures can become the best of friends.
Talk about it 1. Who is Marty and what makes him special? 2. Who did Marty meet on his journey in the jungle and what were their names? 3. What did they do to help catch the ocelot? 4. Who did they meet on the top of the mountain and what did they learn from her? 5. What did Marty and his friends learn about friendship from their jungle adventure? 6. Which animal was your favorite character and why? 7. How would you describe the mandrills in the story? 8. How do you think the story would have been different if Marty went on the journey alone? 9. What was your favorite part of the story? 10. What would you like to happen in the next adventure of Marty and his friends?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: infrastructure 1
The Builder Prince: A Tale of Mischief and Redemption
A mischievous prince turns into a responsible builder after fixing the damage caused by his jokes during the construction of an aqueduct.
Talk about it 1. Why did the prince play jokes on the workers building the aqueduct? 2. How did the prince feel about having to fix all the damage he had caused? 3. What did the prince do to rebuild the levee and clear the canal? 4. Why was the king of the kingdom pleased with the prince's work? 5. What did the prince learn from his experience? 6. How did the workers feel about the prince after he had fixed all the damage? 7. How did the prince change from the beginning of the story to the end?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: geometry 1
The Adventures of the Mischievous Apes and the Balloon King
A group of mischievous apes go on an adventure to help the Balloon King restore balance to his magical kingdom in the clouds.
Talk about it 1. Who were the main characters in the story? 2. What was the problem in the Balloon King's kingdom? 3. How did the apes help the Balloon King? 4. What happened at the end of the story? 5. Would you like to go on an adventure like the apes in the story? Why or why not? 6. What did you learn from the story about bravery and friendship? 7. Do you think you would have helped the Balloon King if you were one of the apes? 8. What did you think was the most exciting part of the story? 9. Who do you think was the hero in the story? 10. What do you think the kingdom in the clouds looked like? Can you imagine it in your mind?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: geometry 2
The Adventures of Connie and the Cylinders: A Curvy Game of Catch
Connie the cone and her cylinder friends learn about coordinates and degrees to catch a challenging curve ball with the help of wise old Carl the circle.
Talk about it 1. Who is Connie and what kind of shape is she? 2. Who did Connie play catch with and what did they play with? 3. Why was catching the curve ball difficult for Connie and her friends? 4. Who came to help and what did he teach the friends? 5. What did Connie and her friends learn from playing the game of catch? 6. What is a coordinate and how did Carl use it in the game? 7. What is a degree and how did it help Connie and her friends catch the curve ball? 8. What did Connie and her friends promise to do after the game? 9. Can you think of other fun ways to play with shapes? 10. What lesson did you learn from the story about problem-solving and friendship?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: geometry 3
Formy and the Secrets of the Dodecagon
Formy, a curious little creature, goes on an adventure to discover the secrets of a dodecagon and finds a world filled with fractals, grids, edges, faces, discriminants, and focuses that lead to the discovery of a tiny envelope holding the mysteries of the shape.
Talk about it 1. What was Formy's job? 2. What shape did Formy discover on his adventure? 3. How many sides and angles did the dodecagon have? 4. What did Formy find in the first dimension of the dodecagon? 5. What was the key to unlocking the secrets of the dodecagon? 6. What was the discriminant in the story? 7. What did Formy find in the center of the dodecagon? 8. What did Formy feel when he found the secrets of the dodecagon? 9. How did Formy's discovery make the world a more beautiful and exciting place? 10. What was the overall message of the story?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: geometry 4
Kiki's High-Flying Adventure: The Quest for the Magic Leg
Kiki, a colorful kite, sets out on a journey to find a magic leg that can reach great heights, but learns that sometimes the answer to a problem is not always obvious and that sometimes you have to think outside the box.
