Instructor: Lynn Marrs
Community: Ages/Grades?, Setting?
Plan Creation Date: April 1, 2014
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Stillness
Academic/Therapeutic/Other Goals: To teach children that they have the ability to control their bodies and their minds through the practice of stillness.
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Chime – “Listen to the chime-listen closely until you no longer hear any of its sound. Notice if you hear it for a longer period of time than you normally would. Let’s do it one more time and see if you can hear it even longer.”
- Hoberman Sphere Breathing – “Sit up nice and tall. Put your feet on the floor and your bottom in your chair. Notice how you are breathing. Now deepen your breathing so your belly gets big on the inhale and small on the exhale. Let’s breathe together following the movement of the sphere for five times.”
- Opening Remarks – Today we are going to learn about “Stillness.” Sometimes people think that being still is the same as being bored but it isn’t. What does it feel like when your body is very busy and you want to learn something in class? Does that make it hard to listen? Sometimes do you have a very busy mind? We call that “monkey chatter” when our mind keeps us busy with lots and lots of thoughts especially when the thoughts don’t have anything to do with what we are trying to do at that time. Are there times that you wish your mind would just BE QUIET? Sort of like when someone keeps talking and talking to you and you just want them to stop? Does that ever happen in your own mind? What would it be like to have the power to quiet your mind when you want to? What do you think you would be able to do then that you aren’t able to do now? (Give some examples from “other kids ” e.g., “I’d be able to listen to and remember what I am supposed to do so I am doing what everyone else in the class is doing and I don’t look stupid…I’d be able to pay attention in math so I knew how to do the problems and then I could do the work. I’d feel smarter…When my mom asked me if I heard what she said, I could say ‘yes’ instead of ‘what?’ and she wouldn’t get mad…I would be able to put my worries away and not be so sad all the time…” Some people have even told me that they’ve figured out how to solve a big problem when they have been “still” that they couldn’t solve before.
Activate
- Mountain – Stand tall, strong and proud in Mountain Pose. Close your eyes and imagine the sun shining on you and that it is snowing on you. Imagine being outside and it is totally quiet as the snow is falling. Feel how peaceful it is. Now continue to think about stillness as you move into (Chair 15 10 minute Flow)
- Upward Mountain – Reach your arms strong and silently toward the sun. Bend forward and fold your arms across the back rest of your chair. Stack your fists on top of each other and rest your head on top of them. Feel stillness flow through your mind. Stand slowly into
- Lunge – sending your right leg back and lunging your left leg forward, bending at the knee. Bring your back straight and hold your head high with your face forward. Bring your arms up from the back of your chair into
- Upward Lunge – Step your left leg back, bend at the waist and put your arms straight out with your palms resting on the back of the chair. Keep your back straight in
- Chair Dog – As you straighten up send your left leg back and lunge forward on our right leg in a
- Lunge – With your hands resting gently on the back of the chair. Straighten out your back and raise your head high. Face forward. Remember to breath. Breathe in the stillness. With your back straight, head high and remaining in the lunge, bring your arms straight over your head toward the sky into
- Upward Lunge – Step your right leg back, bend at the waist, and cross your forearms on the backrest of the chair. Stack your fists and gently rest your forehead on top of them. With your back flat, breathe in more stillness. Straighten up and raise your arms overhead. Sit back into
- Chair – As you raise out of chair, stand tall with your arms straight overhead reaching for the sky in
- Upward Mountain – Hold your body straight, tall, strong, and proud. Feel the stillness within your body and your mind as you bring your arms down in front of you to your heart. Return to
- Mountain
- Changing Channels – pg. 108, Yoga Calm for Children – Social/Emotional Activity
Calm
- Relaxation – Self Portrait, pg. 116, Relax.calm