Hank would never make it to the concert. There were too many problems. It was icy cold outside. He sat under a cover in the back of his light blue Cadillac car. He was heading to the city of Canton, Ohio, to give a big concert on New Year’s... Read more
Mike waited and waited. Was it going to be good news or bad news? Who would be in, and who would be out? Would he make the team or not? Finally, the coach put two lists on the door of the school gym. Mike looked at the list for... Read more
The Blues: Music of Survival
ArtsCoursesLevelsListen!Music Step 2APublicStep 2Stories November 13, 2018
Four men were walking across a field. They were carrying a body wrapped up in white cloth. Their strong, black hands and arms supported the body as they walked on. Other men, women, and children walked behind. And the tall green trees listened. They listened to the cries of... Read more
The bell rang. Jim’s things were already in his red book bag, which looked brown under the white lights of the classroom. Zip! Zip! He closed the bag. He stood up and let out a sigh, “Ahhhh.” It was loud enough that other students and the teacher noticed. Jim... Read more
Max is running late. He hurries out the door of his apartment, holding a cup of coffee. Then he sees his bus. “It’s leaving!” he cries. Max starts to run, but he trips over a rock and falls. His coffee flies out of his hands and spills all over... Read more
What’s the best way to improve your English? Of course, there are many ways. But big, easy reading is one of the best. And it probably has the most research and evidence to support it. What is big, easy reading? First, you read lots of books and stories. That’s... Read more
A manager at a company was interviewing a job candidate. The manager said, “We need a very responsible person for this job. We need someone who can take charge.” The candidate’s eyes lit up, and he responded with great enthusiasm. “Sir, your search ends here! I’m the one. In... Read more
ReadOasis Step 1 (Part 1) Jim sat into a soft, red chair. He looked down, and then he started to cry. “Am I asking too much?” he said. “I just want to be happy.” Dr. Jones gave Jim a box of paper tissues. “Thank you,” said Jim as he... Read more
By Caty Weaver Kelly Ryan was making dinner. Her ten-year-old son Benjamin was watching television in the living room. Or, at least she thought he was. “Benny-boy, do you want black beans or red beans?” “Red beans, Mama.” Ben had come up quietly right behind her. “Don’t do that,... Read more
Story Power
CoursesIdeasLevelsMovies Step 2BPublicStep 2Stories November 13, 2018
Dorothy looked up into the sky. And she started to sing. Her soft voice rose up gently in the air. Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high There’s a land that I’ve heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue And the dreams that... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) “A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read.” Mark Twain Mark Twain in the Tesla Science Lab Mark Twain was the funniest man in America. He went on adventures. He travelled the world. He met presidents and kings. And... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) It was 5 o’clock on a warm summer evening in July 2008. In a busy part of Tokyo, people were leaving their places of work. Some were going home, and others were going out to enjoy the nightlife. It was an ordinary night. But... Read more
Awarding Excellence: The Pulitzer Prize
ArtsCoursesLevelsListen!Music Step 3BProtectedStep 3Stories November 13, 2018 0
ReadOasis Step 3 The Color Purple is a book about a black woman named Celie. The story tells of her life and struggles, as she grew up in the Southern United States during the 1930s. The book was written by Alice Walker. And the movie version was directed by... Read more
By Andrew Lang ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Once upon a time there was a husband and a wife who had no children. Every day they prayed to Heaven to send them a child, even if it were no bigger than a hazelnut. (A hazelnut is a small brown... Read more
Roentgen and the Discovery of X-rays
CoursesInvention Step 2ALevelsListen!ProtectedSciencesStep 2Stories November 13, 2018 0
ReadOasis Step 2 When she saw her the bones in her hand she said "I have seen my death!" Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen (1845-1923) was a German scientist who discovered x-rays. This was a great advance for physics and medicine, and it earned Roentgen the Nobel Prize in 1901. In November 1895,... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) Johannes Gutenberg was in trouble. He borrowed money from investors, but he was about to lose it. He promised to make a special kind of mirror and sell lots of them. The mirrors were unusual. It was said that they could capture the holy... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) After a hot day, just before dark, a Florida woman is walking her dog near a small river. The dog is big, weighing 80 pounds (about 36 kilograms). But something bad is about to happen that the dog and woman do not expect. From... Read more
The Motown Sound (Step 2)
ArtsCoursesLevelsMusic Step 2APublicStep 2Stories November 12, 2018
ReadOasis Step 2 You don’t know soul music if you don’t know the Motown sound. Motown is a record company from Detroit Michigan. And one of the greatest Motown artists of all time is Stevie Wonder. Wonder has sold over 100,000,000 records and won 25 Grammy Awards. But he... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 One day, a Rabbit was talking to a Turtle. The Rabbit said, “Turtle, Turtle, you are so slow. I feel so sorry for anyone who moves as slow as you!” “You feel sorry for me?” said the Turtle. “Then why don’t we run a race to... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 As you read or listen to this, what is your body saying? Does your body speak a language? Who does it speak to? We know that body language speaks to others. But some scientists say this. “Your body language speaks to you!” Specifically, your body talks... Read more