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 Q: The WeatherBot Warning
R2: The Inexperienced Hero
A inexperienced robot uses manipulation to intensify a storm, but learns the importance of experience and proper planning to save the city.
Talk about it 1. What was R2's strategy to save the city? 2. What did R2 do that caused chaos and destruction? 3. How did R2 become a hero in the end? 4. What did R2 learn about experience and proper planning? 5. Do you think R2 would make the same mistake again in the future? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Vincents Bedroom
The Churn of Color: A Museum's Tale of Despair to Delight
A museum's paintings become famous and popular after they start using a special tool called a churn to mix colors and bring new life to their paintings.
Talk about it 1. What was the problem at the museum? 2. Who encouraged the staff to use the churn? 3. How did the visitors react to the new paintings? 4. What made the paintings special and famous? 5. What was the mood of the museum before and after the change?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Walking in Roman Footsteps
Marco's Time Travel Adventure: Saving the Basilica in Ancient Rome
A young boy named Marco travels back in time to ancient Rome to save the basilica with the help of his ancestors.
Talk about it 1. Why did Marco feel like he was transported back in time? 2. What did Marco's ancestors need his help with? 3. How did Marco defeat the evil emperor Nero? 4. What did Marco learn from this adventure? 5. What other historical places in Rome can you name?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Why Abe Lincoln Grew a Beard
President Eager's Mustache and Beard Adventure
President Eager receives mixed opinions about his mustache and beard fashion statement, but a little girl's approval convinces him to keep it.
Talk about it 1. What was President Eager eager to receive in the story? 2. What was the little girl's opinion of President Eager's mustache and beard? 3. Why did the President decide to keep his facial hair the way it was? 4. Do you think having a mustache and beard is important for a president? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary Q: Zookeeping
The Drowsy Giraffe and the Party of Vultures
An anesthesia-drugged giraffe wakes up in a vulture party and develops a taste for their cuisine leading to an unlikely friendship.
Talk about it 1. What did the zookeeper accidentally do to the giraffe? 2. What kind of food did the vultures offer the giraffe? 3. How did the friendship between the giraffe and vultures start? 4. Why was the vulture misbehaving in the savanna exhibit? 5. How do you think the other animals in the zoo reacted to the friendship between the giraffe and vultures?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Alaska The Last Frontier
Polar's Adventure: The Joys of Individualism in the Arctic Circle
Polar, a polar bear who kayaks in the Arctic Circle, learns to become self-sufficient through hunting, fishing and preserving food while discovering the joys of individualism.
Talk about it 1. Why did Polar kayak out to see the aurora borealis? 2. How did Polar feel when the locals refused to share their food with him? 3. What did Polar learn about himself as he became self-sufficient? 4. Do you think individualism is important? Why or why not?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: All About Chocolate
Max the Mole's Sweet Adventure: A Tale of Cacao and Chocolate
A mole named Max finds cacao, perfects his chocolate-making skills, and becomes famous for his delicious treats.
Talk about it 1. What did Max find in the plantation? 2. How did Max get the cacao to make his chocolate? 3. Why was the plantation owner initially angry with Max? 4. What did Max promise the plantation owner before he was allowed to take the cacao? 5. What was the outcome of Max's hard work in making chocolate?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: All About Kites
The Temperature Tamer: A Legend of Professor McInvent
The legend of Professor McInvent, the temperature tamer who invented a bridle to control room temperature with his instrument, is told and loved by kids everywhere.
Talk about it 1. Who is Professor McInvent and what is his invention? 2. Why was the diplomat from the distant land impressed by Professor McInvent's invention? 3. How did Professor McInvent prove his invention to the diplomat? 4. Why do kids love the story of Professor McInvent? 5. What is the meaning of the term "temperature tamer"?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: An Apple a Day
The Prehistoric Supplement Adventure
Dinosaurs improve their nutrition and live happily ever after by taking supplements in "The Prehistoric Supplement Adventure".
Talk about it 1. What did the dinosaurs eat before they started taking supplements? 2. Why did the wise old dinosaur suggest taking supplements? 3. What did the dinosaurs learn about nutrition after taking supplements? 4. How did the dinosaurs feel after taking supplements? 5. Can you name some of the important nutrients and vitamins the dinosaurs got from their supplements?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Animal Discoveries
Dr. Genius and The Endangered Birds
A scientist, Dr. Genius, protects a endangered species of birds by discovering and monitoring their unique habitat leading to an increase in population.
Talk about it 1. Why did Dr. Genius want to protect the species of birds? 2. What did Dr. Genius do to help increase the population of the birds? 3. Why was the population of the birds only 10 percent of what it used to be? 4. How did the remote monitoring system help Dr. Genius protect the birds? 5. What do you think would happen if Dr. Genius didn't step in to help the birds?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Arrows
The Code Talker's Sweet Discovery
A clever code talker named Choctaw deciphers an ancient code to discover a recipe for the best chocolate cake in the world.
Talk about it 1. What was the code talker's name? 2. What was the code about? 3. How did the code talker feel when he finally figured out the code? 4. What did the code talkers do after they figured out the code? 5. What is a glyph and how did the code talkers use it?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Bessie Coleman
Curtiss Jenny's Adventures: From Barn Dweller to Barnstormer
Curtiss Jenny, a biplane in a barn, becomes a successful barnstormer with the help of a friendly mechanic and a sharecropper turned manager.