Talk about it 1. What was Kiki trying to find in the story? 2. Why did Kiki fly to the hexagon-shaped castle? 3. What was the riddle that Kiki had to solve to get the magic leg? 4. What did Kiki learn about the magic leg when she tried to use it? 5. How did Kiki finally get the magic leg to work? 6. What did Kiki learn from her adventure? 7. Why was Kiki grateful to the ant at the end of the story? 8. What do you think was the most exciting part of Kiki's adventure? 9. Can you think of a time when you had to think outside the box to solve a problem? 10. If you were Kiki, what would you have done differently on your journey?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: geometry 5
The Adventures of Mini: The Minute Man Who Found Balance
The Adventures of Mini" is a story about a hurry-prone man who shrinks to a tiny size and learns the importance of balance through his quest to catch a rare monoid and return to his normal size.
Talk about it 1. What was Mini's problem before he shrunk to the size of a pea? 2. Why did Mini have to catch a monoid? 3. What did the wizard mean when he said Mini had caught a "median" monoid? 4. How did Mini's personality change after he returned to his normal size? 5. Why did the wizard tell Mini to always remember the importance of finding the midpoint between rushing and taking things slow? 6. How did Mini become the most successful net maker in the village? 7. What lesson did Mini learn from his adventures? 8. Can you think of a time when you felt like you were rushing too much, just like Mini? How did you handle it?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: geometry 6
Polly and the Shapely Adventures
Polly, a pole, goes on a journey with friends Plain, Prissy, and Pete, discovering new shapes and having adventurous fun along the way.
Talk about it 1. Who is Polly and what kind of shape is she? 2. Who did Polly meet in the forest of shapes? 3. What is a prism and what makes it special? 4. Who is Pete and what kind of shape is he? 5. What kind of adventures did Polly and her friends go on? 6. Can you think of any other shapes that might have joined the group? 7. Why is it important to explore and learn about different shapes?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: geometry 7
The Sphere and the Square: A Geometric Adventure
The Sphere and the Square" is a whimsical story about the adventures of two geometrical shapes, Spherie and Squary, who embark on a journey of discovery to learn about geometry and become the best of friends.
Talk about it 1. Who are the main characters in the story? 2. What did Spherie offer to help Squary with? 3. What did Squary and Spherie learn about geometry? 4. How did Squary describe math with Spherie? 5. How did Spherie's round mind help with the tessellation pattern? 6. What kind of lines did Spherie and Squary learn about? 7. Why did Squary and Spherie become the best of friends? 8. Can you explain what a tessellation is? 9. How did Spherie and Squary's adventure end? 10. Do you think you would like to go on an adventure with Spherie and Squary? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: set theory 1
The Adventure of the Ultimate Set: A Magical Journey of Complements and Cardinalities
A group of students go on a journey with their teacher to find the ultimate set and learn about the magic of complements, powersets, cardinalities, and the importance of their discoveries.
Talk about it 1. What did the class learn about sets and their complements in the story? 2. What was the ultimate set that the class found on their journey? 3. Why was the ultimate set special? 4. What did the students realize about sets and subsets as they journeyed back to the classroom? 5. What did the students learn about the importance of complements and cardinalities in the story? 6. How does this story relate to real-life situations or experiences? 7. Can you think of any other elements that could have been in the ultimate set? 8. What do you think the students will remember from their adventure in the future?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: ghosts 1
The Spooky Creatures' Transformation Celebration
In "The Spooky Creatures' Transformation Celebration," a genie grants the wish of Gary the ghost to turn all the spooky creatures into friendly and happy creatures, leading to a yearly celebration filled with fun and games instead of fear and mischief.
Talk about it 1. Who were the spooky creatures in the story and what were their names? 2. What did Gary the ghost wish for from the genie? 3. How did the spooky creatures change after Gary's wish was granted? 4. What kind of celebration did the creatures have every year in the old mansion? 5. Can you think of any other spooky creatures that could have been invited to the party? 6. How do you think the story would have been different if Gary had wished for something else? 7. What do you think the creatures might do at the next annual celebration?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: military army 1
The Battle of Bastion: When Artillery and Axes Saved the Town
A group of bandits attempt to ambush the perfectly aligned town of Bastion and steal its treasure, but their plan is thwarted by the town's battery of artillery guns and axe-wielding soldiers, leading to a victorious defense of the town.
