Summary: Help make my Central High School math classroom a more active place for learning by purchasing stability balls to replace current seating, allowing students to move and stretch and help them stay focused and engaged in math lessons.

Goal: $1,660   •   Amount Raised: $0   •   School: Central High School   •   Sponsor Name: Jessica Hutschenreuter

About My Project: I am a mathematics teacher for grades 9th through 12th at Central High School in La Crosse. For the past two years, I have been implementing an active classroom after learning about the positive effects it has on student learning. By implementing physical movement such as stretching, exercising, and brain break activities, students retain focus, engagement, and motivation.

A study was published in The Journal of Pediatrics in 2016 stating that “adolescents’ attention capacity” and “test performances were significantly and positively” impacted when given time to participate in moderate physical activity. I have been giving my students approximately five minutes every day to do some type of physical activity and since I have begun doing this there has been an increase in work ethic and motivation. My students now look forward to what we call a “brain break” and have even took upon themselves to plan and implement the physical activity for the day by sharing a google calendar with each other.

I would like to provide each of my students with a stability ball so they may continue to be active while working. By using a stability ball, students will constantly work on balance and coordination. Students also can extend their brain break activities using the stability ball as a tool for stretching and exercising. Beyond the main purposes of the stability ball, students with short attention spans can utilize the ball by constantly moving to keep focused and on task. I currently have students who keep a hand-held ball or object at their desk to squeeze when they need to exert energy or need a stress relief. With a stability ball, students will be able to keep moving and continue on-task without having to pick up and put down a handheld object. By providing a stability ball, students of all learning styles, students with academic barriers, and students wanting to live an active lifestyle can find the perfect fit in my classroom. Utilizing the stability ball will enhance student learning, increase awareness of healthy choices, and as studies show, improve academic achievement.

I would like to call this project Mathletes (More Active Time Heightens Learning Experiences, Test scores, Engagement, and Skills).

Where Your Donation Goes:
Donations will be used to provide a stability ball for every student in my class (about 30). In addition, I would also need to replace my single person desks with tables. I have been awarded a $500 mini-grant from UW-La Crosse to put toward M.A.T.H.L.E.T.E.S.

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• If fundraising falls short of the goal, money will be used to fulfill as much of the project as feasible.
• If fundraising exceeds the goal, the project will be expanded or money will go to a similar purpose at the same school.