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: A Dogs Tale
The Squirrel's Mischievous Revenge: A Lesson in Consequence".
A mischievous squirrel learns the importance of considering consequences before playing tricks after a bear teaches him a lesson.
Talk about it 1. Why did the squirrel play a trick on the other animals in the forest? 2. What did the bear do when he saw what the squirrel had done? 3. How did the squirrel feel when he saw all of his hard work was gone? 4. What lesson did the squirrel learn in the end? 5. How can we be considerate of the consequences of our actions?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: All About Chocolate
The Magic of Fermented Cacao
A chocolate factory owner discovers fermentation and creates the best-tasting, yet also magically calming, chocolate on a cacao plantation.
Talk about it 1. What did Mr. Choco find that made his chocolate even better? 2. What was the secret ingredient that Mr. Choco added to his chocolate? 3. What happened to the kids who ate too much of Mr. Choco's chocolate? 4. Why was Mr. Choco's chocolate so special? 5. What made Mr. Choco's chocolate both delicious and calming?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Anansi and the Talking Watermelon
The Treacherous Gorge Adventure
A group of farm animals must navigate a treacherous gorge filled with danger to reach delicious grass, but soon realize they were led into a trap.
Talk about it 1. Why did the animals want to cross the gorge? 2. What do you think the fox was planning to do? 3. What did the animals learn from this experience? 4. How did the animals work together to escape the trap? 5. What would you have done if you were one of the animals in the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Animal Discoveries
The Adventures of Sammy the Squirrel: Protecting the Endangered Habitat
A little squirrel named Sammy joins forces with his friends to protect their forest home and save endangered species.
Talk about it 1. Why was Sammy shocked when he discovered the endangered species in the forest? 2. What did Sammy do to help protect the endangered species? 3. How did Sammy's friends react to his plan to protect their habitat? 4. How did Sammy and his friends bring the percent of endangered species down to zero? 5. What was Sammy's role in the forest and what did he become known as?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Annie Oakley
Percy the Brave Pheasant: A Tale of Talents and Telegrams
A pheasant named Percy with a talent for sharpshooting overcomes embarrassment to become known as the bravest in the forest after participating in a talent show.
Talk about it 1. What was Percy's special talent? 2. What happened when Percy tried to show off his talent at the talent show? 3. How did the other animals react to Percy's performance? 4. Why was Percy known as the bravest sharpshooter in the forest? 5. What did Percy learn from his experience at the talent show?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Baltic Rescue
The Adventures of Puddles the Penguin: A Wigglyville Tale
The researchers adopt and care for their injured mascot, Puddles the penguin, and celebrate his recovery with a party.
Talk about it 1. What did the researchers investigate? 2. Who is Puddles and why was he special to the researchers? 3. How did Puddles get injured? 4. What did the veterinarian tell the researchers about Puddles' health? 5. Why did the researchers have a party for Puddles?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Barack Obama
Rascal and Rollo: A Tale of Civil Rights and Friendship
Rascal and Rollo, two raccoons from different continents, overcome prejudices and inspire friends with their fight for civil rights.
Talk about it 1. Why was Rollo seen as an outsider when he first arrived in the forest? 2. How did Rollo inspire Rascal to fight for civil rights? 3. What do you think the march through the forest symbolizes? 4. What did the other raccoons learn by the end of the story? 5. Why is it important to treat everyone with respect and dignity, no matter where they come from or what they look like?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Bats
The Adventures of Mini and Mega: A Hibernation Tale
Mini and Mega, two bats with different navigation skills, embark on a journey to migrate for the winter and end up staying awake to explore together.
Talk about it 1. What are the differences between Mini and Mega's navigation skills? 2. Why did Mini and Mega decide to migrate for the winter? 3. What happened during the echolocation game between Mini and Mega? 4. Why did Mini and Mega choose to stay awake and explore together instead of hibernating? 5. How did Mini and Mega's friendship change throughout the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Edible Bugs1
The Chef's Nutritional Adventure
A chef on a diet learns the importance of proper nutrition and becomes the official chef of a kingdom of insects after discovering a plant rich in essential nutrients.
Talk about it 1. Why was Cal counting calories? 2. What did the insect tell Cal about the plant he discovered? 3. What did Cal do when he realized the plant was poisonous? 4. How did the insects react to Cal's cooking? 5. Why was Cal never worried about his diet again? 6. Do you think it's important to make sure you're eating enough nutrients? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Edible Bugs2
The Silly Chef and the Missing Protein: A Recipe for Success
A chef learns a valuable lesson about double checking the source of ingredients when making a delicious dish with peanuts instead of the mysterious protein.
Talk about it 1. Why did Benny have trouble finding the protein in the recipe? 2. How did Benny solve the problem with the recipe? 3. What did Benny learn from this experience? 4. What would you do if you couldn’t find an ingredient for a recipe? 5. How important is it to double check the source of ingredients when cooking?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: George Washington Carver
The Colorful Solution: A Story of Professor Nutri and His Famous Fertilizer
A famous inventor creates a fertilizer that brings farmers together during the Civil War by mixing it with paint to make all plants grow the same color.
Talk about it 1. Why was Professor Nutri skeptical about presenting his invention at Congress? 2. What was the solution Professor Nutri came up with to help the farmers work together during segregation? 3. How did the farmers feel about using the fertilizer and paint mixture on their crops? 4. How did the story end? 5. What did Professor Nutri learn about working together with others?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Giant Pumpkins1
Title: "The Adventures of the Protecting Bee and the Compost Pile
A bee helps protect and pollinate a garden full of plants with the help of a compost pile and record-keeping.
