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 A: I Set the Table
The Utensil's Adventure: Saving the Beautiful Bloom
A group of kitchen utensils come together to save a flower growing in the countertop and become proud caretakers of their beautiful bloom.
Talk about it 1. Who were the main characters in the story? 2. What was the problem the flower was facing? 3. How did the utensils solve the problem? 4. Which utensil had the idea to use the cloth as a sling for the flower? 5. How did the utensils feel about their teamwork in saving the flower? 6. What lesson did the story teach about teamwork and problem-solving?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: In and Out
Porky the Problem Solver: When the Cat Went Out and the Fun Came In
Porky the pig, the leader of the barnyard animals, shows the mischievous cat Whiskers the door, bringing peace back to the barnyard and proving that sometimes the best solution to a problem is just to remove it.
Talk about it 1. Who was the leader of the barnyard animals? 2. What did Whiskers do that caused trouble in the barnyard? 3. How did Porky solve the problem caused by Whiskers? 4. Why did Porky chase Whiskers out of the barnyard? 5. How did the other animals in the barnyard react to Porky's solution to the problem? 6. Do you think it was the right thing for Porky to do? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: Maria Counts Pumpkins
The Great Pumpkin Hide and Seek Adventure
The seven pumpkins learn to not judge each other based on size as they play a game of hide and seek.
Talk about it 1. Who were the seven pumpkins in the story and what were their personalities like? 2. Why did Two make fun of One? 3. What did One learn from playing hide and seek with the other pumpkins? 4. Who won the game of hide and seek in the end? 5. What did the seven pumpkins do after they finished playing hide and seek? 6. Why was it important for One to learn not to judge others based on their size? 7. How did the seven pumpkins live happily ever after?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: Maria Goes to School
The Magic Ruler Adventure
The Magic Ruler Adventure" is a funny and imaginative tale of a little boy named Timmy who loses his ruler and finds it hidden inside his pencil after playing a game of hide and seek with his older brother.
Talk about it 1. What happened when Timmy realized he had lost his ruler? 2. How did Timmy's brother help him find his ruler? 3. Where did Timmy finally find his ruler? 4. What was special about Timmy's ruler after he found it? 5. How did Timmy feel when he found his ruler inside his pencil? 6. What did Timmy learn from this adventure?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: Mom and I
The Race to Laughter: A Jungle Adventure with Zebra, Kangaroo, Elephant, Ape, Dolphin, and Giraffe
In "The Race to Laughter: A Jungle Adventure with Zebra, Kangaroo, Elephant, Ape, Dolphin, and Giraffe," six friends come together to use their unique talents to make the grumpy gorilla king laugh and learn that working together is more important than winning a race.
Talk about it 1. Who were the six friends in the story and what were their unique talents? 2. Why was the gorilla king angry? 3. How did the friends make the gorilla king laugh? 4. What did the friends learn from this adventure? 5. If you were one of the six friends, what unique talent would you use to make the gorilla king laugh? 6. Can you think of a different ending to the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: My Body
The Silly Adventure of the Chest and Friends
A chest sets out on an adventure and joins forces with a body, a belly, an arm, a leg, and a head to form a silly creature and have many fun adventures.
Talk about it 1. What did the chest do when it first met the body? 2. What happened when the belly, arm, and leg joined the chest and body on their adventure? 3. Why was the head so happy? 4. What did the chest, body, belly, arm, and leg decide to do together? 5. What kind of adventures did the silly creature go on?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: My Dog
Spot's Busy Day: A Tale of Adventure and Fun
Spot, a curious dog, has a fun-filled day running, digging, climbing, rolling, swimming, sitting, hugging, and jumping.
Talk about it 1. What is Spot's favorite thing to do? 2. How does Spot get out of the dirt pile? 3. Why does Spot swim in the pond? 4. Who does Spot hug in the story? 5. What does Spot do after he climbs the tree? 6. Can you think of another adventure Spot might go on? 7. What did you like most about Spot's day? 8. If you were Spot, what would you do first?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: My Face
The Adventures of Happy Face Fred
The Adventures of Happy Face Fred" is a story about a face named Fred who goes on a journey to find happiness and confidence with the help of a wise old wizard.
Talk about it 1. What was Fred's problem at the beginning of the story? 2. Who did Fred meet on his adventure that helped him? 3. How did the wizard help Fred? 4. How did Fred feel at the end of the story? 5. Can you name all the parts of Fred's face? 6. What was the moral of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: My Hair
Rapunzel's Hair Adventure: A Tale of True Love and Acceptance
Rapunzel learns to embrace her new curly, black, braided hair and finds true love with Prince Charming, who accepts her for who she is inside.
