Program Overview

Designed for all learning environments, the Start with a Story program ties the works of New York Times best-selling author and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds to hands-on SEL, literacy and STEAM activities. Each lesson pack focuses on one book and includes five or more lessons to inspire creative learning and story activation for students in grades k-5. While teachers can begin with any lesson, we encourage instructors to start with a book reading and an SEL activity and/or the team-building activity before moving onto animation, engineering, and/or journaling.

About Start with a Story: Ish

No one is perfect. We all make mistakes, and we can learn to embrace our imperfections and enjoy the journey of becoming who we are. That is the message of Ish by Peter H. Reynolds. In the story, Ramon is hurt when his art is laughed at, but a younger admirer helps him see his art in a new way, and he begins to appreciate his unique take on the world. We all need reminders to see things in new and more optimistic ways every once in a while. Through the 7+ lessons in Start with a Story: Ish, students will engage their imaginations, play with seeing art from new perspectives, practice letting go of their inner critic, and start thinking ishly.

Note: Licenses to Animation-ish and FabMaker Studio are recommended for two of the lessons. If you would like to purchase autographed books by Peter H. Reynolds visit his online bookshop, The Dot Central.

Ish is the second of three books Peter H. Reynolds has named The Creatrilogy (The Dot, Ish, and Sky Color). Together, these 3 books lay a foundation for students to see themselves as unique, creative problem solvers, who have a lot to share with the world.

Annual Access to Curriculum = $50