Instructor: Sara Keller
Community: Elementary Ages, School Setting, 30-45 minutes
Plan Creation Date: November 1, 2015
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Community
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – with Hoberman Sphere seated in a circle
- Pinwheel Breathing – Pass out pinwheels for pinwheel breathing. Think of the pinwheels as a windmill, and your breath powers your community.
Activate
- Community Circle worksheet – Have students seated in a circle with eyes closed or open if that’s more comfortable. Think of people in their community. People they see everyday, occasionally, and rarely. Teachers, bus drivers, mail carriers, store clerks, etc… Then complete the community circle worksheet as a class on the smartboard, or whiteboard, or easel. Instruct students to think about those folks on the worksheet, as well as the students in their class that surround them now.
- Mountain – Staying in a circle, stand up and stand in mountain pose, hands at heard center, thinking about the community they are a part of.
- Tree – Try tree pose on the right side. Notice if you wobble a little while keeping your hands at heart center.
- Tree Circle – Now take your hands and move them out to connect with your neighbor. Notice if you have fewer wobbles and you feel supported and connected to your community. Try the same thing on the left side.
- UFO Ball – Bring out the UFO ball. Ask the students some questions about what they see. Ask the students to connect hands or fingers with their neighbors. Ignite the UFO ball! Talk to the students about why the ball lit up. How they can support each other, etc…
Calm
- Story – Read aloud the book, Good People Everywhere!!
- Relaxation – Have the students remain seated cross –legged in a circle with their eyes close, if that’s comfortable. Have them think about those around them, in the school, in the neighborhood, city, community overall.