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 W: Adventure in Bear Valley
The Perplexed Apprentice and the Surprising Canteen
An apprentice named Tim has a humorous experience with a mentor named Peter after mistakenly filling his canteen with baking soda.
Talk about it 1. Why was Tim perplexed in the story? 2. What happened to Tim's mentor Peter when they passed by the stack of pallets? 3. Why did Tim tickle Peter's feet? 4. What lesson did Tim learn from this experience?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Albert Einstein
The Compass of the Mysterious Molecule: A Physics Adventure in the Universe
A scientist uses a patented compass to search for the most mysterious molecule in the universe, but discovers it has a mind of its own.
Talk about it 1. What was the scientist's goal in the story? 2. What kind of compass did the scientist have? 3. What was the most mysterious molecule in the universe? 4. How did the scientist feel when he found the molecule? 5. Why did the compass disappear at the end of the story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Alberto Salazar An American Runner
The Realization of Fun Learning
The story is about a group of students who overcome fatigue and depression from studying by turning their sessions into fun games, leading to a realization that balance is key.
Talk about it 1. Why did Timmy feel intimidated by the difficult test? 2. How did Timmy and his friends overcome their fatigue and depression from studying? 3. What was the realization that the students had about their studies? 4. Why was it important to balance studying with fun activities?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: American Sports Legends
The Sharecropper's Legacy of Unity
A wise old owl teaches a group of animals in a small village about the importance of equality and love, resulting in a happier and more united community.
Talk about it 1. What did the animals learn about racism and discrimination in the story? 2. Why was Sharecropper excited about the change in the village? 3. What was the legacy that the animals passed down to future generations? 4. How did the animals feel after they learned about love and unity? 5. Can you think of a time when you have seen or experienced discrimination?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Atlantic Crossing
The Blacksmith and the Lost Crest
A blacksmith helps a prince find a magical crest to save his kingdom from famine.
Talk about it 1. Why did the prince come to the village? 2. What was the immigrant searching for? 3. What was the blacksmith's name? 4. What did the prince find in the yardarm? 5. How did the prince save his kingdom from famine?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Catching Air
The Thrilling Adventures of the Thrusters: A Paratrooper's Tale
A group of adventurous paratroopers use their aerodynamics knowledge and trust to safely glide down from high altitude.
Talk about it 1. What was the challenge faced by the paratroopers in the story? 2. How did the leader of the group use his knowledge of aerodynamics to solve the problem? 3. What did the paratroopers do to ensure their safety during the free-fall? 4. What happened to the air pressure at the top of the peak? 5. How did the leader generate lift for the whole team?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Climbing Mountains
The Braille-Reading Bat and the Avalanche Adventure
A bat named Benny who can read Braille becomes a hero among his peers when he uses his special vibration-detection powers to survive an avalanche.
Talk about it 1. Why was Benny an outcast among the bats? 2. What did Benny learn about himself from watching a documentary about genetics? 3. How did Benny use his special powers to survive the avalanche? 4. How did the other bats feel about Benny after his adventure? 5. What lesson can kids learn from Benny's story?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Curiosity on Mars
The Friendly Martians and the Laser Adventure
A team of scientists on a mission to Mars discover friendly extraterrestrial beings who love to play with lasers.
Talk about it 1. What was the team of scientists on a mission to do? 2. What did they find while examining a strange rock formation? 3. How did they confirm the presence of extraterrestrial beings? 4. What did they determine about the identity of the Martians? 5. What happened when the team and Martians met?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Curiosity on Mars2
Rollie the Bread Rover: A Galactic Adventure
A robotic rover named Rollie discovers super-powered yeast on a distant planet that turns everything it touches into bread.
Talk about it 1. What was Rollie's mission on the distant planet? 2. What did Rollie discover on the planet? 3. How did Rollie react when it found the microbe that could turn things into bread? 4. How did Rollie send its findings back to Earth? 5. What happened when Rollie returned to Earth? 6. What was Rollie's new nickname after the adventure?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Desert People
The Fertile Dung Adventure
A group of animals discover the secret to growing crops in a harsh desert climate hidden in their ancestor's dung.
Talk about it 1. What made the climate inhospitable for growing crops? 2. Why did the animals go on a journey to find the ancestor's dung? 3. How did the animals adapt to the harsh conditions of the desert? 4. What was the secret hidden in the dung? 5. How did the secret help the animals grow crops in the inhospitable climate?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Discovery in the Americas
The Quinoa King's New Perspective
A farmer named Kiva finds success for his quinoa crop by planting it on an ancient terrace with a new perspective.
Talk about it 1. What was Kiva searching for in the ruins? 2. Why did Kiva choose to plant his quinoa on the terrace? 3. How did Kiva's quinoa become famous in the land of the Native Americans? 4. Why was Kiva known as the "Quinoa King"?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Electric Cars History and Future
Atty's Adventure: Saving the Environment One Atom at a Time
Atty, a little atom, goes on an adventure to find the secret to an efficient and safe environment, discovering that recycling is the solution.
Talk about it 1. What is the main problem that Atty wants to solve? 2. What does Atty learn about keeping the environment efficient and safe? 3. How did Atty help solve the environmental problems in his world? 4. What can we learn from Atty's adventure about taking care of our own environment?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Electric Cars History and Future2
The Flamboyant Inventor and the Pungent Prototype
A flamboyant inventor's mobility machine prototype emits a pungent odor, but he succeeds in removing it to become known for his advanced invention in the prosperous town.
