Instructor: Heidi Adamson-­Baer

Community: Grade 4, School Setting, 30 minutes

Plan Creation Date: March 23, 2016

Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Stillness

Equipment  Needed:  Yoga  Mats

Lesson Plan:

Intro

  • Yoga Calm Ground Rules
  • Treat yourself like a King or Queen
  • No stepping on Mats with shoes
  • Respect each other’s space
  • Give it your best effort
  • Use Positive Self Talk: I am strong; I am in control, I can do it, I can be responsible
  • Instead of I can’t use: I am not ready for that or I haven’t learned that yet.

Calm

(Get students focused and self aware)

  • Volcano Breaths – sitting position student led ​(let student leader choose the repetitions 3-6

Activate

(Get them moving and activate their bodies and minds) Use language of alignment principles and stillness. ​ Quieting the mind and the body.

  • Child’s Pose – “​Relax your neck, hips, and back. Sink into the earth. Let your head be heavy. Let’s focus on our breathing in this position. Is it steady & slow? Do you notice a pause between your breaths? Try to quiet your mind and focus on your breathing.”
  • Cat/Cow – ​1 minute – “Breathe smoothly, moving from cat to cow and matching the motion with the breath. Make Cat and Cow motions of equal duration, inhaling and exhaling the same length of time.”
  • Downward Dog – “​Press down into the earth through the four corners of the hands and feet.”
  • Forward Bend – ”​Exhale, let your body settle and hang loose. Quickly scan your body and notice if you are holding anything tight. If so, try to soften that part of your body”
  • Roots – “​Spread the toes and press out evenly through the four corners of each foot. Make movement smaller and smaller until you balance on the center of your feet.​ Notice how your weight shifts to the four edges of each foot as you circle. Notice how the foot muscles work to keep you upright.”
  • Tree – ​Each Leg x 2- Ask student to demonstrate. “Do your very best. If you are unable to find your balance do your best and keep on trying. It doesn’t need to look like the person next to you and it doesn’t need to be perfect. Persevere and don’t give
  • Eagle – ​Each Leg x 2 Ask student to demonstrate. “Try to find clarity and focus during this pose. Keep pressing the four corners of your foot into the ground.” Give it your best.”
  • Eagle on a Cliff – Challenge/Variation – “For those that are feeling confident in the eagle and would like to try a more difficult pose, let’s try Eagle on a Cliff. For those that are still learning the eagle, keep on with that pose. Again, it is okay for everyone to be at their own level.” “While in EAGLE pose, imagine you are an eagle perched on a cliff. While still balancing on one foot, unhook your arms,”open your wings,” unwind your top leg and stretch it back. Imagine yourself flying and then come back to your perch (EAGLE Pose) again without touching your foot down.”
  • Downward Dog – Return to downward dog and repeat the remaining part of the flow x 2.
  • Child’s Pose – End in Child’s Pose
  • Introduce Changing Channel Activity – Follow directions on Page 108 of Yoga Calm Curriculum Guide – Use language of calm body and mind.

Calm

(Activity or process that allows them to rest, reflect, and integrate what they have learned)

  • Belly Breathing – lying down on back x 3
  • Guided Progressive Relaxation – Use script from page 133 of Yoga Calm Curriculum Guide.

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