Instructor: Nancy Johnson
Community: Grade 3, Classroom Setting, 50-60 minutes
Plan Creation Date: January 14, 2014
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Strength
Academic/Therapeutic/Other Goals: Develop physical strength and challenge students body. Learn to listen to their bodies and physical limitations. Learn to tune into emotions. Practice positive self-talk. Learn about the physical, mental, and emotional connection. Learn positive ways to stand up for yourself. Develop verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
Props/Music Resources required: CD and CD Player, Chime, Mats, Hoberman Sphere
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing ( 1-2 Minutes) – Sit on the edge of your chair with both feet on the ground. One student in front with the Hoberman Sphere and one student counting out loud. Rest one hand on lower belly and other on upper chest. Close eyes. Breathe.
- Pulse Count (1 Minute) – Find your pulse on the side of your neck (Carotid) or on your wrist. Count the number of beats per minute you feel with your fingers on your pulse. Think about how amazing your body is as your heart beats and pumps oxygen, nutrients and blood throughout your body. You are healthy, strong, and amazing.
Activate
- Mountain Pose (1-2 Minutes) – Stand with feet hip width apart. Picture your feet becoming one with the floor below. You are strong and able to move with the wind, but not fall over. Head, abdomen, heart, shoulders, are lifted up. Look straight ahead and think of a straight line going through your body from your head down.
- Star (1 Minute) – Continue standing and put your feet wide apart, 3 to 4 feet, and point your toes straight ahead. Take arms out to the sides and parallel to the floor. Make your muscles firm and extend out through your arms, legs, head, and rear. Spread your fingers like Spiderman making a web. Think of something special you would like to share with the world and send it out through your mind.
- Upward Mountain and Crescent Moon (1-2 Minutes) – Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms straight up overhead. Palms face each other and fingers extend up. Press feet down and lift belly, head, and heart; shoulders back and down. You look like a football referee signaling a field goal. Continue to breath in, press your feet down, and stretch to the right slowly and slightly, curving the body into the shape of a crescent moon. Continue to lengthen both sides of your body. On the exhale, come back to center. Now stretch into Crescent Moon to the left.
- Upward Mountain – into a Forward Bend. Go Right into the 2nd half of Mat 20
- Downward Dog
- Bent Knee Lunge
- Forward Bend
- Chair
- Upward Mountain
- Mountain
- Tree
- Harassment Prevention (10-15 Minutes) – Follow the activity in the Yoga Calm book. One student will be asked to slowly chase me or another student. As they are chasing me, I laugh and tease them and say stop in a playful way. Discuss double messages. Verbal vs. body language. Which message do they believe? Go over the 6 steps on how to address harassment. Have students repeat them after me. Two students will demonstrate the harassment/prevention steps.
- Woodchopper (1-2 Minutes) – Stand with feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent. Take your arms overhead with hands together as if holding an ax. Imagine a piece of wood on the ground in front of you. On the count of three, swing your hands down to chop the piece of wood. As you do this, make a loud “Huh!” sound as your ax hits the imaginary wood. The “Huh” sound should come from the deepest part of your belly.
Calm (5-10 Minutes)
- Progressive Relaxation – Lie down on your mat and close your eyes. We will tense specific muscles for 5-10 seconds and then release and relax. We will start at the feet and move up to the face. Take three long and slow breaths. Slowly open your eyes when you are ready.