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This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Litts from Cedar Rapids, IA is requesting other through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mrs. Litts is requesting

Brain Boost with Balance Balls

My students need 20 stability balls to increase brain functioning.

  • $570 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

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Help Mrs. Litts

My Students

How motivated would you be? Imagine sitting in a hard chair, no talking, no movement, for 6 hours a day. Many educators believe that students should conform to their rules and expectations. Imagine if it was the teacher who drums to the beat of her different marchers. Would you be motivated?

My students are creative and intelligent, yet many experience significant barriers in the traditional classroom setting.

My mission is to maximize each student's potential. In the past 4 months, I have studied and implemented strategies to help students with attention deficits to be successful. My most successful strategy has been the integration of 5 balance balls as a substitution of a chair. I currently rotate the balls between the 25 students in my classroom. I have witnessed an incredible difference in students attention, comprehension, and productivity when they use a balance ball instead of a chair. When some of my students sit in chairs they need several reminders to sit up straight, or keep their head off the table. When they sit on a balance ball they lightly bounce and are active participants in lessons. Students who typically interrupt with excessive movement or talking, work quietly and stay focused when they are allowed to bounce on a ball.

My Project

Balance balls provide a natural outlet for fidgeting and burning off energy. Research supports that movement, muscle coordination/strength, and effective breathing increases brain function. I believe balance balls will increase emotional, behavioral, and academic achievement. My personal experience has clearly convinced me of impact of movement on brain function. After reviewing many articles about balance balls in classrooms across the country, I am convinced that movement is a key to brain functioning. The balance balls specifically improve concentration and focus, strengthen abdominal muscles, which prevents shallow breathing, promotes physical activity, makes sitting tasks more fun and enjoyable, creates less noise and distraction than fidgeting in a chair or constantly getting up to walk around the room. Successful integration of balance balls requires effective classroom management strategies. My students are required to follow specific rules to ensure safety.

I have witnessed how the inability to focus has many negative implications.

Students with ADD/ADHD experience difficulty in all subject areas. Many experience behavioral problems, which leads to poor self esteem, difficulty with peers, and time removed from the classroom. While medication may increase attention, I have witnessed many negative effects such as weight loss, ticks, and withdrawn behavior. Balance balls may be the most ethical and effective strategy to increase student achievement.

Mrs. Litts Truman Elementary School Grades 3-5

More about Mrs. Litts

Cedar Rapids, IA 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

25 students impacted 14donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
BALL EXERWEIGHTED BALL • Sportime, Inc $18.99 20 $379.80

Materials cost

$379.80

Vendor shipping charges

 $37.98

Sales tax

 $26.02

3rd party payment processing fee

$5.70

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$484.50

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$85.50

Total project goal

$570.00

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $570.00

10 Donors

-$517.06

Donations toward project cost

-$484.50

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$32.56

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$52.94

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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 Mrs. Litts and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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