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Instructor: Kelly Mulvehill
Community: 5th Grade, Classroom Setting, 45-60 minutes
Plan Creation Date: March 1, 2015
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Show the students a photo of trees on the Smartboard with this quote: “Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending in the wind.” – Discuss with the class what this quote means.
- Belly Breathing – Close your eyes, place your hands on your belly and feel your feet on the floor. Lengthen your spine like a tree growing tall. Imagine the strong bamboo tree with heavy roots deep into the earth.
- Hoberman Sphere Breathing – invite a volunteer to hold the breathing ball and another volunteer to decide how many breaths the class needs. Have the class give each volunteer 3 compliments.
Activate
- Volcano Breath – standing – Imagine your breath rising up deep from the earth, like a volcano.
- Mountain Pose – Stand tall and strong while feeling your feet touching the earth. Feel all four corners of your feet.
- Crescent Moon – Bend to the side like branches of a tree blowing in the wind while keeping your feet rooted to the ground.
- Roots – Imagine you are the willow or bamboo tree blowing around while keeping your feet glued to the earth. Think of people who support you in your life. Imagine they are holding your feet to keep your feet to the ground.
- Trees in a Circle Activity – to the count of 10 on each foot. Feel how your partner’s support helps you to root your foot into the earth.
- Tree – Ask for a volunteer to lead the class in tree pose. The class will mirror what kind of tree the volunteer chooses. It can be a still tree, moving tree, tree with branches, etc.
Calm
- Chair Twist
- Relaxation – Read the following Mindful Moment Card on Grounding: “Picture a large old tree with big branches. Sit with your back against the tree and watch the things around you.”
- Drawing – After the one minute relaxation, students will sketch a drawing of their tree in their Art sketch books.