Yahaaa · Reading
Stories for the classroom
Short narratives that put vocabulary into a scene a learner can follow. 7,463 on the shelf, each with a discussion question.
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Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: The Legacy of da Vinci
The Apprentice: A Tale of the Industrial Revolution and the Renaissance
The Apprentice" tells the story of a boy who becomes an apprentice to a master craftsman during the Industrial Revolution and learns the art and techniques of creating replica Renaissance sculptures while becoming a master craftsman himself.
Talk about it 1. What was Jack's fascination with the Renaissance period? 2. Who did Jack meet at the local guild and what offer did they make to him? 3. What did Jack learn as an apprentice to the master craftsman? 4. How did Jack become known as a master craftsman in his own right? 5. How did Jack pass on his knowledge and skills to the next generation of apprentices?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: The Life of Cesar Chavez
Juan the Peacemaker: A Story of Nonviolence and Fair Treatment for Migrant Farm Workers
Juan, a migrant farm worker, leads a peaceful protest against a labor contractor's mistreatment, resulting in fair and safe working conditions for all.
Talk about it 1. What did Juan do when he didn't like how the labor contractor treated him and his fellow workers? 2. How did Juan solve the problem with the labor contractor? 3. What was the outcome of Juan and the workers speaking up for their rights? 4. How did Juan's story inspire other farm workers in the land? 5. Why was Juan proud of the change he and his fellow workers were able to make?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: The Life of Cesar Chavez
The Grass-Roots Protest: A Story of Boycott, Civil Disobedience, and Labor Union
The story is about a group of factory workers who, tired of drudgery jobs and meager pay, form a labor union and successfully use a boycott, picket line and civil disobedience to protest for better working conditions and higher wages with the support of the community.
Talk about it 1. What made the factory workers tired of their jobs? 2. Why did the workers form a union? 3. How did the workers protest against the factory owner? 4. How did the community support the workers during their protest?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Tapestry Artist: A Story of Abstract Expressionism
An artist who paints in the abstract expressionism style is initially discouraged by inaccurate judgement but finds success by turning her work into a tapestry that is appreciated by all.
Talk about it 1. What kind of art does Jane love to paint? 2. Why did the judges not give Jane a prize in the contest? 3. What did the old lady say to Jane that made her feel better? 4. How did Jane turn her painting into a beautiful piece of art that everyone could enjoy?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Hidden Sanctuary: A Medieval Artist's Inspiration
A young artist discovers a hidden sanctuary in an abandoned medieval building, full of art and sculptures, which becomes her source of inspiration.
Talk about it 1. What inspired Sophie to become an artist? 2. What did Sophie find when she entered the abandoned building? 3. How did Sophie feel when she stumbled upon the hidden room with the gallery of artworks? 4. What impact did the sanctuary have on Sophie's art and her fame in the village?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: The Mystery Twin
Lila the Coral Saver: A Tale of Innovation and Conservation
Lila, a young girl, creates a device that helps to measure the wind and air temperature to detect coral bleaching and saves the coral with the help of a local marine conservation group.
Talk about it 1. What did Lila notice when she went to the beach? 2. What was the cause of the strange water and white spots on the sand? 3. What did Lila do to help the coral? 4. How did Lila's invention help the coral and what was her impact on the world?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: The Mystery Twin
Twin Adventure: The Quest for New Traits
Two sets of twins go on an adventure to acquire new traits, and with the help of a magical tree, they learn to appreciate and embrace each other's unique qualities.
Talk about it 1. What were the original traits of each of the four siblings? 2. What did each sibling wish to change about themselves and why? 3. How did the siblings feel about their new traits and what did they learn from the experience?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: The Story of Lewis and Clark Book 1 Up the Missouri River
The Fabled Keelboat and the Mysterious Pirogue
A kind old man named Tom takes a group of children on a ride on his fabled keelboat and teaches them about the different types of boats, including a pirogue, while sharing stories of the Native American culture and history.
