Author Inspires Third Graders to Embrace the Magic of Storytelling

Third graders at Osborn Elementary School had the exciting opportunity to meet acclaimed author Jen Calonita at their school on May 19-20. Through an engaging school assembly and interactive workshops, the students experience the power of storytelling.
 

During her visit, Calonita captivated the students with stories of her journey from a magazine journalist to a bestselling fiction writer. She also shared insight into the writing process, including the importance of revisions and peer feedback. As part of the workshop experience, the students selected fairy tale and fictional characters to develop their own imaginative stories. Guided by the author and their teachers, the students drafted original fractured fairy tales.
 

Third grade teacher Elizabeth Capizzi said the students will soon embark on a fairy tale unit in their classes and the experience with the author helped them gain a deeper appreciation for the structure of a fairy tale and storytelling elements.
 

“They’ve learned to understand how a story works and what to expect when they’re reading stories,” third grade teacher Eileen O’Reilly said. “They’re introduced to the characters and a problem begins – it starts to get worse and builds. There’s a solution, and the story wrap ups. They’ve been working with that model the entire year, and this connects nicely with fairy tales.”