[currentuser role=”instructor_level”]
Instructor: Melanie Harper
Community: Grade 4-5, School or Yoga Studio Setting, 60 minutes
Plan Creation Date: February 25, 2015
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – with Breathing Ball
- Candles – I am here
Activate
- Yoga Flow – Roots, arm swings, mountain, forward fold, star, chair, warrior 1, warrior 2, downward dog, cobra, downward dog, dolphin, bow, boat, leg extensions foot circles, rock and roll, boat, bridge, rock and roll, table, child’s pose.
- Tree Challenge
- Tree Circle
Calm
- Twist
- Guided Relaxation – Lay down and just relax your body, relax your head, relax your arms, your back, and stomach, let your legs feel heavy and just close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and out. I’m going to read a poem: “Why should I long for what I know can never be revealed to me? I only hope that I may grow as sure and bravely as a tree I do not ask why tireless grief remains, or why all beauty flies, I only crave the blind relief of branches groping toward the skies. Let me bring every seed to fruit, sharing, whatever comes to pass, the strong persistence of the root the patient courage of the grass. Heartened by every source of mirth, I shall not mind the wounds and scars, feeling the solid strength of earth, the bright conviction of the stars.”
- Guided Relaxation (continued) – Now I want you to imagine yourself as a tree. You can pretend to be any kind of tree that you want. Perhaps you are a small little tree that was just planted recently, or maybe you are a big strong tree with large branches reaching up towards the sky. What kind of tree do you feel like today? A prickly pine tree, an oak tree, whatever kind of tree you choose I want you to think about the roots. What keeps you grounded in your life? When you’re having a bad day, or something is going wrong, or you are angry, hurt, or upset about something. What helps you? Maybe it’s an activity, or a person. I want you to think about a few things that help you stay steady when challenges arise. Take a deep breath in and out. Now I want you to wiggle your toes, wiggle your fingertips move your head from side to side. When your ready, sit up slowly and open your eyes.
- Sharing – Have students share what they said keeps them grounded.
- Art Activity – Now everyone gets a paper, and everyone gets a tree. You are going to glue the tree onto your paper, and then write your name on your paper, on the bottom your going to write 2-3 things that keep you grounded.