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This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Solem from Colorado Springs, CO is requesting other through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mrs. Solem is requesting

Working the Core During Common Core Practice

My students need stability balls to engage our muscles as well as our brains during school time.

FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Solem's classroom raised $205

This project is fully funded

My Students

While my first priority is teaching students the academic content they need to know, the connection between the brain and the body is too important to ignore. Frequent "brain breaks" and focused and purposeful activity in the classroom makes learning easier for many students.

My students are the best because they are interested and excited to learn.

They are willing to try most anything. I can already imagine their eyes when these stability balls arrive and the discussion we will have about how the balls can improve their focus and learning. While there are roughly 25 students in my homeroom, nearly 75 second-graders come through my classroom daily, as I teach writing to all students, as well as reading to those who struggle the most. The other teachers in my grade level also teach reading, as well as math, science and social studies. This allows the teachers to become "experts" in select content areas and then give our students targeted instruction. At our school of about 400 students in kindergarten through fifth-grade, nearly 90 percent of students qualify for free and reduced price meals. Fifty-six percent of our students are Hispanic, with many learning English as a second language. Fourteen percent of our students are African American.

My Project

Walk in to a classroom where students are focused and working. Some are sitting on chairs while they write, but others are rolling or bouncing slightly on a stability ball as they add adjectives and capital letters to their paragraphs. The stability ball might be the tool they need to stay focused on the task. Every student will have the chance to use the stability balls throughout the year. Some students will find it's the tool that helps them succeed. Others will find it's a fun way to strengthen their muscles as they work. All will begin to understand and experience the connection between health, wellness, movement and academics.

Writing can be hard for second-graders.

My students are I are always looking for tools to make them more focused, able to concentrate and, ultimately, successful. I incorporate movement and "brain breaks" in my classroom already in an effort to use the brain-body connection. These stability balls will add to those efforts. As students learn ways to make themselves work and feel better, they can advocate for those changes as needed.

Mrs. Solem Pikes Peak Elementary School Grades PreK-2

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.

Colorado Springs, CO View local requests

More than half of 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

75 students impacted 4donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
j/fit 45cm Stability Exercise Ball (Red) • Amazon $20.35 6 $122.10
Tone Fitness Stability Ball, 55cm • Amazon $10.85 1 $10.85

Materials cost

$132.95

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $8.51

3rd party payment processing fee

$1.99

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$173.45

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$30.61

Total project goal

$204.06

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $204.06

3 Donors

-$184.06

Donations toward project cost

-$156.45

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$27.61

match offer

-$20.00

Match offer toward project cost

-$17.00

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$3.00

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

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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 Mrs. Solem and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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