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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Bessermin from Santa Maria, CA is requesting educational kits & games through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Fully Funded

Ms. Bessermin's classroom raised $218

Building Fine Motor Skills Through Hands-On Play

Help me give my students TK center activities to strength their fine motor skills!

Classroom photo
Ms. Bessermin profile photo
Ms. Bessermin George Washington Battles Elementary School
Santa Maria, CA Grades PreK-2

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Project

Lacing beads, pinching, grasping, and building activities provide essential opportunities for TK students to develop strong fine motor skills. These hands-on tasks help children strengthen the small muscles in their hands and fingers, which are necessary for early writing, drawing, and other classroom tasks. As students thread beads onto strings or pick up small objects with their fingertips, they are practicing coordination, control, and focus in a playful and engaging way. Starting next school year we will be having students with extensive needs being included in our classroom environment. I want activities to be engaging and universal for students with varied needs. This way they feel welcome and included in our classroom.

These activities also support hand-eye coordination and bilateral coordination, which are important for everyday learning skills.

When students pinch items like Play-Doh, use tongs to grasp objects, or carefully stack blocks, they are learning how to control force and movement with precision. Building with manipulatives such as blocks or connecting toys encourages problem-solving and spatial awareness while also reinforcing patience and persistence.

By engaging in lacing, grasping, pinching, and building, TK students gain confidence in their ability to complete fine motor tasks independently. These experiences create a strong foundation for future academic success, especially in writing readiness and classroom participation. Providing these materials through this DonorsChoose project will ensure students have meaningful, developmentally appropriate tools to grow their skills through hands-on learning and play.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Nearly all students from low‑income households

20 students impacted 2 donors
Ms. Bessermin George Washington Battles Elementary School Grades PreK-2

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Santa Maria, CA View local requests

Nearly all students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

20 students impacted 2donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Panda Village Block Set • Lakeshore Learning Materials $69.99 1 $69.99
Wooden Lacing Jewels • Lakeshore Learning Materials $39.99 1 $39.99
Gumball Grab Pre-Writing Game • Lakeshore Learning Materials $29.99 1 $29.99

Materials cost

$139.97

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $12.81

3rd party payment processing fee

$2.10

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$184.88

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$32.63

Total project goal

$217.51

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $217.51

1 Donor

-$108.76

Donations toward project cost

-$92.45

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$16.31

match offer

-$108.74

Match offer toward project cost

-$92.43

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$16.31

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

Project Activity
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DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Bessermin and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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