Mrs. Wallace's Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 11

• Ready, Set, Engage! Interactive Texts and Neurodiverse Learning

  Funded Aug 8, 2024

  I cannot thank you enough for supporting my project. My school district went to a zero-tolerance policy for electronic devices (which I did not know about when I created this project). The fidgets have been amazing in helping students cope with this change! When they are used to having their phones or computers in front of them, they are fidgeting with the neurodiverse objects we purchased and focusing in much more on instruction. It is amazing to watch and the students are appreciative!

  The blank books and annotation materials are already being used fully! My AP Language and AP Seminar students love the sticky notes that have tabs - they are using them to annotate the texts for Socratic discussions and annotated bibliographies. Additionally, the books are being used to create barrier books - students are writing stories about common barriers to learning to share with local elementary school children. They are taking so much ownership of their learning since they are writing in actual books.

  Thank you again for helping me help my students experience success!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Wallace

  This classroom project was brought to life by Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation and 7 other donors.

• Engaging Neurodiverse Learners

  Funded Jan 14, 2024

  My students LOVE the fidgets and seat cushions. In fact, I will have to find a way to acquire more cushions. The students sit in hard desks all day and love having the option to sit comfortably on the floor or against the wall. Several students use them to work in the hallways when the room is too noisy during group work. The fidgets are particularly helpful this semester because I have an inclusion class with a lot of diverse needs - some of which are sensory. Havin items that are flexible and with texture helps my students focus. My general and advanced classes benefit from them as well because they play with the fidgets rather than their phones, so their concentration on the coursework is more focused. Obviously, the students don't have a lot of say about the bleach wipes, but I appreciate that I can clean the fidgets and the cushions so that I can keep myself and my students healthy!

  I have had many Donors Choose initiatives funded in my 24 years in the classroom, but this is one that has shown immediate results with students. Students are struggling more than ever to focus and channel their energy after the confines of the Covid pandeimic. I am thankful for folks like you that help me help them!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Wallace

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 5 other donors.

• Hands-On Brainiacs!

  Funded May 10, 2023

  My NC Teacher Cadets study moral, cognitive, social, and physical development for ages birth - 18. The curriculum also includes a new STEM unit that allows them to put these studies to use in a very real, hands-on way. Budget cuts and other factors have made it very difficult for me to purchase the materials needed for these hands-on learning experiences. Your donations have helped me bring this learning alive!

  My students were very excited to unbox the new items since I did not tell them what I had ordered. As you can see in the images, they immediately wanted to try to construct the brain teaser projects! The two teams were racing each other but had to stop to have conversations about balance and counterweights, forcing them to engage in both formal and concrete operations. The other students thought the cross-section of the brain is nice becuase they can use the model to also look at traumatic brain injury and executive function areas of the brain in relation to the exceptional children's learning gaps we study.

  Thank you for helping close gaps and create kinesthetic experiences for my students!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Wallace

  This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Foundation and 2 other donors.

• Stock'in Up

  Funded Feb 7, 2023

  Thank you for restocking my classroom to create a healthy and engaging environment! My students were excited to help me unbox the goodies - especially the bookshelf so that we no longer have books stacked on top of each other. They can clearly see and choose titles that interest them! One example of an activity we completed using the supplies is a live Padlet. The students listened to a spoken word poet and wrote down the ideas he addressed, tone words, and reactions. We then connected the poetry to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and students used the sticky notes, pens, and pencils provided by this project to annotate and respond to each other. The students loved the movement and creativity!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Wallace

• Diverse Literature for Diverse Students

  Funded Feb 19, 2022

  Students are struggling to reconnect with their teachers and each other after a year and a half of remote learning. Having texts that are engaging, current, and relevant is a key component of helping them reconnect and engage in the classroom.

  The books that you helped fund for our students are connecting them with literature by an author of color. Many of our students can "see" themselves in the teen protagonist and the struggles he endures. The students are able to learn figurative language, vocabulary through context clues, and critical reading skills necessary for in-depth analysis. These skills are then used to help them hone their writing skills - both creative and analysis. Finally, the students are also participating in class discussions to practice the skills outlined in the NC speaking and listening standards.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Wallace

  This classroom project was brought to life by Black History Month Partners and 7 other donors.

