Past projects 21
Books Are for Keeps!
Funded Mar 11, 2022Thank you for donating toward one of the most beloved books of my junior class. The Hen Who Dreamed She Could fly is a book of courage, resilience, and love, but also a story of growing up, letting go, and becoming an individual. Often scoffed at first because the main character is a chicken, by story's end students are in love. Here are a few of my favorite responses.
- "I didn't know I could love a book about a chicken so much"
- "I have never cried from a book before"
- "Straggler is a lot like us - we are going to be leaving home soon."
What's more is that the kids have the book to put up on their shelf at home.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Riordan
This Hen Can Fly!
Funded Apr 7, 2022Thank you for donating toward one of the most beloved books of my junior class. The Hen Who Dreamed She Could fly is a book of courage, resilience, and love, but also a story of growing up, letting go, and becoming an individual. Often scoffed at first because the main character is a chicken, by story's end students are in love. Here are a few of my favorite responses.
- "I didn't know I could love a book about a chicken so much"
- "I have never cried from a book before"
- "Straggler is a lot like us - we are going to be leaving home soon."
What's more is that the kids have the book to put up on their shelf at home.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Riordan
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose community & an Anonymous Partner and 2 other donors.So, Do You Have Any Books About Real Life?
Funded Jan 8, 2022Incorporating literature circles into my classroom has offered my students for choice and to read books they are curious about as opposed to what their teacher want them to be curious about. This project was different than most I as I have been having more and more requests for books about real life. I realized I was ignoring the reading interests of a large portion of my students because I wasn't offering enough nonfiction books. Through your thoughtful donations we have begun to feed the needs of students who might rather read the newspaper, a magazine, or an autobiography than a fantasy graphic novel or even a realistic fiction novel.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Riordan
This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 6 other donors.High Interest Books Make Interested Readers
Funded Jan 11, 2022Incorporating literature circles into my classroom has offered my students for choice and to read books they are curious about as opposed to what their teacher want them to be curious about. What is even more important, especially following a year of remote learning, is the connections students are able to make with peers they may not know. Curiosity and connection through the reading of a novel is unique way to from friendships or acquaintances within the classroom. Thank you for providing this opportunity to my students - they were offered new, more current novels to read and might have made a friend or two while reading it.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Riordan
This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 6 other donors.Literature Circles Bring Engage Readers
Funded Jan 1, 2022Incorporating literature circles into my classroom has offered my students for choice and to read books they are curious about as opposed to what their teacher want them to be curious about. What is even more important, especially following a year of remote learning, is the connections students are able to make with peers they may not know. Curiosity and connection through the reading of a novel is unique way to from friendships or acquaintances within the classroom. Thank you for providing this opportunity to my students - they were offered new, more current novels to read and might have made a friend or two while reading it.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Riordan
Books Bring Us Together: We are More Alike; than Unalike...
Funded Oct 21, 2021Thank you kindly for your donation of these special graphic novels: The Parable of the Sower and Nimona. As a teacher, I was thrilled to hear students not normally excited about reading gleefully sign up for one of these two graphic novels. What's more is that many of the students kept up with the reading and the note taking required alongside the reading. Reading outside of class and taking notes for oneself are two of the big self management skills we work on during the sophomore year.
Therefore I appreciate your donation. Without it our reluctant readers know that they can enjoy reading and discussing works of literature.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Riordan
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 5 other donors.Bringing Joy Through Literature Circle Books!
Funded Sep 23, 2021Thank you kindly for your donation to our classroom. These two books, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, brought fun and joy to the classroom. The students were thrilled that the coming of age and love story within Aristotle and Dante had a happy ending. I was thrilled they made it to the end! The students that read Hitchhiker had moments of confusion as many of them had never read something quite so silly, but by the end they were laughing together at the silliness of the story.
Thank you for your generous donation to our classroom.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Riordan
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 5 other donors.Cheerleaders Raise School Spirit
Funded Sep 25, 2013Wow - Thank you for your wonderful donations towards our cheerleading squad's pom poms. I wish you could have been in my room when I surprised the girls with their shiny new pom poms. The smiles and cries of joys were just wonderful. As one girl left practice for the day she said to me, "Look at me. I've gone from '0' to hero today!" Fortunately the pictures can show you their happy, smiley faces.
As you know, the cheerleading squad at our school had taken a long hiatus at our school and school spirit was lacking, to say the least. After the girl's first performance at the homecoming game the sporting events have been packed with students coming to watch the game. In fact, just last night the athletic director had to turn spectators away from the first girls basketball game!
Your donation has helped to bring cheerleading and school spirit back to our school. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Riordan
Struggling Readers Improve Literacy With Literature Circles
Funded Oct 16, 2011Wow, thank you for your generous gift of literature circle books. I always feel like I'm taking a big leap of faith when I set students off on their own to read and discuss books, but in this setting I am always pleased at how the students do. Providing our students with enjoyable high interest books that are at their reading level and are increasing their knowledge on a new and different subject is just the ticket! For instance one of my most struggling readers reluctantly chose to read the book Sold. It wasn't long before she was hooked, and at the end of the unit, she told me that she has never actually enjoyed a book before. Now she is knee deep in another one.
Thank you for giving her and all my students this opportunity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Riordan
Journalism Students 'Layout' Success On iMacs!
Funded Sep 17, 2010Thank you for your generous donation to my classroom and the yearbook staff at our school. The new iMac computer has revitalized excitement within the yearbook staff, and has actually encouraged new members to join the staff! Students have been using the iMac to extensively to process photos for the yearbook. The incredible technology allows us to batch photos rapidly, so we are able to do more in less time, which will relieve a lot of our stress towards deadline time.
Students are just beginning to layout the yearbook in InDesign, a program that works most efficiently on Apple computers. The students get such a sense of pride and accomplishment after choosing photos for a spread and then seeing them laid out beautifully on the page.
Your kindness to our classroom, as well as other classrooms around the country do not go unnoticed. There are many much needed resources that students and teachers alike would go without, if not for your donations. Thank you again! ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Riordan