Instructor: Anne Uphoff
Community: Grade 2, School Setting, 30 minutes
Plan Creation Date: April 17, 2016
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – Have a student be a leader in opening and closing the Hoberman sphere. Choose another student to be the “counter” and pick between 5-10 breaths. A third student could choose the “intention” from one of the “Mindfulness Moments” cards. Since we are focusing on grounding, have students lay on their mat for BELLY BREATHING. It may help to put a small stuffed animal on their stomach (“a breathing buddy”) and they can give it “rides” as they breath in and out deeply. Share appreciations.
Activate
- Yoga Flow – Remind students that grounding is about feeling centered and connected with the earth. It is also about feeling centered and connected within their own bodies and trusting that their body will take care of them, as will their family and community.
- Start by doing LEG EXTENSIONS/FOOT CIRCLES. Stretch right leg up into the air and hold it with both hands behind right thigh. Draw circles with right foot one way, then in the other direction. Switch legs and repeat.
- Move into TABLE by having feet flat on the floor, near hips, toes pointing ahead. Hands are also flat, behind the hips and pointing back away from the body. Breathe in, press down through hands and feet and lift up hearts and hips until flat like a table. Hold for 2-3 breaths. Do three times.
- Get ready for ROCK AND ROLL. Lie back, bend knees toward chest and grab shins. Slowly alternate rocking forward and back on the spine from hips to upper back
- Sit up and bend knees toward chest. Grab backs of the thighs and balance on sitting bones in BOAT. Lift low back, heart, head and shoulders. Keep breathing calmly. If students are feeling strong, let go of the backs of the thighs. Try alternating between rock and roll and boat a few times.
- Push up to your feet and lean forward in FORWARD BEND. Stand back up.
- Move into SIDE ANGLE from standing by taking legs wide apart and right foot to the side. Bend the right knee until thigh and calf form a right angle and rest right elbow on right knee. Straighten the back leg and press out through feet and top of head. Stretch the left arm out over the left ear, palm facing down. Switch sides. Relax into
- CHILD’S POSE.
- Shoulder Clock Activity – Pair students and have them stand next to each other. Have them each pick a word from a group of words that are related to grounding, such as trust, built-up, helpful, settled, creative, etc. Place the word in between the “squares of their hands” touching. Then have them lift arms straight up to 12:00 position and think of a how that word helps them or others. Exhale and bring the arms back to 1:00, breath in at 2:00, out at 3:00, etc. until down to 6:00. Switch sides and again think about their “grounding word.” Let them share if they want. Compliment their ideas.
Calm
- Relaxation – Lay on your back on your mat, relax while you listen to soft music and then do a ONE-MINUTE EXPLORATION on supporters in your life.