Instructor: Lynn Hernandez
Community: Grades 4-5, School Setting, 45 minutes
Plan Creation Date: May 10, 2013
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding
Resources required: Hoberman sphere, music downloaded on phone or computer, Ground Rules and Positive Self-talk posters, yoga block, small rocks, Grounding Mindful Moment Card
Intro: Welcome students. Have mats for those who didn’t bring one. Ask them to lay out mats. Remind students of ground rules and the use of positive self-talk throughout the class. Dim lights and begin the music.
Target Goal: I will be able to use yoga postures and breathing, to feel connected to the earth and to feel in control of my mind and body.
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – Let’s begin by sitting on the floor, cross-legged with our hands on our knees, palms facing down. As I move the Hoberman sphere in and out, follow with your breath. Breathe in and out through your nose (belly breathing-pg. 63). We are synchronizing our breathing as we breathe in and out together, letting our bellies be soft. Slow breathing helps to clear our minds so I want you to let go of everything that happened today at school. Breathe in and out and feel how your body is connected to the ground beneath you. Move your hands to your belly and breathe so your hands move up and down. Concentrate on your breath.
Activate
- Pulse Count (pg 83)- Find your pulse and notice it’s strong, steady beat.
- Mountain Pose (pg79)-Feet are hip distance apart, pointing straight ahead. Keep you weight evenly distributed on all four corners of your feet. This is an active pose. Press your feet into the ground. Imagine that they are roots, connecting you to the earth, giving you strength. Arms are at your side. Lift your head to the sky, like the top of a mountain.
- Roots Pose (pg 85)-Rock back and forth with your body firm and straight, feet rooted to the ground. Make the rocking movement smaller and smaller until you balance on the center of your feet. Being to rock side to side in the same way until you are again centered. Move in a big circle to the right, slowly getting smaller as you come to center. Notice how the corners of your feet and the muscles in your feet support you and keep you grounded to the earth. Do the same thing as you circle to the left.
- Dancer Pose (pg72)-This pose develops concentration, strength and grounding. Begin by having your feet hip distance apart. Shift your weight to your left foot. Imagine those roots keeping your foot firmly planted and giving you strength. Lift your right foot behind and hold it with your right hand. Focus on something straight ahead that’s not moving, and raise your left arm. Continue to breathe through your nose and notice your balance and strength. Repeat with right foot.
- Star Pose (pg 88)-Stand with feet wide apart, point toes straight ahead. Take your arms straight out, parallel to the floor. Your feet are firmly planted into the ground, muscles in your arms and legs are strong and activated. Shoot rays of sunshine through your fingers and you spread them wide apart. Keep you head pressing up toward the sky.
- Triangle Pose (pg 94)-Move from Star to Triangle by turning your left foot in slightly and your right foot all the way out to the right. Keeping your arms up and parallel to the floor, shift your weight to the right and “windmill” your arms over taking your right hand to the shin, ankle or yoga block. Press you left arm toward the ceiling. Press out through your legs, arms and top of head. Repeat on the other side.
- Block Creek (pg 64)-Do activity as described, then do the variation with eyes closed with a partner
Calm
- Belly Breathing with rock on belly – Take a rock from the basket as it is passed. Lie down on your back and place the rock on your belly. As you begin to take slow, deep breaths through your nose, close your eyes and notice how it feels as the stone moves up and down with your breath. As you begin to relax your arms, wrists, fingers, let them sink into the ground. Likewise, relax your legs, knees, shins, ankles and feet, letting them sink into the ground. Relax your neck, head, face, feeling the earth support you.
- Mindful moment card – Grounding – Remember a time when you worked very hard. Maybe you ran a race, played in a game, or helped carry some heavy objects for a friend. Remember how tired your body was. Now think about how good it felt to lie on the ground and rest. Your body was so tired from the work that it melted into the ground. Feel it melt like that now. After a few minutes, start to move your toes, wiggle your fingers and move your head side to side. Gently roll over on your right side, and rest, letting the earth support you. Slowly come up and sit cross-legged with your hands to your heart. Open your eyes if they are closed and breathe together with the Hoberman sphere.
- Hoberman Sphere Breathing
- Discussion – How does it feel to think about your feet being roots, with the strength of your legs holding you up? How did it feel to be grounded? When do you think you might need to be grounded?