Talk about it 1. What was Rapunzel's hair like in the beginning of the story? 2. How did Rapunzel feel about her hair? 3. Who granted Rapunzel's wish to change her hair? 4. What was Prince Charming's hair like? 5. How did Prince Charming feel about Rapunzel's new hair? 6. What did Rapunzel learn about true beauty? 7. How did Prince Charming change after meeting Rapunzel? 8. What do you think is the most important thing in a relationship? 9. Why do you think Rapunzel and Prince Charming lived happily ever after? 10. How did the story teach us about acceptance and self-love?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: My House
The Great Hide and Seek Adventure in the Big House
Three friends - Mittens the cat, Rusty the dog, and Jerry the mouse - play a hilarious game of hide and seek in a big house, discovering new hiding spots in every room including the kitchen and bathroom.
Talk about it 1. Who were the three friends in the story and what kind of animals were they? 2. Where did Mittens hide at first when they played hide and seek? 3. Why did Rusty and Jerry have trouble finding Mittens at first? 4. Where did Jerry end up hiding and what happened when Mittens and Rusty found him? 5. What rooms did the friends hide in while playing hide and seek? 6. Why do you think they made sure to search the kitchen and bathroom every time they played? 7. What do you think was the most exciting part of the hide and seek game for Mittens, Rusty, and Jerry?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: My Room
Finny and the Dancing Clothes: A Room Adventure
Finny the fish learns the importance of exploring his surroundings and makes friends with a pile of dancing clothes in his cozy room.
Talk about it 1. What was Finny's favorite thing to do in his room? 2. What did Finny find on the desk that he was very interested in? 3. Who made a loud noise on the bed? 4. What did Finny do when he saw the clothes on the bed? 5. What did Finny and the clothes do together? 6. What did Finny realize about adventures? 7. How did Finny and the clothes become friends?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: Opposites
Max the Mischievous Mutt's Door Adventure
Max the dog plays a trick on his owner by switching all the doors in the house, leading to a day of confusion and laughter.
Talk about it 1. How does Max feel at the beginning of the story? 2. What does Max do to his owner's house? 3. How does Max's owner feel when he comes back from work? 4. How does Max and his owner spend the rest of the day? 5. Have you ever played a trick on someone or had a trick played on you? How did it feel?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: Pond Animals
The Amazing Race Around the Pond
A group of friends - a fish, a frog, a duck, a turtle, and a swan - organize a race around their pond, where the turtle surprisingly wins, but they all realize that having fun and being good friends is more important than the competition.
Talk about it 1. Who was the winner of the race around the pond? 2. Who was the referee of the race? 3. How did the duck feel when the turtle won the race? 4. Why did the swan start to laugh in the story? 5. What did the friends in the pond learn at the end of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: Rabbits
Benny and Shadow: A Tale of Friendship and Fun
Benny, a small and fast white rabbit, finds friendship with Shadow, a big and fluffy black rabbit, and learns that true friends come in all sizes and colors.
Talk about it 1. What made Benny feel small and short in the beginning of the story? 2. Who does Benny meet in the forest and how does he feel about it at first? 3. What do Benny and Shadow do together? 4. What did Benny learn about friends at the end of the story? 5. If you were Benny, would you have become friends with Shadow? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: Shapes in Nature
The Shape Race Adventure in Shapesville
In "The Shape Race Adventure in Shapesville," a group of fun-loving shapes learn that friendship and laughter are the real prize during a race through the magical land.
Talk about it 1. Who was the main character in the story? 2. What was the goal of the race in Shapesville? 3. Who won the race in the end? 4. What was the most important lesson the shapes learned from the race? 5. How did the shapes feel at the end of the story? 6. Which shape was your favorite character and why? 7. Can you think of another adventure the shapes could go on together?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: The Big Cat
The Big Cat and the Silly Squirrel's Picnic Adventure
The Big Cat, Whiskers, chases the Silly Squirrel in search of food and instead finds a friend and a delicious picnic in a magical forest.
Talk about it 1. Who is Whiskers and what does he like to do? 2. What does Whiskers ask the group of animals in the forest? 3. What task do the animals give Whiskers to perform? 4. Who is the squirrel that Whiskers is chasing? 5. How does Whiskers and the squirrel end up eating together? 6. What did Whiskers learn about asking for help and making friends? 7. What do Whiskers and the squirrel do every day after their picnic adventure?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: The Forest
The Adventure of the Missing Acorns: A Forest Tale
A clever fox named Finn, a nervous rabbit named Rosie, a mischievous squirrel named Sassy, and a majestic deer named Daisy come together to solve the mystery of Rosie's lost acorns in a lush forest filled with adventure and friendship.
