In the classroom experiences described in this article, grade three students were introduced to storytelling through the interactive read aloud of a mentor text and a storytelling demonstration, followed by daily collaborative activities involving listening, speaking, reading, and writing, culminating in dramatic storytelling performances. The article details a sample instructional sequence used for one week during the daily literacy block, explores how reading and speaking fluency improved, and how deeper story comprehension developed through the processes of talking about the stories, and rehearsing and telling stories for performance. In addition, the collaborative approach to preparing and presenting stories provided a context for strong peer support--socially, emotionally, and academically.