Instructor: Faith Schulze
Community: Grades 2-3, School Setting, Coping Skills – Special Education, 30 minutes
Plan Creation Date: January 14, 2015
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – “Sitting in your chair feeling your feet connected to the floor. Lengthen through your spine and allow your shoulders to move away from your ears. Invite your body to soften and focus on your breath.” Have one student model the belly breathing activity for the others. Have students take 10 belly breaths.
- Pulse Count – Model for students how to find their pulse. Have students give a thumbs up when they find their pulse. Then have students count pulse for 15 seconds and have them share their number and have them give insight as to why their number is the way it is (as they have been doing this for several sessions now).
- Volcano Breath – Standing in mountain pose with both feet stuck on the floor and hands pressed together at your heart think of someone in your life who has helped you feel safe and grounded. As you release your breath send them thank you wishes.” Repeat Volcano breath 3 times.
Activate
- Woodchopper – “Slightly bend the knees and stretch your arms up overhead. Squeeze hands together as if holding an ax. Imagine a large piece of wood in front of you and on the count of three, swing your hands down to chop the wood. When our ax hits the wood, we will make a loud, “Huh!” When you make your “Huh!” sound think about bursting and releasing all of the bad feelings stuck inside of you today.”
- Mountain Pose – “Stand with feet hip-width apart and feel your feed connect to the ground. Think about feeling all 4 corners of your feet connect to the ground.”
- Roots – Rock forward and back, keeping your muscles squeezed and activated. Now make the rocking motion smaller and smaller until you find the center of your body.” Pause. “Now rock side to side and make the rocking motion smaller and smaller until you find the center of your body.” Pause. “Now make a large circle to the right. Notice how your body feels as you shift from side to side. Pay attention to how each foot feels as you circle. Now make the circles smaller and smaller until you are back in your center again.” Pause. Repeat circles to the left.
- Upward Mountain – With feet connected to the ground, lift your arms up overhead growing like the branches of a tree. Squeeze the muscles in your body all the way down to the bone. Stretch and expand your fingertips to the ceiling.
- Crescent Moon – Keeping the arms stretched up tall with muscles activated, press down into the ground with your feet. Stretch your body to the left, making a half moon shape. Take 3 deep breaths before switching to the other side. Repeat each side three times.
- Modified Dancer – Balancing on the right leg, lengthen your spine and lift up your heart. Place your right hand on back of chair to help with balance. Bend the left knee and reach back with your left hand. Grab your left leg and press into your hand. If you feel balanced, let go of the chair and expand your arm forward in front of you. Switch sides.
- Chair Twist – Move to a seated position in your chair with your feet pressing firmly into the ground. Stretching your spine up nice and tall and then move your body so your feet are turned to the left of your chair. Take 3 deep breaths. Switch sides.
- Head on Desk – Sit down in chair with feet planted firmly on the ground. Stack your hands and press them between your eyes while you rest your hands on the table in front of you. Feel the calm, energy spreading through your body.
Calm
- Read a Mindful Moment Card on Grounding – “Picture a large old tree with big branches. Sit with your back against the tree and watch the things around you.”
- Pinwheel Breath – Hold the pinwheel in your hand a few inches from your mouth. Notice the colors on the wheel. Notice the shine. Breath in through your nose, pause, and squeeze your lips like you are whistling to spin the pinwheel. What do you notice now about the colors and shine? Did you hear any sounds? Now slow down your inhale my imagining another pinwheel at the back of your throat. Breathe in slowly through the nose, spinning the pinwheel at the back of your throat. Pause. Squeeze lips and slowly blow out spinning the wheel.” Repeat 5 times.