Talk about it 1. Who is the main character in the story? 2. What did Rosie lose in the forest? 3. Who offered to help find the lost item? 4. Who found the lost item and where were they hidden? 5. What did the deer warn the forest friends about? 6. How did the friends help each other in the story? 7. What did the friends learn from their adventure? 8. How did the story end? 9. If you were one of the characters in the story, what would you have done differently? 10. What did you like most about the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: The Parade
Dapple the Drumming Horse's Big Concert Adventure
Dapple the drum-loving horse puts on a big concert with his friends, the balloon-loving elephant, flag-waving monkey, and see-saw riding giraffe.
Talk about it 1. What was the name of the horse who loved to play the drums? 2. What did the elephant love to do at the concert? 3. How did the giraffe participate in the concert? 4. What kind of hat did Dapple wear during the performance? 5. Why did the monkey wave flags during the concert? 6. Can you think of any other musical instruments that could be used in a concert? 7. How do you think the audience felt about the show? 8. What would you like to do if you went to a concert like this one?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: The Rainstorm
Claude's Rainbow Adventure
Claude, the curious little cloud, discovers the magic of rain and rainbows during his first rain experience.
Talk about it 1. Who is Claude in the story? 2. What did Claude see for the first time in the story? 3. What happened when Claude floated closer to the rainbow? 4. What did Claude do when he was surrounded by the colors of the rainbow? 5. What was the main lesson that Claude learned in the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: These Shoes
The Tall Man with the Funny Blue Shoes
An old man named Mr. Shiny Shoes becomes a hit with the kids in the park after his red shoes turn blue from stepping in a puddle and he embraces the humor by dancing and jumping in them.
Talk about it 1. What happened to Mr. Shiny Shoes' shoes? 2. How did the other people in the park react when they saw Mr. Shiny Shoes' blue shoes? 3. Why did Mr. Shiny Shoes start doing funny dances and jumps in his blue shoes? 4. Did Mr. Shiny Shoes like having blue shoes? 5. Why was Mr. Shiny Shoes a hit with the kids in the park? 6. What did Mr. Shiny Shoes do to make sure he wouldn't have blue shoes again? 7. Why did everyone want to be Mr. Shiny Shoes' friend?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: This Is My Bear
The Bouncing Bear and His Fat Feet
A big fat brown bear named Buddy, known for his soft fur, loveable ears, and fat feet, trips and falls but finds happiness and friends by bouncing on his bottom instead of walking on his feet in the forest.
Talk about it 1. What was Buddy known for in the forest? 2. What happened to Buddy when he was taking a walk? 3. How did Buddy get unstuck? 4. What did Buddy start doing after he got unstuck? 5. Why did everyone in the forest love Buddy? 6. How did Buddy's story become a legend in the forest? 7. What do you think Buddy would say about his new talent of bouncing on his bottom? 8. Do you think you would have been friends with Buddy if you lived in the forest? Why or why not? 9. What do you think the other animals in the forest learned from Buddy's story? 10. How can we spread love and joy like Buddy did in the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: Up and Down
The Adventures of Spot and the Meditation Frog
A curious little dog named Spot learns about meditation from a wise old frog and they become the best of friends.
Talk about it 1. Who is Spot and what is he curious about? 2. What does the frog teach Spot? 3. How does the frog help Spot in the story? 4. Why did Spot jump up and lick the frog's face? 5. How do Spot and the frog become the best of friends? 6. What did you learn from the story about friendship and helping others?
Open reading -
Story climb, crawl, eat and 6 more
Speedy's Apple Adventure
Speedy, a brave and adventurous creature, saves the day by climbing a tall tree to retrieve apples for a group of animals in need.
Talk about it 1. What did Speedy love to do? 2. What happened to the animals in the tree? 3. What did Speedy do to help them? 4. How did the animals react to Speedy's help? 5. What did Speedy do with the apples he retrieved from the tree? 6. How did Speedy become known in the forest? 7. What do you think Speedy's next adventure will be?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary A: We Can Make Sounds
Clappy the Clown's Six Special Moves
A clown named Clappy uses his six special moves (slap, tap, clap, pop, snap, and stomp) to entertain the audience at a circus.
Talk about it 1. What was Clappy's goal as a clown? 2. What were Clappy's six special moves? 3. How did the audience react to Clappy's performance? 4. Why do you think Clappy took a bow at the end of the story? 5. How does using different actions like slap, tap, clap, pop, snap, and stomp make people happy?
Open reading