Talk about it 1. Who is the owner of the keelboat in the story? 2. What is the name of the small, narrow boat the children came across? 3. What did Tom teach the children about boats and navigation? 4. What did Tom tell the children about the Native Americans? 5. Why were the children excited to go for another ride on the pirogue the next day?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: The Story of Lewis and Clark Book 1 Up the Missouri River
The Nomadic Expedition: A Quest for the Northwest Passage.
A nomadic tribe embarks on an expedition to find the Northwest Passage and faces challenges but ultimately reaches their destination while learning the importance of boiling water.
Talk about it 1. What challenges did the nomadic tribe face on their journey to find the Northwest Passage? 2. Why was the water in the lake not safe to drink? 3. Why did the tribe thank the interpreter even though he told them to move on? 4. What did the nomadic tribe learn from their journey that they never forgot?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: The Story of Lewis and Clark Book 2 To the Pacific Ocean
Jack and the Impassable Northwest Passage
A young explorer named Jack sets out to find the fabled Northwest Passage with the help of a team of sailors, an interpreter, and their determination, despite facing challenges such as impassable route and malnutrition.
Talk about it 1. What challenges did Jack and his team face during their journey to find the Northwest Passage? 2. Why was the help of the interpreter important for Jack and his team's success? 3. How did Jack's determination and resourcefulness contribute to his ultimate success in finding the Northwest Passage?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: Two Kettles
The Pestle and the Wise Old Man
A wise old man named Sinew, who is a master at using a pestle, teaches his skills to the newly named Pestle, who becomes a respected member of the village of Wetu and continues to use the pestle to grind flour for the village's bread.
Talk about it 1. Who was Sinew and what was his role in the village of Wetu? 2. Why was the baby named Pestle? 3. How did Sinew and Pestle become friends? 4. What did Pestle do to contribute to the village as he grew up? 5. Why was the pestle considered a tool of great importance in the village of Wetu?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: Two Kettles
Jack's Fanciful Doublet
A boy named Jack discovers a fancy doublet while fowling, faces skepticism from his village but prove them wrong by leading a successful fowling trip and using the money to buy the doublet.
Talk about it 1. What did Jack love to do in the village of Nasump? 2. How did the villagers react when Jack showed them the doublet he found in the woods? 3. What did Jack do to prove the villagers wrong about the doublet? 4. How did the merchants react to Jack's fowling skills and what happened to the doublet after the trip?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: What Do You Think About Climate Change
The Meteorologist's Mission: Saving the Earth from Fossil Fuels
A wise meteorologist teaches a group of people about the dangers of using fossil fuels and how switching to hydropower can help save the Earth from global warming.
Talk about it 1. What was the main problem the people in the story faced? 2. What did the meteorologist warn the people about? 3. What was the solution the meteorologist suggested to the people? 4. How did the people react to the meteorologist's solution? 5. What was the moral of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: Wild and Wacky World of Wigs
The Rancid Wigs of the Aristocracy
A story of an aristocratic lady, Sophia, who known for her elaborate fashion sense and love of ornate things but one day received a box of rancid smelling wigs as a gift and learned to be more careful with her gifts.
Talk about it 1. What was Sophia's initial reaction to the gift from her friend? 2. What did Sophia realize about the source of the strange smell in her room? 3. How did Sophia's experience with the rancid wigs change her in the end?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: Winston Churchill Never Give In
Toil the Undaunted: Saving the Kingdom's Crops
Toil the undaunted farmer saves the kingdom's crops from a terrible bug with his determination and hard work, and is thanked by the parliament for his efforts.
Talk about it 1. What was the problem facing the kingdom? 2. Who did the parliament turn to for help? 3. What was the farmer's name and what was he known for? 4. How did the farmer solve the bug problem? 5. What was the outcome for the kingdom and the people?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Y: Winston Churchill Never Give In
The Ambitious Prime Minister: A Story of Power, Purpose, and Overcoming Depression
A story about an ambitious prime minister who overcomes his depression by shifting his focus from politics and power to helping others and making the world a better place, earning him a Nobel Prize.
