Instructor: Laura Barbour
Class: Grades 4-5 Classroom, Prior to State Testing
Plan Creation Date: March 26, 2009
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Stillness
Lesson Plan:
Calm
Chair 15
Belly Breathing with Hoberman Sphere: Place your hand on your belly and breathe into your belly. Feeling your belly fill and expand as you breathe in and empty and contract as you breathe out. Slow your breath to match the opening and closing of the sphere. Allow for a natural pause at the end of your inhalation and again at the end of your exhalation.
Pulse Count: Place two fingers along the side of your mouth. Tip head back slightly and draw a line with your fingers along the groove along your neck. Press gently to find your pulse. Quietly raise your hand when you find your pulse. Count pulse beats quietly to yourself. Now count for 15 seconds. How many beats did you count?
Volcano Breath: Sitting up cross-legged on the floor, place your palms together in front of your heart. Take a long, slow, deep breath in through your nose and pause when your lungs are full. Hold the pause and bring your arms up over your head, opening your heart. Exhale and slowly explode the volcano moving your arms out to the side and back together at your heart. Imagine what you want to bring into your day as we practice three more Volcano Breaths, together this time in silence.
Activate
Mountain: Stand with feet pointing straight ahead and hip width apart. Place your hands together in front of your heart. Activate your body. Lift your belly, your head and your heart. Relax your shoulders. Feel your strength as you stand in stillness and silence.
Upward Mountain: Stand with feet hip-width apart and 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.
Forward Bend: Place feet hip-width apart and point them straight ahead. Bend at the hips and cross your arms. Fold arms across the back of your chair and rest your head on your arms. Take deep breaths in this pose while turning your awareness inward.
Lunge: Looking up gently. Stand with legs hip-width apart. Take right leg back three or four feet with heel off the floor and straighten back leg. Move hips forward and slide the back leg back until the front knee is right over the front ankle.
Upper Lunge: Bring arms overhead, palms facing each other and fingers extending. Lift belly, head and heart. Send lasers of energy or light from your belly out through your fingers.
Chair Dog: Bring your arms down, place hands on the back of the chair and step back. Place feet hip-width apart and point them straight ahead. Bend at the hips. Hands and fingers point straight on top of the chair. Lengthen through arms, shoulders and back. Back is straight. Legs are straight. Take deep breaths as you lengthen your body.
Lunge: Looking up gently. Stand with legs hip-width apart. Take left leg back three or four feet with heel off the floor and straighten back leg. Move hips forward and slide the back leg back until the front knee is right over the front ankle.
Upward Lunge: Bring arms overhead, palms facing each other and fingers extending. Lift belly, head and heart. Send lasers of energy or light from your belly out through your fingers.
Forward Bend: Place feet hip-width apart and point them straight ahead. Bend at the hips and cross your arms. Fold arms across the back of your chair and rest your head on your arms. Take deep breaths in this pose while turning your awareness inward.
Chair: Stand with legs hip-width apart. Inhale and raise and straighten arms overhead, keeping arms parallel with palms facing each other. Exhale, bend knees, and take thighs back as if sitting in an imaginary chair. Keep your knees in alignment with feet. Point feet straight ahead and press down the four corners of each foot. Lift the belly, head and heart. Feel your strength! To come out of the pose, breath in, press down through the feet, and reach up to the sky while gradually lengthening and straightening your legs.
Upward Mountain: Stand with feet hip-width apart and 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.
Mountain: Stand with feet pointing straight ahead and hip width apart. Place your hands together in front of your heart. Activate your body. Lift your belly, your head and your heart. Relax your shoulders. Feel your strength as you stand in stillness and silence.
Calm
Guided Relaxation: I will read a Mindful Moment card. Remember a time when you had a test and you were worried about passing, but you did a great job. What helped you stay focused? What words can you say to yourself when you are worried? Can you say those words to yourself now?