Instructor: Joan Bellontine
Community: Bodyworks, ages 6-8
Plan Creation Date: September 9, 2012
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Community
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly breathing – Hoberman sphere
- Calm Voice – What would your calm voice have to say to a friend that was upset? How would you help them through it.
Activate
- Archetype game – Give each child a bear and tell them the archetype the bear is.. “this bear is an Angel, this bear is a warrior, this bear is a King or Queen… Then have them squat and play the archetype game, acting out the archetype of their bear. Then they switch bears and act out different archetype.
- Tree Circle – Connect with each other and think about how all of the archetypes, although different, can work together with each other and manage storms and other distractions (blow around and then become still all together)..
- Back drawing – Continue with the theme of the storm and “draw” rain, clouds, thunder, lightening, etc on person’s back in front of you. Brush clouds away, draw sun and flowers. Draw secret message and whisper it to person in front of you.
- Partner pull – Not a tug of war, pull gently and feel the way it opens the back of your shoulder blade as you work together with your partner.
- Sun salutation –Beginning with mountain.. to move body and generate lots of energy.
Calm
- Volcano breath while sitting in circle– First sit and feel the effects that the active poses of sun salutation had on your bodies as you sit Indian style in a circle. Then do 5 volcano breaths as you picture sending good thoughts to your family, the people in your community, and each other.
- Back breathing – Settle into calmness as you work with your partner.
- Tell a story/visualization – Lie on your backs and close your eyes. Melt into the floor as if you were made of liquid, feel your body get completely relaxed. You are walking through your town and you see people that you know from your neighborhood.. it is a special day and there is going to be a parade . You feel very happy to see everyone all together on this special day. There is food being served outside of the restaurants and the parents are all talking with one another as you run around playing with your friends. A fireman comes up to you and asks if you and your friends would like to lead the parade!! You are very excited to do this and say yes!! He tells you that you have to be very responsible if you want to lead. You have to carry a flag and it has to be held at a certain height, you have to walk at a slow speed and you cannot talk to your friends while you are walking.. You must smile and hold your head high, standing up straight and march in time with the band. Everyone lines up and you are in the front. As the band begins to play you follow the instructions and everyone behind you follows your lead. How do you feel as this leader? At the end of the parade you family is waiting for you with big smiles on their faces.. everyone is so proud of how you followed the directions so well and made the day better for the entire community. You turn around and look at all of the people behind you. They are all smiling at you and clap for you and your friends. ..Think about how this feels as you relax more deeply into your body…