Talk about it 1. What was the town of Bastion known for? 2. Why did the bandits attack Bastion? 3. How did the town defend itself against the ambush? 4. Did the bandits succeed in their plan to steal the treasure? 5. Why did the bandits never dare to attack Bastion again? 6. What do you think the town's secret treasure was? 7. How do you think the town of Bastion maintained its alignment? 8. Would you have wanted to live in Bastion? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: military army 2
The Column Cannon Commander and the Bunker Breakout Battle
The Column Cannon Commander leads his soldiers to victory in a daring bunker breakout battle against the enemy army.
Talk about it 1. Who was the leader of the soldiers in the bunker? 2. What was the bulwark and what was its purpose? 3. What was the plan of the commander during the battle? 4. How did the soldiers defend the bulwark from the enemy army? 5. What was the nickname given to the commander after the battle? 6. How did the people of the kingdom react to the outcome of the battle? 7. Why do you think the commander was a fair leader? 8. What would you have done if you were one of the soldiers in the bunker?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: military army 3
The Adventure of the Drill Elementals: The Quest for the Hidden Treasure
The Drill Elementals embark on a thrilling adventure to find a hidden treasure, overcoming obstacles and using their bravery to reach their goal.
Talk about it 1. What was the Drill Elementals' first reaction when they found the envelope? 2. Who was following the Drill Elementals on their journey? 3. How did the Drill Elementals use the map to get past the treasure guardian? 4. What was the most surprising thing the Drill Elementals found at the treasure? 5. What lesson did the Drill Elementals learn on their adventure?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: military army 4
The Hard-Headed Hero: A Tale of Gun and Knife in the Front Infantry
The Hard-Headed Hero" is a humorous story about a clumsy but brave recruit named Gun who impresses his fellow soldiers and forms a strong friendship with his guide Knife during their training in the Front Infantry.
Talk about it 1. What kind of weapon did Gun and Knife use to practice their skills in the story? 2. How did Gun catch the grenade with his head? 3. Why did Knife change his opinion of Gun after the incident with the grenade? 4. What kind of person do you think Gun is based on the story? Why? 5. If you were Gun, would you have done the same thing as him with the grenade? Why or why not? 6. How do you think Gun and Knife's friendship impacted the rest of the Front Infantry? 7. Do you think Gun's bravery was a good thing or a bad thing for the army? Why? 8. What lessons can children learn from the story of Gun and Knife?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: military army 5
The Brave and Silly Warriors: A Tale of the Phalanx
The Phalanx, a group of brave warriors, defeat evil monsters and have a silly pillow fight with their captured napalm in "The Brave and Silly Warriors: A Tale of the Phalanx".
Talk about it 1. Who are the Phalanx and what do they do? 2. What weapon did the monsters bring to the battle? 3. How did the Phalanx defeat the monsters? 4. What did the Phalanx do with the napalm after the battle? 5. What makes the Phalanx heroes in this story? 6. Why is it important to be brave and silly at the same time? 7. What do you think would have happened if the Phalanx didn't have a sense of humor?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: military army 6
The Wild Bunch's Skirmish Siege
The Wild Bunch, a group of daring animals, successfully defend themselves from a group of mischievous creatures through cunning strategy during a skirmish siege.
Talk about it 1. Who is the leader of the Wild Bunch? 2. What kind of weapons did the Wild Bunch use in the skirmish? 3. Why did the Wild Bunch decide to retreat during the fight? 4. How did the Wild Bunch defeat the enemy in the end? 5. What did the Wild Bunch learn from the skirmish siege? 6. Who were the mischievous creatures that the Wild Bunch faced? 7. What was the trap that the Wild Bunch set for the enemy? 8. How would you describe Fennec, the leader of the Wild Bunch? 9. Do you think the Wild Bunch will face more dangerous adventures in the future? 10. If you were a part of the Wild Bunch, what kind of weapon would you choose to use in a fight?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: military army 7
The Brave Warrior and the Magic Apple Torpedo
Max, a brave warrior, defeats an army of tanks with a clever plan using a magic apple torpedo and his sword skills.