Talk about it 1. What was the prime minister's initial dream and ambition? 2. What made the prime minister feel depressed and empty despite his success? 3. How did the prime minister realize what was missing in his life? 4. What did the prime minister do to make a change? 5. How did the prime minister's efforts impact the empire and its people?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Z: 1865 The End of the Civil War(1)
The Indivisible Union: A Story of Unity in the Face of Tragedy
The story is about a union of creatures living in peace and harmony, but when a disaster strikes, they come together to help each other and remain united, reminding the importance of standing together in tough times.
Talk about it 1. What is the Union in the story and what kind of creatures lived in it? 2. What was the disaster that struck the Union and what was its impact? 3. How did the creatures of the Union respond to the disaster and what did they learn from it?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Z: 1865 The End of the Civil War(1)
Sarah the Abolitionist: A Story of Courage and Freedom
Sarah the Abolitionist" is a story about a young girl who fights for the abolition of slavery and helps a fugitive slave escape to freedom, ultimately leading to the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of slavery in the United States.
Talk about it 1. What inspired Sarah to become an abolitionist? 2. What was the Emancipation Proclamation and what did it do? 3. Why did some people believe in slavery? 4. How did Sarah help Jack, the fugitive slave?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Z: A New Skyline
The Ingenious Behemoth: Benny's Great Escape
The story is about a clever and strong behemoth named Benny who saves his village by ingeniously breaking down a giant wall trapping them all inside.
Talk about it 1. What did Benny notice when he was out for a walk? 2. How did Benny come up with a plan to break down the wall? 3. Who did Benny gather to help him with his plan? 4. How did the villagers react when the wall was finally broken down?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Z: A New Skyline
The Panoramic Adventure of the Dwarfs' Tower
The story is about a group of dwarfs who explore their land, admire a panoramic view and build a lookout tower as a landmark using their innovation and determination.
Talk about it 1. What did the dwarfs do to build the lookout tower? 2. How did the dwarfs feel when they saw the panoramic view from the top of the tower? 3. What did the dwarfs use to support the structure of the tower? 4. Why did the lookout tower become a favorite spot for the dwarfs?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Z: A Selection From Robinson Crusoe
Timmy's Island Adventure
A little boy named Timmy gets stranded on an island and uses the resources he brought to survive, ultimately being rescued after a few days.
Talk about it 1. What did Timmy bring with him on his trip to the island? 2. How did Timmy use the tarpaulin to help him survive on the island? 3. What did Timmy find on the island that helped him feel better? 4. Why do you think it was important for Timmy to be prepared for his adventure?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Z: A Selection From Robinson Crusoe
The Resolute Climber: A Tale of Determination and Friendship
A young boy named Jack sets out on a treacherous journey to gather provisions for his village, but through determination and the help of a league of mountain climbers, he is able to reach the summit and bring back enough food to last the winter.
Talk about it 1. What did Jack's father tell him about the mountain? 2. Why did Jack set out to climb the mountain? 3. What did Jack realize about the mountain as he climbed higher? 4. Who did Jack meet near the summit of the mountain? 5. What did Jack learn from his journey to the top of the mountain?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Z: Abraham Lincoln From Log Cabin to the White House
The Power of Eloquence: A Story of Equality and Abolition
A young girl named Sarah visits a powerful legislature discussing equality, speaks up with great eloquence and helps to abolish discriminatory laws, leading to a more just and equal society.
Talk about it 1. How did Sarah feel about the discussion of equality in the legislature? 2. Why did some of the legislators not believe in equality? 3. What did Sarah do to make the land a more just and equal place for everyone to live?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Z: Abraham Lincoln From Log Cabin to the White House
The Homespun Campaign: A Story of Civil Rights and Emancipation
A young boy named Jack joins a campaign to fight for civil rights in his village and works hard to raise money, make a change and end slavery.
Talk about it 1. What inspired Jack to become involved in the campaign for civil rights? 2. How did Jack raise money for the campaign? 3. What was Jack's reaction to the people in the village who did not believe in the campaign? 4. How did Jack feel about the outcome of the campaign and the end of slavery in the village?
Open reading