Ms. Riordan's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 21

• Riding the Crimson Wave: Period Products

  Funded Dec 4, 2024

  Thank you for providing high quality period products to the young women who have periods. We have a shared interest in that we believe all young people have have periods should have easily accessible access to period products. With you help we are making our school more sensitive to the needs of all students.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Riordan

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 2 other donors.

• Squishmallows Encourage Brave Volunteers

  Funded Sep 28, 2024

  Thank you for assisting me in creating a safe welcoming learning environment for my high school students. These incentives will be just one of the many steps we take toward improving the mental health of our students as they learn in the high school classroom. Your kindness does not go unnoticed.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Riordan

  This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org Teen Mental Health Initiative.

• A Bit of This and That: Classroom 'Basics' Replenishment

  Funded Dec 29, 2023

  Thank you for outfitting our classroom with the supplies we need to ensure cleanliness and reduce the spread of germs in the cold Chicago weeks ahead. Pens and general supplies are always welcome when a student or teacher forgets or loses one and jolly ranchers can be the extra little bit of help to make it through a long test.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Riordan

  This classroom project was brought to life by A Donor Who Loves Teachers and 5 other donors.

• Squish-mallow Incentives

  Funded Nov 29, 2023

  Thank you for helping motivate our students to put the cell phones away and have face to face conversations with classmates in the room. Squishmallow are cute, cuddly and seem to be universally loved by my students, which means they will be a great motivator for making good choices. Yay!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Riordan

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 4 other donors.

• Bring a Real Life Hero's Journey into Our Teen's Hands!

  Funded Aug 28, 2023

  Thank you for putting a new great book in the hands of our sophomore students. The groups that read the book, loved it, and recommended that we incorporate it as an option for our quarter 2 set of book selections. Nothing is more powerful than a recommendation by a friend or classmate when it comes to reading a new book, so I am incredibly grateful that you have provided our students with this book and for the opportunity for them to recommend a book to others.

  We've got a lot of school year left to go, and I am thrilled that we've got some students 'coming back' to reading, and this book was the hook!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Riordan

  This classroom project was brought to life by The SONIC Foundation and 10 other donors.

• Incentives for High Schoolers: Pens, Highlighters, Squishmallows, Stickers!

  Funded Sep 19, 2023

  Sometimes we need a little incentive to get the excitement building and the momentum flowing. Thank you for providing me the means to provide my student with incentives within the classroom. My hope is that these incentives allow students to see that they are capable of great things and that, yes, they can accomplish their goals!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Riordan

  This classroom project was brought to life by College Football Playoff Foundation & Cheez-It and 4 other donors.

• Books Bring Us Together: We are More Alike; Than Unalike...

  Funded Sep 19, 2023

  Thank you for your generosity. Bringing a graphic novel option to our students will bring another choice for students as they continue on their high school reading journey. Offering the title Gender Queer will offer students who struggle with gender identity a way to see themselves in literature. And those who haven't struggled with gender identity will have a window into that experience.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Riordan

  This classroom project was brought to life by College Football Playoff Foundation & Cheez-It and 4 other donors.

• Replenish Beloved Book Titles

  Funded Nov 30, 2022

  Today I gave out the new books to the students!! You know that new book feeling, right? Crisp pages, an unbent cover still with it's shine? Ahh, the students were excited. As they wrote their names on the inside front cover, several students called me over to reassure them that, yes, they can write their name in the book. "Consider it your own until the end of school," I said. Thank you for giving our students this simple pleasure. You have reinforced in them that they deserve the best.

  I personally can not wait to hear the discussion that comes from these two novels. Both offer such unique stories. I'm sure the discussion will be lively and plentiful.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Riordan

  This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and one other donor.

• A Bit of This and That: Classroom 'Basics' Replenishment

  Funded Nov 15, 2022

  Wow, thank you for stocking our classroom with the necessities! We've got bright vibrant markers for the white board, cleaning supplies to keep the room fresh and clean, and our table caddies are full of supplies. In a nutshell, your donation helped keep our space clean and provide an environment for our students showing that we care for the whole student's comfort and well-being.

  In addition the more 'health based' items feel plentiful, which is such a relief. Students know where our stock of tissue is - when they use the last one they replace it with a fresh box. Our hygiene area is available for all students - pads, tampons, band aids, and paper towels are handy for students to take as necessary.

  In our photos you will see a fresh clean room just after 1st period gave it a good scrub down (each class cleans up the room, once a week) and our stocked resource supplies.

  You have helped our learning go beyond literature and on to what it means to be a good decent human in a shared space.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Riordan

• Thank a Teacher With Thank You Cards!

  Funded Mar 21, 2023

  Thank you kindly for your donation to this special project. With your help all students will be able to write a thank you note (or more!) to someone in our school building they wish to thank. Of course I hope this practice of gratitude goes beyond our school walls and into the world at large.

  Your donation is bring us one step closer to a more grateful, compassionate world.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Riordan