Talk about it 1. What did the plants do to protect themselves from the mischievous bugs? 2. How did the bee help the plants in the garden? 3. Why was the compost pile important in the story? 4. What did the plants use to record which bugs were eating their leaves? 5. What happened in the end of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: HeroRATS Rats Who Save Lives
Roddy the Rodent: Detective in Training
Roddy the curious and adventurous rodent trains to become a handler and goes on an exciting adventure using his detecting skills.
Talk about it 1. What was Roddy's goal in becoming a handler? 2. What did Roddy learn in the rodent training program? 3. How did Roddy use his skills on his adventure to find the lost treasure? 4. What did Roddy learn about himself after his adventure was over? 5. Do you think Roddy will continue to have exciting adventures in the future? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Irmas Sandwich Shop
The Secret Ingredient of Reuben's Tasty Horseradish Sandwich
A boy named Reuben makes a legendary sandwich with a secret ingredient that becomes the talk of the town and remains a mystery for generations.
Talk about it 1. What was the name of the boy in the story? 2. What were some of the ingredients in Reuben's sandwich? 3. What was the secret ingredient that made his sandwich so impressive? 4. How did Reuben feel when he found out the horseradish was rancid? 5. Why did Reuben keep the secret ingredient a secret?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Jane Goodall
The Chimp-servation Ape: A Tale of Clever observation in the African Wild
A scientist discovers a new species of animal in Africa through the clever observation of a chimpanzee.
Talk about it 1. How does the chimpanzee in the story act differently from others? 2. What does the scientist discover about the new species of animal? 3. Why did the scientist name the new species after the chimpanzee? 4. What can we learn from the chimpanzee's behavior in the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Jenny Loves Yoga1
Max the Mountaineer: The Art of Breathing and Posing
Max the Mountaineer learns the importance of proper breathing and striking a pose while gazing at the beautiful views from the top of a mountain.
Talk about it - What did Max learn about climbing mountains? - Why was it important for Max to practice proper breathing techniques? - How did Max feel after he finished his breathing exercises? - Do you think striking a pose is important when you reach the top of a mountain? Why or why not? - Why is it important to take care of your body while climbing mountains?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Jenny Loves Yoga2
The Tortoise and the Pretzel: A Tale of Mind and Body Strength
A tortoise learns that true strength comes from both mind and body as he sets out on an adventure to find a way to strengthen himself from resembling a pretzel.
Talk about it 1. What did Tim the tortoise resemble at the beginning of the story? 2. How did Tim become strong in the end? 3. According to the wise old owl, what is the key to strengthening yourself? 4. Why was Tim shocked when he saw his reflection on the surface of a pond? 5. What did Tim learn about strength by the end of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Johnny Appleseed Heads West
The Clever settler and the celebration feast
The scrawny settler Billy impresses the settlers and Native Americans by cooking a feast and making peace during the American Revolution celebration in the clearing.
Talk about it 1. Why did Billy want to impress the settlers? 2. How did Billy end up cooking a feast for everyone? 3. What did the Native Americans do to help Billy? 4. What did the settlers and Native Americans do to celebrate every year after the American Revolution? 5. Why did Billy become known as the "Clever Settler"?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Katies Forest Finds
The Reluctant Frog's Adventures in a New Territory
A little frog named Freddy learns about the joys of dependence and adventure on a journey to find a new home in a fragrant territory.
Talk about it 1. Why was Freddy reluctant to depart on the journey? 2. What did he learn about dependence and adventure? 3. How did the aroma of lilies play a role in the story? 4. What did Freddy observe during his journey? 5. What happened when they found a new pond?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Lis Tangram Animals
The Clever marsupial's journey to speak the secret language of squares
A clever marsupial named Trianglo learns the secret language of squares in China.
Talk about it 1. What was the symbol that Trianglo came across? 2. Who told Trianglo about the secret language of squares? 3. How did Trianglo become fluent in the secret language? 4. How did Trianglo impress others with his knowledge of shapes and symbols? 5. Why do you think Trianglo was known as the cleverest marsupial in all of China?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Looking for Bigfoot1
The Primate Hoax Adventure
A group of kids on a mission to prove the existence of a mysterious primate discover it's just a mischievous primate playing with a camera in their quest for evidence.
Talk about it 1. What was the group of kids trying to research and prove? 2. Why did the teacher think the footage could be a hoax? 3. What did the kids do to find evidence of the mysterious primate? 4. How did the kids feel when they found out what the creature really was? 5. What did the kids learn from this adventure?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Makusanis Lesson
Max the Wandering Monkey and the Magic Blowgun
A curious monkey named Max goes on adventures in the jungle after being granted three wishes by a genie from a magic blowgun.
Talk about it 1. Why was Max always restless? 2. What did Max find in the jungle? 3. Who granted Max his three wishes? 4. What did Max wish for? 5. Was Max ever bored or restless again after his adventures?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Meeting Father in Plymouth
Tim's Reunion Adventure: A Puritan's Limited Cooking Skills
A mature Puritan named Tim sets off on a journey to reunite with his childhood friends and ends up tending to the limited food and drinks at the reunion, despite having no cooking skills.
Talk about it - What do you think Tim’s friends thought of his cooking skills? - What would you have done if you were in Tim's situation? - Why did Tim want to find his childhood friends? - Why did Tim feel mature? - What do you think happened at the reunion after the food was burnt?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary O: Off to Join the Circus1
The Comedy Duo's Pattern Mix-Up
Zara and their partner turn a complicated skit pattern into a comedy act and become known as the town's comedy duo.
Talk about it - What do Zara and their partner enjoy doing together? - What happened during the skit that made it funny? - Why did the audience give Zara and their partner a standing ovation? - How did Zara and their partner feel after the show? - What was the outcome of the skit?
Open reading