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.
-
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Landfills What a Load of Garbage
The Incredible Inventor of Pollutionville
An inventor solves Pollutionville's pollution problem by creating a machine that turns waste into biodegradable material and disposing of it safely in an underground landfill.
Talk about it - What did the people of Pollutionville do before Produce came to town? - How did Produce solve the pollution problem in Pollutionville? - Why did Produce suggest dumping waste in an underground landfill? - How did the amount of pollution in Pollutionville change after using the machine and underground landfill? - Why do you think it's important to dispose of waste properly?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Lost Cities
Arti and the Siege-Breaking Artifact
Arti, a resourceful young construct, saves the ancient settlement from a siege by using an artifact discovered in a castle ruin, with the help of other constructs.
Talk about it 1. What did Arti do for the settlement and how? 2. What was the artifact and how did it help break the siege? 3. How did the other constructs contribute to the solution? 4. Why did the enemy army surrender? 5. What makes this story funny and creative?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Mike Van Zee Special Olympian
Max the Determined Gladiator: A Tale of Perseverance, Humor, and Aquatic Excellence
A determined gladiator named Max wins the annual aquatics competition with hard work, determination, and a touch of humor.
Talk about it - What is the name of the gladiator in the story and what is he determined to do? - How does Max show his determination and perseverance during the competition? - Why was Max nervous before the competition? - What did Max learn from the competition? - Why did Max use humor during the competition?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: My Earth Day Birthday
The Ocean Fair: A Tale of Brainstorming, Recycling, and Saving the Environment
Marine creatures hold a fair to educate humans about environmental conservation and reduce ocean pollution.
Talk about it 1. What was the problem in the ocean that the marine creatures wanted to solve? 2. How did the marine creatures come up with ideas to protect their environment? 3. What was the purpose of the fair that the marine creatures held for humans? 4. Why is it important to use reusable and renewable resources? 5. How did the marine creatures and humans work together to keep the ocean clean?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Mystery at Camp White Cloud
Max the Miner and the Mysterious Discovery
Max outsmarts robbers and celebrates his mysterious discovery with friends.
Talk about it 1. Who was Max and what did he discover? 2. What happened during the mandatory assembly at school? 3. Who was lurking behind Max and why? 4. Why did Max lead the robbers on a wild goose chase? 5. How did Max's friends react to his discovery?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: On Eagle River
Gingerly Tim and the Slithering Snake
A man named Tim uses his gingerly movements to scare away a slithering snake while on a canoe trip near a riverbank.
Talk about it 1. What did Tim use to try and scare the snake away? 2. Why was Tim in a canoe on the riverbank? 3. How did Tim remember what to do to scare the snake away? 4. Why was the snake afraid of Tim's movements? 5. What did Tim learn from this experience?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Plight of the Polar Bear
The Journey to Thrive: A Tale of Perseverance
A group of creatures migrate to a new, cleaner land after facing difficulties on their journey and find happiness and prosperity in their new home.
Talk about it 1. Why did the creatures want to migrate to a new place? 2. What obstacles did the creatures face on their journey? 3. What did the creatures do once they arrived in the new land? 4. How did the creatures feel about their new home? 5. What lesson can you learn from the story of the creatures' journey to thrive?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Robin Hood and the King
The Abbot's Garland and the Corrupt Ranger
An Abbot teaches a corrupt ranger a lesson through humor and the two become friends.
Talk about it 1. Why did the Abbot wear a garland of flowers? 2. What did the friar tell the Abbot about the ranger? 3. How did the Abbot react when he saw the ranger laughing? 4. What lesson did the Abbot learn from this experience? 5. Can humor help resolve conflicts? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Salmon A Link in the Food Chain
Fry the Fertilizer King: A Brackish Adventure
A fish named Fry helps the ecosystem in an estuary by fertilizing the water, leading to a boom in the number of baby fish and cementing his place as the "Fertilizer King.
Talk about it - Why did Fry decide to fertilize the water? - What was the impact of Fry's actions on the ecosystem? - How does Fry's story show the importance of the food chain? - Can you think of another way that Fry could have helped the brackish water? - What would have happened if Fry never fertilized the water?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Sinkhole Science
Major G's Beneath Adventure: A Tale of Eroding Bedrock and Chasms Mines
A geologist named Major G learns the importance of paying attention to erosion and its effect on bedrock stability after a close call in a collapsing mine.
Talk about it 1. Why did Major G decide to explore the chasm? 2. What did Major G find in the mine? 3. What happened to the mine? 4. What lesson did Major G learn about erosion and bedrock stability? 5. How can you avoid making the same mistake as Major G?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Sinkhole Science2
Timmy the Sinkhole Predictor: A Tale of Knowledge and Adventure
A young boy named Timmy uses his secret process to predict sinkholes and protect his village, impressing everyone with his knowledge.
Talk about it 1. Why did Timmy predict the sinkhole? 2. How did Timmy know about the sinkhole? 3. What was Timmy's secret process for predicting sinkholes? 4. How did the villagers feel about Timmy's prediction at first? 5. What did the villagers learn from Timmy?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: SPRAK
Chiquita and the Annoying Cat: A Creative Tale of Friendship and Relief
Chiquita, a mouse who loved to draw, used her creativity to get rid of an annoying cat with the help of a kind volunteer at the donation center.
