Instructor: Leah Shuyler

Community: Grade 4 Classroom

Plan Creation Date: April 17, 2010

Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Community

Lesson Plan:

Center

  • Volcano Breath – Sitting on the floor, placing palms together at the heart, practice volcano breath 5-10 times. Have several children lead the group and have the group provide compliments for each leader. Each time, have the children think of someone or something they would like to send their hearth thoughts to. Have them imagine that person or thing strongly in their mind and as they exhale and “explode the volcano”, they can send their heart thoughts out. Allow them to share who or what they sent their thoughts to.

Activate

  • Partner Pull or Shoulder Clock – In pairs; practice Partner Pull (or Shoulder Clock).
  • Chair Flow – Practice several times with a different leader each time. Share compliments after each flow.

Educate:

  • Back Drawing – Have the students draw either a gift or a secret message on the other person’s back, then whisper in their ear what the gift or secret message is. They can write the gift or message down, if they so choose. Talk about how every child has a gift to share with the world and their friends and family (and teachers and counselors) can help them to discover that gift, as well as to let it shine.

Integrate

  • Relaxation – Read two Mindful Moment Cards, “Some people say that the plants, trees and animals are our brothers and sisters. Why do you think they say this?” and then, “Imagine yourself in a peaceful setting. Now think of the people in our life who support you. Picture all of those people creating a protective circle around you. Who are they? How do they support you?”
  • Community Circle – Keep thinking about those people who support you. Think about your family, your friends, your teachers and counselors, your doctors, your mail carriers, your cafeteria workers; those in your community you see every day and those you see only once in a while. Have the students fill in the circles on the Community Circle Worksheet. Allow them to decorate and share their community circles with one another.

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