Talk about it 1. What did Curtiss Jenny dream of becoming? 2. Who helped Curtiss Jenny become a barnstormer? 3. What was the sharecropper's role in the story? 4. What did the mechanic and Curtiss Jenny practice together before performing? 5. What did the sharecropper offer to do after watching Curtiss Jenny's performance?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Blue Whales Giant Mammals
The Keratin-Insulated Krill: A Warm Tale of Adventure in the Ocean
A baby krill with a special talent of insulating its esophagus with keratin becomes the hero of the ocean by helping whales stay warm.
Talk about it 1. What special talent did the baby krill have? 2. Why did the baby krill go on an adventure in the ocean? 3. What was the problem that the whales were facing? 4. How did the baby krill help the whales? 5. What happened in the end of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Charlenes Sea of Cortez Journal
The Fossil Hunt and the Mysterious Boojum
A group of friends go on a fossil hunt and encounter a mysterious creature, the Boojum, which they eventually discover is not as scary as it seems.
Talk about it 1. What was the group of friends' goal on their trip to Isla? 2. What did the friends think of the creature they saw? 3. How did the friends react when they saw the Boojum following them? 4. Why were the terns attacking the Boojum? 5. How did the friends feel after their encounter with the Boojum?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Elephants Giant Mammals
Ellie and Timmy: The Tale of Affectionate Tusks
A story about friendship, growth, and self-acceptance as Ellie, an affectionate herbivore elephant, helps Timmy feel confident about his developing tusks.
Talk about it 1. What did Timmy feel about his tusks at the beginning of the story? 2. What did Ellie do to help Timmy feel better about his tusks? 3. Why did Ellie's actions make Timmy feel better? 4. How did Timmy and Ellie's friendship grow after their encounter with the other elephants? 5. What is the message of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Expedition 25 The Subtropics
The Journey to the Kingdom of Desalination
A village learns the secret to making fresh water from salt water through a journey to the kingdom of desalination.
Talk about it - How did the villagers solve their lack of water? - What was the secret to making fresh water from salt water? - Why did the villagers go on a journey to find the kingdom of desalination?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Expedition 40 The Secret of the Seasons
Max's Adventure Across the Strait
A mischievous boy named Max paddles through a strait, finds himself in the opposite hemisphere, and returns home with the help of a friendly dolphin.
Talk about it 1. What is the name of the protagonist in the story? 2. How did Max get to the other hemisphere? 3. What happened when Max was in the other hemisphere? 4. Who helped Max return home? 5. What did Max do when he got back to his peninsula?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Expedition 60 The Subarctic
Max and the Aurora Adventure
A young boy named Max goes on a journey to save the animals and their homes by redirecting solar currents and stopping the permafrost from melting.
Talk about it 1. What was the problem that Max faced in the story? 2. How did Max solve the problem? 3. What did Max learn about the climate and the world around him? 4. What is the aurora borealis and how does it relate to the story? 5. How did Max become known as a hero?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Expedition Zero
The Manioc Plant's Musical Adventure in the Rainforest
A manioc plant becomes the best percussionist in the tropical rainforest by using its stilts as drumsticks and shaking its leaves to repel mosquitoes.
Talk about it - What was the manioc plant trying to find when it went to the terrace? - Why did the mosquitoes attack the manioc plant? - How did the manioc plant repel the mosquitoes? - What instrument did the manioc plant play in the symphony? - What did the manioc plant learn from this experience?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Explorers Guide to World Weather
Cloudy's Weather Adventure
Cloudy, the traveling cloud, discovers the relationship between latitude, elevation, temperature, and water vapor in determining the climate and weather patterns.
Talk about it -What did Cloudy learn about different types of weather during its journey? -What is the relationship between latitude, elevation, temperature, and water vapor? -What is the climate like near the equator compared to near the poles? -What happened when Cloudy visited mountain ranges with high elevations?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Exploring Tide Pools
Wriggle and the Mobile Invertebrates: An Intertidal Adventure
A clever worm named Wriggle and his friends use gravity and rotation to adapt to the changing tides and avoid a predator in the intertidal zone.
Talk about it 1. What did Wriggle and his friends have to do to protect themselves from the predator? 2. How did they use the power of gravity and rotation to their advantage? 3. What happened at high spring tides and during neap tides? 4. Why did the predator eventually give up trying to catch them? 5. What is the intertidal zone and what kind of creatures live there?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: Foods Around the World
The Flying Fox's Specialty Food Festival Adventure
A flying fox named Freddie hosts a yearly food festival featuring unique dishes from around the kingdom and serves his famous cannoli as the specialty dessert.
Talk about it 1. What is Freddie's favorite food? 2. What was the best part of the food festival for Freddie's friends? 3. What type of food did Freddie's friends bring to the festival? 4. What was served at the festival every year? 5. Why did the food festival become a tradition in the kingdom?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: George Washington Carver
The Fertilizer Professor
A Civil War era professor and inventor discovers the secret formula for the perfect fertilizer, impressing Congress and making him the official supplier for local sharecroppers.
Talk about it 1. What did the professor invent? 2. How did the crops change after the professor's invention? 3. Why did the professor go to Congress? 4. Who were the sharecroppers in the story? 5. How did the story end?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary R: GlowintheDark Animals
Flash the Firefly: The Hero of the Forest
A firefly named Flash goes on a mission to bring oxygen-producing bacteria to his prey, using his bioluminescent powers and camouflage to overcome predators.
Talk about it 1. What was Flash's mission in the story? 2. How did Flash use his bioluminescent powers to overcome obstacles? 3. Why were the prey grateful to Flash? 4. Who was considered a hero at the end of the story? 5. If you were in Flash's place, what would you have done differently?
Open reading