Instructor: Marianne Turnbull
Community: Ages/Grades?, Classroom Setting?, 1 hour
Plan Creation Date: January 14, 2014
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding
Goal: To encourage the children to have a sense of internal strength and grounded-ness.
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Chime
- Belly Breathing
- Introduce the theme – Grounded-ness is the sense of being connected with yourself. Its about being where your feet are, being in the present moment, its about having integrity – that your words, thoughts and feelings match.
Activate
- Mountain – Featured pose – Start by finding your center and then rooting yourself into the earth – imagine your energy flowing deep into the earth. Stand on the corners of your feet, pull up on your knees, open your chest, look straight forward, chin slightly down, imagine there is a rope pulling you up from the top of your head. Think about these things don’t use your words yet.; What are you seeing now? How does it feel in your body? You can try closing your eyes. Take a few deep breaths into your belly.
- Debrief how they felt – Ask, What words would you use to describe how standing in Mountain pose felt?
- Harassment Prevention Game – Introduce the Harassment Prevention Game. Let them know they may have to stand up for themselves some day especially if they are being bullied. If they are being bullied you can encourage them to try this activity. Talk about body language and how do they know what adults are thinking without using words. Demonstrate a few looks and then demonstrate some mixed messages. After demonstrating the game have all children have the chance to act out both parts.
Calm
- Debrief the activity – Stress the point how important it is to have our words and body language match. Answer any questions that might come up.
- Guided Relaxation – Guide a progressive relaxation and then have them imagine they are on the playground and they have to stick up for themselves. Have them imagine the entire scene and all of the feelings that might go along with it. Tell them they have planted this skill into their body and its there for them to use at any time needed.
- Clean up
- Mindful snack – What are these flavors? Where does it come from? How does it grow? How does it get to St. Paul MN? How many workers were involved?