Instructor: Sara Keller
Community: Elementary Ages, School Setting, 30-45 minutes
Plan Creation Date: November 1, 2015
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Listening
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – with Hoberman Sphere
- Pulse Count – Instruct Students to listen to their breath as it rises and falls.
Activate
- Chime – Ring the chime, and instruct students to listen to the sound as long as they can hear it, then give a thumbs up when the can no longer hear it. Walk around the room and hold the chime up to students’ ears so they can hear if it is still ringing.
- Trust Walk – Students will now do the Trust Walk game, but with a twist. Instead of holding fingers (which can be uncomfortable for some students – especially students with ASD) students will listen to the sound of their partner’s voice giving directions of where to go. Depending on the group, the teacher will either pre-assign partners, let the students choose their own partners, or partner students up with someone near them. Choose one student as a volunteer to help demonstrate and example. Ask the student to close their eyes, then guide them around the room giving directions that they must listen to. Instruct each group to choose who will start as the listener, and who will start as the direction giver. Give the students a 2 or 3 minute time period to lead their partner around. Instruct them to focus on listening to their partner’s voice. Then have the students switch roles.Have the students come together and share how they felt listening to each other and relying on that to get around the room safely.
Calm
- Relaxation – While lying on your back in a comfortable position, close your eyes if it’s comfortable and listen to this story. (Read the Relaxation Script, the boat ride.)