Instructor: Lynn Hernandez
Community: Grades 4-5, School Setting, 50 minutes
Plan Creation Date: June 26, 2013
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Listening
Target Goal: I can use yoga postures and breathing techniques to learn to listen to my inner voice. This will help me make good decisions and increase my self-confidence.
Resources required: Hoberman sphere, music downloaded on phone or computer, Ground Rules and Positive Self-talk posters, Yoga Calm book
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Intro – Welcome students. Review ground rules and positive self-talk posters. Dim lights and begin music.
- Belly Breathing (pg 63) – Using the Hoberman Sphere, breathe in and out through your nose. Place your hands on your belly and breathe into it so your hands move in and out with your belly. Imagine a cloud above your head. Put all of your thoughts into the cloud, let the wind blow them away, and listen to your breath. (volunteer can be called on to lead this portion.)
- Read mindful moment card – Remember a time when someone said something very kind about you. Can you hear those words right now? Who was that person? Can you remember three good things people have said about you?
- Pulse count (pg 83) – Find your pulse, and notice its rhythm.
- Volcano Breath (pg 97) – Sitting in your chair, place hands to heart. Take a breath in, pause and bring your arms up over your head. As you exhale, “sprinkle” one of the three words that people have said to you. Repeat two more times, “sprinkling” the other two words each time.
- Compliments – Before moving into the following activities, invite others to compliment the volunteer who came to the front. Model if necessary.
Activate
- Chair 15 – Go through Yoga Calm Chair 15 Activate portion twice.
- Conflicting Feelings (pg113) – Social Emotional Activities – Follow scenario from book. Make sure to have the discussion about validating both feelings and how to determine a solution that honors those feelings. Also, ask the following questions in order to help students learn how to listen to their inner voice and make decisions based on their evaluation of feelings: What would life be like if we only listened to fear? What might happen if we only listed to our bravery?
- Compliments – Compliment those who came forward for the activity.
Calm
- Twist – Finish the Yoga Calm Chair 15 by doing the chair twist
- Relaxation – During one minute exploration read mindful moment card – Take a moment to listen to your strong voice today. Does it have something to tell you?
- Discussion – Have students think back to the three words that came to their mind at the beginning of the session. How do those words compare to what your voice was saying to you at the end of the session? Are there times when you can use your strong voice and those good thoughts about yourself to help make a good decision?