• Responsible Return to Rigor

  Funded Aug 27, 2021

  Thank you to everyone who helped make this project a reality so that I and my scholars can teach and learn more safely! The masks and air purifier are working around the clock to help keep my students or me from having to quarantine. So many of my students have expressed thanks for the disposable masks so they do not have to reuse the same clothe masks each day, but are now able to launder them between use.

  The individual white boards are a huge hit! Students are able to participate in formative assessment and partner work without having to share materials. Each students has a white board, pen, and eraser - all of which are sanitized after each use. The students are able to share their thoughts in writing, as well, which helps a lot with collaboration because they are not competing with the masks to be able to hear their peers.

  Finally, the cleaning products - the electronic wipes are a HUGE success. It is quite funny, but good, how terrified the students are to use any liquid on the computers. The wipes are moist enough to clean and sanitize their devices with risking damage. One student said her mom wouldn't even let her use baby wipes to remove food residue form her keyboard, so having something she knows is safe to use was a great help to her!

  Ahh...the things I'd never thought I'd value for a classroom! Thank you, again!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Wallace

  This classroom project was brought to life by Emerson Collective and 6 other donors.

• Differentiating Differently!

  Funded Dec 31, 2020

  I cannot thank you enough for this awesome project being funded! The Apple pencil has been a game changer for both in-person learning and remote instruction. In person the students are able to collaboratively annotate texts because the pencil can be sanitized between each student's use. Since we are 6-feet social distancing, this has allowed me to still have partner and group work in the classroom. I simply take the materials to one student, sanitize, and take them to the next. The students are giving each other feedback and building ideas. It makes class feel more "normal". For remote learning, I am able to use my IPad and Apply pencil as a white board by using a casting app. The students can watch me take notes and write on the "board" without me having to have a white board at home. I can screenshot and share notes with students who were not able to attend synchronous learning.

  The TeachersPayTeachers gift card and Nearpod subscription have allowed me to download materials for my ELL and EC students since I am not in the classroom with extra assistance. I have been able to access texts and skill-based activities in my students' native languages. My EC students have been able to receive comparable texts to what their peers are using, but at varied Lexile levels to best meet their needs. I have also used Nearpod's bank of social/emotional pre-designed lessons to alleviate some anxiety about remote learning.

  I am so grateful for each donor and how your support of my classroom helps my students!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Wallace

  This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and 5 other donors.

• Interactive At-Home Classroom!

  Funded Aug 29, 2020

  Thank you so much for your generosity! Teaching from home when I have two high school students of my own also trying to remote learn was posing quite a few challenges, as was putting engaging texts into the hands of my students. The AirPods allow me to have a microphone so I can move around my basement office to use the white board I installed and use my cell phone as a document camera to deliver instruction through Zoom. Prior to the AirPods, my students often could not hear me unless I sat directly in front of the computer without moving - which makes it very difficult to demonstrate and annotate lessons.

  The texts that I received are those my students specifically requested to be able to read. I have built units around them and begun sharing the texts with students via the Zoom calls. COVID prevents me from being able to actually place the hard copies in the hands of the students, but they are still able to experience standards-based, content-rich lessons with high interest reading. This is allowing me to keep some of my more reluctant readers engaged despite not being in my room.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Wallace

• Living Literature: Teaching the Real World

  Funded Dec 3, 2019

  I am hard-pressed to get my students to do anything but read...what an amazing problem to have! They students are "hooked" into this text. We've researched addiction, psychology, rehabilitation, anger management....a host of topics relevant to the text and my students (and we are only in chapter 5). The students have followed the author on Twitter and are asking me if I can get him to visit or Skype into my classroom. Thank you more than I can truly express for helping me bring relevant, current literature into my classroom!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Wallace

  This classroom project was brought to life by CRUNCH and one other donor.