Talk about it 1. Who is Max in the story and what is he famous for? 2. How did Max defeat the army of tanks? 3. What was the magic apple torpedo in the story? 4. How did Max become even more famous after defeating the tanks? 5. Do you think you could come up with a clever plan like Max's if you were in a similar situation? Why or why not? 6. What did you learn from this story about bravery and cleverness?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: music instruments 1
The Musical Adventure of the Forest Friends
A group of musical instruments, including a cymbal, bongo, bell, celesta, cello, clarinet, flute, bugle, bassoon, and gong, come together to put on a concert for the animals in the forest and become the greatest musical group in the forest.
Talk about it 1. What was the problem that the group of musical instruments faced before the concert? 2. Who suggested that they should play a mixture of different kinds of music for the concert? 3. What was the reaction of the animals in the forest after the concert? 4. Which instrument was the leader of the group of musical instruments? 5. What was the name of the song that they played at the concert? 6. Which musical instrument had a great sense of humor? 7. Which musical instrument was known for being very creative? 8. What was the signal that the gong made at the end of the show? 9. How did the group of musical instruments become the stars of the forest? 10. Who put on a concert every year after the first one?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: music instruments 2
The Musical Adventure of Sax, Marmy, Honker, Snap, Picky, O-Bo, Piano-Piano, and Strings
A group of musical instruments put on a performance with unexpected surprises and a successful grand finale.
Talk about it 1. Which instrument had stage fright at the beginning of the performance? 2. Who helped Picky the piccolo get back on track during the performance? 3. Who saved Honker the horn when his instrument got stuck? 4. What did Sax play the marimba with? 5. Who wrote the tune for the grand finale of the performance? 6. How did the audience react to the performance? 7. What was the outcome of the performance for the instruments? 8. Can you name all of the musical instruments in the story?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: music instruments 3
The Musical Misadventures of Tuba and Friends
A group of musical instrument friends set off on a journey to help Tuba with his off-key honking problem, eventually discovering that he fits in perfectly with the trumpet section, resulting in musical magic and happiness for all.
Talk about it 1. Who are the main characters in the story? 2. What was Tuba's problem? 3. Who did the musical instruments go to see for help? 4. What did Maestro suggest to Tuba? 5. How did Tuba feel about playing with the trumpet section? 6. What did the musical instruments learn about themselves and each other by the end of the story? 7. How did the musical instruments spread joy and positive vibes? 8. Do you think all musical instruments are the same or do they have their own unique qualities like in the story? Why?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: filmmaking 1
The Mischievous Antagonist and the Brave Agent: A Cinema Adventure
Max the antagonist creates chaos at the cinema during a movie adaptation, but the brave agent saves the day using his detective skills.
Talk about it 1. Who was the main character in the story? 2. What was Max's plan? 3. What happened when Max activated his clapper? 4. How did the agent save the day? 5. What did Max learn in the end? 6. Why was the audience happy with the film? 7. Can you think of another story where a hero saves the day from a villain? 8. What would you have done if you were the assistant director? 9. What was the backstory of the agent's character? 10. Do you think Max will cause trouble at the cinema again in the future? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: filmmaking 2
The Magic of Movie Making: A Tale of Cooperation and Creativity
A movie director, a costume designer, a set decorator, a composer, and their team come together to create a successful movie by coordinating their efforts.
Talk about it 1. What was the problem in the movie-making process? 2. How did Timmy solve the problem with his team? 3. What was the role of each team member in making the movie a success? 4. How did the different parts of the movie (costumes, sets, music) work together to make it amazing? 5. What did Timmy learn about teamwork and cooperation in this story? 6. Why was the movie such a big success in the end?
Open reading -
Story Common Nouns in English: filmmaking 3
The Gaffer's Genre Filter Adventure
In "The Gaffer's Genre Filter Adventure," Sparky, a determined and imaginative gaffer, uses his skills and creativity to help out on a film set and create a beautiful and magical film.
Talk about it 1. What is a gaffer? 2. What did Sparky create in the story? 3. Who did Sparky help on the film set and why? 4. What was the problem that Fole-Em-Good had, and how did Sparky solve it? 5. What is the message or lesson in the story? 6. How did Sparky make magic happen on the film set? 7. What other jobs do you think exist on a film set, besides a gaffer? 8. If you were a gaffer, what kind of magic would you create on a film set?
Open reading