Instructor: Erin Brennan
Community: Elementary Ages, 30 minutes
Plan Creation Date: October 28, 2015
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Stillness
Props/Music Resources Required: Chime, Hoberman Sphere, Small plastic ball (this one flashes a light when handled)
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Chime – Sound a chime once to center the students and prepare them for the lesson. Ask them to give a thumbs-up once they can no longer hear the chime. One student sounds the chime. Ask the students to keep their bodies very still. Ask the students what other sounds came to their awareness.
- Pulse Count – Instruct students how to find their respective pulses and asking them to be aware of how it feels (fast/slow, strong/weak).
- Belly Breathing – One student leads with Hoberman Sphere and another counting off a selected number of breaths.
- Pulse Count – Ask students how Belly Breathing affected their pulse.
Activate
- Volcano Breath – Imagine your breath rising up deep from the earth, like a volcano.
- Mountain Pose – Feel your feet rooted to the ground, heavy and grounded.
- Standing Flow – Mountain to forward fold, gently shaking head yes and then no, halfway lift, forward fold grasping opposite elbows, feeling supported by feet, rounding up to standing, Chair pose, coming back to Mountain. Repeat the sequence two more times.
- Pulse Count – Ask students to notice how physical exercise affected their pulse.
- Roots Activity – Stand in a circle in Mountain Pose, feeling rooted to the ground. Throw the ball for each student to catch while telling them to keep their feet in place, noticing how being grounded helps them to stay strong and present, ready to catch the ball as it c pose, coming back to Mountain. Repeat the sequence two more times.
- Pulse Count – Ask students to notice how physical exercise affected their pulse.
Calm
- Relaxation – students lie on their backs with eyes closed. Read Mindful Moment Card on Stillness: “Take the next minute to listen to your breath. See if you can follow your breath as it moves in and out of your body. Imagine your favorite color and picture yourself breathing that color in and out. What does that color mean to you?”