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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Stright from Philadelphia, PA is requesting flexible seating through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Stright is requesting

Social Emotional Needs of 1st Grade

Help me give my students chair bands, sensory strips, fidgets, and chair tennis balls for a calming classroom environment in support of all students.

  • $472 goal

This project expired on September 20, 2025.

This project expired on September 20, 2025.

My Project

As so many of my students have trauma backgrounds, I often have to teach them how to calm themselves down when feeling upset. When they become frustrated or escalated, they tend to disrupt the class, make unsafe choices, and miss learning content.

I want my classroom to go beyond a "calming corner", to make the entire room conducive for all students' emotional needs.

If every student has a sensory sticker on their desk they can quietly refocus themselves without my help. This keeps the class on task and gives students the agency to support themselves well beyond the classroom. The chair bands can go on every student's chair as a quiet, discreet way to allow more movement. This can be beneficial for students with sensory processing challenges, ADHD, trauma backgrounds, or who just need to release some extra energy. The tennis balls go on the leg of each chair to reduce the scraping sounds made when chairs are moved. This sounds like a minor issue, but 20 students simultaneously scraping their chairs across the floor multiple times a day creates a lot of unnecessary noise that can disrupt the learning and distract students with sensory disabilities or ADHD.

The pipe cleaners and marble mazes are quiet fidgets that students can use to calm themselves down. The visual liquid timers are also a mindfulness tool that serves double purpose to return students back to class after an appropriate break. The thumballs and book are for morning meeting so students can better get to know and support one another, something I previously used in grief groups. The balloons will be used to make stress balls.

Teaching how to redirect emotions in a positive way is needed for all students, not just a select few.

Ms. Stright Andrew Hamilton Elementary School Grades PreK-2

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Philadelphia, PA 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

16 students impacted

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Stright is requesting.

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TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Macarrie 100 Pcs Precut Tennis Balls Bulk for Furniture Legs Tennis Ball Chair Foot Covers for Floor Protection Ball Desk Leg Coverings(Black) • Amazon Business $67.99 1 $67.99
KICK BANDS Chair Bands for Kids with Fidgety Feet 12-Pack - ADHD Fidget Kickbands for Classroom Chairs & Desks - Solace Sensory Kickband (TEAL) • Amazon Business $29.99 2 $59.98
Crayola Colored Pencils - Assorted Colors, Classpack of 240 • Blick Art Materials $40.87 1 $40.87
Abilitations Sensory Strips, Classroom Pack of 18, Green - Elementary - Kids • School Specialty $39.74 1 $39.74
Florensi Weighted Lap Pad - 5 lbs (20"x23") - Weighted Blanket for Kids, Teens, Boys, Girls - Soft, Warm, Comfortable, Sensory - Weighted Blanket Kids • Amazon Business $29.99 1 $29.99
Talicor? 6" My ABC's Thumball Ball (TAL9010) • Quill.com $25.28 1 $25.28
Craft Pipe Cleaners Proffessional 1000 Pcs 25 Colors, Pipe Cleaners Craft Supplies and Chenille Stems or Pipecleaners, Pipe Cleaners Bulk, for Crafts, Gift Wrapping and Party Decorations. • Amazon Business $17.99 1 $17.99
5 Pcs Marble Maze Mat Sensory Fidget Stress Relief Toys,Sensory Mat Anxiety Calming Toys,Tactile Sensory Toys for Kids Adults Teens Autism with Special Needs School Classroom Home Supplies,2 Sizes • Amazon Business $16.99 1 $16.99
Thumballs Who Are You 4in • Teachers' School Supply $15.99 1 $15.99
YUE MOTION Liquid Motion Bubbler Visual Sensory Toys, Liquid Timer– New Big Calming Sensory Bubbler Toy- Colorful Liquid Hourhlass for Stocking Stuffers, Novelty Gifts • Amazon Business $14.44 1 $14.44
A Bug and a Wish • Amazon Business $10.95 1 $10.95
Thickened balloons, 120 PCS Balloons Assorted Colors, Latex Balloons for Kid's Birthday Party, Exquisite Rainbow Balloon, 12 Inches 12 Kinds of Rianbow Colorful Party Balloons Decorations. • Amazon Business $9.49 1 $9.49

Materials cost

$349.70

Vendor shipping charges

 $15.68

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$5.25

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$400.63

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$70.70

Total project goal

$471.33

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

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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. Stright and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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