Talk about it 1. How did Chiquita feel when the cat started to annoy her while she was drawing? 2. Why did Chiquita go to the donation center? 3. How did the volunteer help Chiquita get rid of the annoying cat? 4. Why did Chiquita leave a tip at the donation center? 5. What did Chiquita learn from this experience?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Summer Olympics Events
Flexy the Gymnast: Champion of the Marathon and Pentathlon
Gymnast Flexy wins marathon and pentathlon by performing gymnastics moves instead of running, inspiring athletes to be creative and never give up on their dreams.
Talk about it - What inspired Flexy to perform gymnastics moves instead of running in the marathon? - Why do you think Flexy was nervous about the pentathlon events? - How did Flexy inspire other athletes with her victory? - What can we learn from Flexy's determination and creativity in the competition?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Sweet Potato Challenge
The Chef's Unusual Challenge: Breaking Cooking Traditions
A chef wins a cooking challenge by breaking traditions and creating a delicious dish through alternate ingredient arrangements.
Talk about it 1. What did the chef want to achieve? 2. What was the challenge the chef decided to participate in? 3. How did the chef create his dish? 4. What was the outcome of the chef's unusual cooking method? 5. What was the prize the chef won?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: The Buffalo Soldiers
The Frontier Hero: Sarah's Mission To End Discrimination
A little girl named Sarah sets out to end discrimination in her frontier town and succeeds by proving that everyone deserves respect, regardless of differences.
Talk about it 1. Why did the settlers in Littleville start to discriminate against each other? 2. Why did Sarah want to protect the rights of all settlers? 3. What did Sarah do to stop the discrimination in Littleville? 4. How did the mean old man react to Sarah's mission? 5. How did the settlers in Littleville change after Sarah's mission?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: The Castaway Pines
The Distracted Bough's Harvest Adventure
A bough that became a castaway finds friendship and a bountiful harvest with the help of some forest animals.
Talk about it 1. What happened to the bough when it was playing hide and seek? 2. How did the bough feel when it became a castaway? 3. What did the bough do when it stumbled upon the field of fruit? 4. Who helped the bough harvest the fruit? 5. How did the bough feel at the end of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: The Cave of the Lost
The Intense Echo Adventure in the Gorge
A little figure makes friends with a creepy creature emerging from the depths of a gorge after following an intense echo.
Talk about it 1. Why was the little figure scared of the creepy creature at first? 2. How did the little figure turn his opportunity into a friendship? 3. Can you think of another adventure that the two friends could go on together? 4. What do you think the intense echo was? 5. Why do you think the creature emerged from the depths of the earth?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: The Footprint
The Chameleo-Rex Discovery: A Paleontologist's Adventure
A paleontologist discovers a mysterious creature that turns out to be a long-lost species of dinosaur with the ability to change its appearance during their investigation.
Talk about it 1. What does the Professor of Paleontology love to do? 2. What kind of creature did the Professor discover? 3. Why was the Professor confused about the creature he found? 4. How did the Professor figure out what the creature was? 5. What did the Professor name the species?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: The Golden Flute
The Adventure of the Golden Flute.
A young boy named Timmy goes on a quest to find a golden flute with the power to control the wind and becomes an apprentice to an old man who teaches him how to create beautiful works of art.
Talk about it 1. What was the name of the boy who went on a quest to find the golden flute? 2. What did the old man do for a living? 3. How did Timmy find the golden flute? 4. What happened when Timmy picked up the flute? 5. What did the old man teach Timmy to do?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: The Legend of Nessie
The Legend of the Bale-Hoaxers' Sonar Sound
A group of creatures called Bale-hoaxers create a hoax about a creature with an incredible sonar sound and then become famous for their silly and fun legends in a landlocked country.
Talk about it 1. Why did the Bale-hoaxers want to find the creature with the incredible sonar sound? 2. How did the other Bale-hoaxers react when they found out the creature was a hoax? 3. What did the Bale-hoaxers do after they discovered the hoax? 4. How did the Bale-hoaxers become famous? 5. What is the lesson of this story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: The Little Fir Tree
The Glorious Bough: A Magical Journey
A bothered bough learns to embrace its beauty and spread joy in "The Glorious Bough: A Magical Journey".
Talk about it 1. Why did the bough feel bothered? 2. What did the wise old owl tell the bough? 3. How did the bough change after its journey? 4. Why do you think the creatures in the forest were grateful for the bough?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: The New Soccer Ball
Zorb's Dribbly Adventure on Earth
An alien named Zorb learns about Earth and its customs through an exchange with a refugee and experiences a presentation about their adventures to a group of kids.
Talk about it 1. What is the main problem that Zorb faces on Earth? 2. Who does Zorb meet on Earth and what do they offer to help? 3. What does Zorb learn about Earth by the end of the story? 4. How did Zorb and Tim's presentation go and what was the audience's reaction? 5. Can you think of any other adventures Zorb might have in the future?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: The ThreeR Plan
The Great Compost Caper
A group of intelligent citizens attempt to start a compost project to clean the polluted environment, but their pile starts growing legs and causing chaos.
Talk about it 1. What was the problem in the story? 2. How did the citizens try to solve it? 3. What unexpected thing happened? 4. How did it affect the citizens? 5. What lesson did they learn from the experience?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: The ThreeR Plan2
The Quest for Reuse: A Fun and Creative Adventure
A wise magistrate named Maggy leads kids in a fun game to reduce, reuse and recycle, inspiring creativity and promoting environmental stewardship.
Talk about it 1. What did Maggy encourage her subjects to do? 2. What game did Maggy come up with for the kids? 3. What were some of the creative ideas the kids came up with? 4. How did Maggy reward the kids? 5. Why was Maggy proud of the kids?
Open reading