Talk about it 1. What was the problem with the inventor's prototype? 2. How did the townspeople feel about the inventor before and after he fixed the prototype? 3. What does the word "flamboyant" mean? 4. Can you think of another invention that also had a chemical reaction? 5. Why do you think the inventor worked very hard to remove the pungent odor from his prototype?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Fearless Felix
The Brave and Speedy Capsule: A Story of Altitude, Sensors, and Free Fall Adventure!
A little capsule named Speedy deploys and slows down during a free fall, showing bravery and speed to become the fastest and bravest capsule in all the land.
Talk about it 1. What did Speedy's sensor beep for? 2. How did Speedy slow down during his free fall? 3. Why was Speedy called the bravest and fastest capsule in all the land? 4. How did the children react when they saw Speedy's landing? 5. What kind of power did Speedy have that helped him during his free fall?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: HighTech Treasure Hunt
The Great Offline Adventure
A group of friends learn to embrace the unexpected while trying to recreate an image they found online.
Talk about it 1. What did the friends plan to do? 2. Why was focus important for their plan? 3. What happened when they tried to take the picture? 4. What did the friends learn from their experience? 5. How could they have prevented what happened in the story from happening?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Hurricanes
Twirly the Tropical Storm: A Tale of Survival and Backup Plans
A little boy named Timmy survives a tropical storm by using his backpack as a shelter and remembering to always have a backup plan.
Talk about it 1. What was the name of the tropical storm in the story? 2. Why did the people of the Caribbean evacuate their homes? 3. What was the little boy's name who stayed behind during the storm? 4. What did the little boy use to survive the storm? 5. Why is it important to always have a backup plan?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: InFLUenza
Pete the Parasite and the Pandemic Adventure
A parasite named Pete joins forces with other creatures to find a cure for the respiratory virus epidemic and save his host.
Talk about it 1. What did Pete notice about his host? 2. What was the reason for the host's congestions? 3. What did Pete do to help his host? 4. What did Pete and his friends find to cure the virus? 5. How did the story end?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: InFLUenza2
The Brave Microbe and the Mutated Germs
A brave microbe named Antibody defeats a mutated strain of germs with the help of special genetic material.
Talk about it 1. What was Germy's special power? 2. Why were the other microbes afraid of Germy? 3. What did Antibody do to defeat Germy? 4. Why was Antibody brave? 5. How did the other microbes feel after Germy was defeated?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Joe Kittinger An Unsung Hero
The Cosmonaut's Fatal Misadventure in the Stratosphere
A cosmonaut's obsession with the stratosphere leads to a fatal mistake in his mission, resulting in a valuable lesson learned.
Talk about it 1. What was the cosmonaut's goal in the story? 2. Why was the stratosphere hostile for the cosmonaut? 3. What went wrong with the cosmonaut's mission? 4. What lesson did the cosmonaut learn from his mistake? 5. What can you do to avoid making the same mistakes as the cosmonaut?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Mapping the Woods Maps and Cartography
The Adventure of the Cartographers and the Key to Mount Funnyside
A group of cartographers discover a secret door to a magical world while creating a topographic map of Mount Funnyside.
Talk about it 1. What was the purpose of the cartographers creating the topographic map? 2. What did the cartographer find during the survey of Mount Funnyside? 3. How did the key open the secret door to the magical world? 4. What did the animals and plants do for the cartographers in the magical world? 5. Why did the cartographers promise to keep the secret of the magical world safe?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Microbes Friend or Foe
The Prince and the Herb: A Tale of Immunity and Eradication
A brave prince named Immune saves his kingdom from a mysterious disease by finding and administering a herb that boosts the immune system, eradicating the disease.
Talk about it 1. What was the mysterious disease causing in Germlandia? 2. Who was Prince Immune and what did he do to help the kingdom? 3. What was the key to defeating the disease? 4. How did the kingdom become free from the disease? 5. What was Prince Immune known as after he defeated the disease? 6. What would you have done if you were Prince Immune?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Miguel and the Secret Garden
Swivel the Musical Mahogany Bird: A Celebratory Tale of Instinct and Ingenuity
Swivel, a mahogany bird, uses his musical talent to protect his nest from harsh winds with the help of his instinct and the wise old owl's advice.
Talk about it 1. What was Swivel's problem and how did he try to solve it? 2. How did the wise old owl help Swivel find a solution to his problem? 3. What special talent did Swivel have and how did he use it? 4. Why did Swivel become known as the bird with the magical voice? 5. How does the story show that it's important to listen to your instincts and be creative when solving problems?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Mummies
The Embalmer's Resin and the Sacred Amulet
An embalmer uses resin to preserve a sacred amulet and becomes famous, proving his innocence in the process.
Talk about it 1. Why was the embalmer accused of stealing the amulet? 2. How did the embalmer prove he didn't steal the amulet? 3. What was the significance of the amulet in ancient Egypt? 4. Why was the embalmer considered innovative? 5. What happened to the amulet after it was tested?
Open reading -
Story RAZ Vocabulary W: Mummies2
Kiki and Bobo's Quest for Immortality
Kiki and Bobo go on a journey to find the Canopic Jars, learning that true immortality lies in living life to the fullest.
Talk about it 1. What did Kiki initially think immortality was? 2. What did Kiki and Bobo learn about immortality along their journey? 3. What do you think is the true secret to immortality? 4. How did Kiki and Bobo overcome their obstacles on their journey? 5. What lesson did Kiki and Bobo learn about the importance of memories and experiences?
Open reading