[currentuser role=”instructor_level”]
Instructor: Joyce Marienfeld
Community: 4th Grade, School Setting in Gym, 45 minutes
Plan Creation Date: April 1, 2015
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Community
Lesson Plan:
Calm
(before students enter , mats are placed in a circle on the floor with a small rock on the front of each mat, students enter, sit on a mat, explore rock, face the center of the circle; teacher sits on mat in circle , asks students to return the rock to the top of the mat)
- Chimes – and thumbs up – to calm and settle after excitement of the circle; students asked to quietly put their rock in the center of circle pile, beginning on teacher’s right ; “ we are each unique individuals and today we are going to celebrate our classroom community).
- Belly Breathing – one student leads using Hoberman Sphere, choosing the number of breaths (5-7) and another student to count for him/her;
- ‘Gentle Giant’ Belly Breathing – student again leads with Hoberman Sphere and student counter; this time before leader begins, class members bring palms facing each other in front of chest, as if they have a Hoberman Sphere; they are asked to imagine the circle of their classmates as the lungs of a ‘gentle giant’, they watch the leader and each other, breathing in and out in unison; compliments to leader, leader to counter, and class takes a seated Forward Bend ‘bow ‘ for job well done…
- Seated Twist – seated cross-legged with a tall spine ; left hand on right knee, right hand on floor behind, look toward the student on the right, twist right, 2 deep, long breaths; repeat twisting left.
Activate
- Yoga Flow – all 4’s, activate middle, starfish hands right down from shoulders, knees down from hips; …moving together in our circle…Cat/Cow to Alternate Arm/Leg Kicks – expanding, extending, reaching toward each other in the center with a ‘handshake’ and a “hi!”; Downward Dog – Plank – Cobra – Downward Dog – walk forward to Forward Bend, hold 2 breaths – together sweep our arms up to Upward Mtn. – lean toward your neighbor on the right in Crescent Moon , to center, to your neighbor on the left; to center; bringing hands down together to heart, 2 breaths;
- Volcano Breath – student leader – 1st breath, heart thoughts of kindness and support for everyone in our community circle; 2nd breath, heart thoughts to someone in the class who has done a kindness for you (look at, if would like); 3rd breath heart thoughts for yourself thinking of a kindness you have done or plan to do for someone in the circle share? compliments.
- Star – Students expand into Star reaching out toward each other in the circle moving so fingertips almost touch; teacher leans, fingertips lightly touching fingertips of student to the right, with instructions to pass the connection on silently with a feather touch, one student at a time;
- Tree pose then Tree Circle; “ are challenging things easier when we are supported others?” etc.
- UFO Ball connection around the Tree Circle –“ ‘current’ of kindness and support in our community takes all of us”
Calm
- Swept arms up to Upward Mt. – to Forward Bend – to All 4’s – lie on back; Floor Twist , right, then left; Relaxation pose.
- Belly breathing – eyes closed if comfortable, counting silently 1-2-3-4 , as breathe in, feel belly rise; count 1-2-3-, as breathe out, feel belly fall; 5 breaths, or whatever group needs.
- Exploration Moment – “imagine you are standing on the top of a tall mountain…see yourself standing in Star… think of something you would like to share with your class and the world… send it out strongly through their fingertips…see the rays shine out …. far, far away from the top of the mountain…” students can share or write about what they sent.
- Students pick a rock from the pile to take with them to remember their celebration of community.