The Magic of Hidden Culture
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ReadOasis Step 2 On his first day in Spain, Harry got lost in Madrid. He thought: "These streets aren't like home in Toronto." 500-year-old buildings. Gray stone streets. Red meat hanging in shop windows. The smell of fresh bread. The sound of a guitar in the park. "So, this... Read more
Cultural Quest — 10 Key Questions
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ReadOasis Step 2 The alarm sounded. "Beep, beep, beep!" The morning sun shone into Zoe's room. As she opened her eyes, she saw her plane ticket. Tokyo. "Oh my," she said to herself. "The day is here! I'm really going." Today, Zoe will fly for the first time. And... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Mr. Jones stood in front of his English class. The students looked sleepy and bored, so Mr. Jones decided to open with an interesting story. He told the students a famous joke, and here is what happened… The Joke. Two older couples ate dinner together. After... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Gary stood in front of the class. He looked at all his students. He opened his mouth to speak. But the students didn't listen. They talked to each other. He started speaking again. "Today, I want to talk about The Old Man and the Sea. Do... Read more
The Motown Sound (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 The Motown Museum (Wikipedia) Soul music combines rhythm and blues and gospel. Like the blues, soul arose out of the black experience in America, and soul musicians took these styles out of the black church and into the world and the streets. They confidently and proudly... Read more
W.C. Handy: Father of the Blues (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 "Then I saw the beauty of primitive music." W.C. Handy, Father of the Blues W.C. Handy at Age 19 W.C. Handy grew up in a small town in Alabama in the southern part of the US. His father was the pastor of a church, and Handy... Read more
A Traditional Children's Song ReadOasis Step 1 This old man, he played one, He played knick knack with his thumb, With a *knick, knack, paddy whack, Give the dog a bone; This old man came rolling home. This old man, he played two, He played knick knack with my... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) was a Japanese artist, painter, and maker of prints, called UKIYO-E. During his life, he was the leading expert on Chinese painting in Japan. His most famous work is The Great Wave off Kanagawa, created in the 1820s. The Great Wave comes from... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Sue closed the car door. She looked down at her feet. And she started to cry. Tears flowed down her face. Jim said, "What's the matter?" As she cried, Sue said, "You hurt my feelings. You made a joke about me. And you did it in... Read more
Jumping Over Death, Evel Knievel
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ReadOasis Step 1 The people felt real fear. They watched Robert. He sat on his bike. The sound was loud. "POP! CRACK! VROOM!" The bike started to move. Faster and faster, he rode. The bike hit the ramp. Robert jumped high. He flew through a wall of water! Down... Read more
Do You Know How Your Body Talks?
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ReadOasis Step 2 Do you know how your body talks? Can it help you share your thoughts and feelings? A famous psychologist, Albert Mehrabian, studied these questions. He looked at how our bodies show others what we think and feel. Let's see what he found with two simple examples.... Read more
ReadOasis Step 1 Mao smiles big. She jumps high. She spins fast three times. She lands on one foot. "Wow!" The crowd cheers! It was the 2010 Olympics. Mao Asada made history. She did an amazing jump. It's called the "triple axel." And she stands as the first woman... Read more
Stevie, The Musical Wonder
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ReadOasis Step 3 The announcer opens the envelope. He looks down at the card, then smiles. "And the winner is, Stevie Wonder!" The crowd cheers and cheers. Their happiness fills the room. It was the 1989 Academy Awards. Stevie Wonder just won "Best Original Song." The song was "I... Read more
The Trouble with Ken’s Horse
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ReadOasis Step 2 Ken walked on the green grass behind his house. He looked up and saw Bella, his beautiful horse. Bella's coat shone bright in the afternoon sun. Ken touched Bella's face. "Hi girl," he said. And then Ken held up a shiny, red apple. Bella wanted to... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Tim opened the door and left his house. The sky was red, almost dark. But, Tim wanted to walk in the forest. As he walked, he saw something under a tree. It was a book! He saw gold letters on the cover. Tim read them aloud:... Read more
A Colorful Cultural Connection
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ReadOasis Step 3 Mia and Sam lived in Los Angeles. Mia's family came from Mexico. Sam's family came from Japan. Raised in different cultures, they grew up learning different things. Mia loved spicy food and danced to Latino music. She often greeted people with a hug. Sam enjoyed sushi... Read more
The Death of Bach and His Music
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ReadOasis Step 2 Johann looked at the piece of music. But he just saw clouds of dark marks on a page. He couldn't see the notes. He needed help. So, he asked a famous doctor to fix his eyes. The doctor's name was John Taylor. But Johann did not... Read more
ReadOasis Step 1 Larisa dances in the air. She flies like a bird. She lands light on her feet. The crowd cheers! It was the 1956 Olympics. Larisa Latynina amazed the crowds. She won four gold medals. And she made the world smile. Larisa was born in Ukraine. At... Read more
Grete Waitz Ran Fast (Greh-teh Vites)
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ReadOasis Step 1 "On your mark. Get set!" BANG! Grete starts. She runs fast. She pushes herself. 10, 20, 30, 42 kilometers! She crosses the finish line. First place! That was the 1978 New York City Marathon. Grete Waitz, from Norway, won that day. It was her first marathon... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 These were the most difficult days of their lives. Their eyes were red and dry. These women had cried out all their tears. He was their leader and teacher. He was their best friend. He changed their lives and made their world new again. He gave... Read more