Instructor: Katie Thune
Community: Ages 11-14
Plan Creation Date: July 13, 2011
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Strength (identifying their own strength)
Lesson Plan:
Setting the tone/creating a therapeutic environment:
- Turn down lights
- Candle in center of mats (mats are in a circle)
- Quiet music playing
Breath work:
Ten breaths with the Hoberman sphere. One student can lead. Two compliments to the leader after breaths.
Opening remarks:
Explain to students that we will be focusing on identifying their own strength in today’s practice. We will be working with poses to develop strength as well as trying to find their strong voice.
Yoga-Based Activities:
– Volcano – Think about a person you know with a really strong voice. Think about them as you do your volcano. Ask if anyone would like to share who they think of when they think of a strong voice. Then send out thoughts to those people with volcano as a group.
– Woodchopper – Practice using a strong voice in woodchopper and chop away things that prevent them from having that strong voice all the time.
– Mat 20 – Hold poses such as Warrior, Chair and Boat a bit longer to work on strength in the body. While in warrior, have students keep legs strong, reach arms up to the sky and think about a strong warrior. What does that warrior look like? What does that warrior sound like? What do you think that warrior feels like inside? How and where do they find their strong voice?
– Archetype game – Students spread out around the room, starting in a squatting position. They grow to be a statue that represents the archetype chosen by the teacher. While drum is playing, students move around how they think that archetype would move. When drum stops, students freeze and squat again. Start over with another archetype. Examples of archetypes are on p. 105 in Yoga Calm book.
Relaxation:
For relaxation, read through the strong voice work sheet questions. For each question give sample answers, for example “Where do you feel the strong voice in your body? Do you feel it in your belly? In your chest? In your head?” Do this for each question.
Social Emotional Guidance:
This is an opening to using the strong voice worksheet with individual students. It’s a time for them to think about some of those questions.