Instructor: Cynthia O’Connell
Community: Ages 8-10, After school group, Boys and Girls Club, 45-60 minutes
Plan Creation Date: June 1, 2013
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Community
Academic/Therapeutic/Other Goals: To recognize who is important in their lives, who is there to help them. How when we work together we can help one another.
Props/Music Resources required: laptop music played from it, Community mindful moments cards, community circle worksheet, pencils, sphere
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – with Hoberman Sphere: 10 breaths. (One student leads using sphere, another student counts) Students switch after 5 breaths. Students are seated in easy seat, crossed legs on the floor. Form a circle.
Activate
- Crescent Moon – In seated position arms in high mountain. Stretch to the right side crescent moon, left side. Do you see how when we move together as a group we flow like branches in the breeze? Repeat easy flowing movement. What would happen if we all went in different directions? Some of us right, some left? Yes we would crash. When we follow directions and move as a group we create a community. Student leads flow side to side once again.
- Mat 20 – Remind students of four corners hand position during flow. Repeat.
- Tree Pose – Sphere is placed in the center of the circle for students to focus on. Right side, left side
- Community tree – In circle, hands in support
- Tree pose – again, alone, this time draw on the feeling from our class community to help us stay in the pose longer.
Calm
- Mindful moments card – Community – Think of a family member or friend that is very important to you. Why is that person important? How do they make you feel special?
- Discussion and Community circle sheet – Who are the important people in your life? Who helps you? Students will complete worksheet. Then share. Questions asked, whom could you ask for help? Who do you help?
- Guided Relaxation – 5 breaths first. Calming music in the background. A walk through the forest with a friend, seeing trees, helping each other over the stream and up the hills. Finally reaching a beautiful meadow where they lay down and relax in the sun.