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Instructor: Donna Markell
Community: Grade 6-10, School Setting, 30-60 minutes
Plan Creation Date: December 19, 2014
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Listening
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Intro – Today we are going to explore what it means to listen, not just listen to things outside ourselves but more attuning to inner sensations and feelings. Why do you think this would be important? We will start with the chime and I want you to just take time to notice what you hear. Sometimes people say “we hear what we want to hear” today, perhaps open your ears to hear more.
- Chime – Listening- with the teacher striking the chime the students will be listening for the end of the vibration and raise their thumb when they no longer hear the sound.
- Belly Breathing – Students will focus in on their own breathing as they observe one student manipulate the Hoberman sphere. Another student will act as counter. They will each create their own sphere with their hands to imitate the demonstration. After breathing sit for 30 seconds in silence and listen to the body. Do you notice a difference? Afterwards they will compliment the student who manipulated the sphere. They will comment on whether or not the compliments were similar. The student who counted, will be complimented by the student who held the sphere.
Activate
- Mountain Pose – beginning in Mountain pose we will take a breath and then we will firm the muscles in each part of our body and listen to our breath and feel our bodies become activated.
- Activate Relax Walk – We are going to listen to the steady beat of the drum (clap of hand) and walk in a relaxed manner until we hear the one loud beat (or clap) and stop and freeze, firm and focus in that last position. When the relax command is given again we will begin to walk to beat. Repeat several cycles. Share feelings of how it was to be relaxed and what words might we use to describe that sensation. Compare with the sensations and vocabulary that might describe the activated phase in the cycle; How might you use these sensations to help you in your lives?
- Yoga Calm Top 10 – Pausing after Volcano Breath and Woodchopper to Mountain to ask them what they could hear and how Volcano Mountain and Woodchopper differ for them? Then after Twist and a One-Minute-Exploration what do they observe?
Calm
- Compliment Circle – Each student will receive a compliment from each of the other students while looking directly at the person complimenting him/her.
- Guided Relaxation – Lying down gently on your mat. Place your hands on your belly and feel your breath move up and down like waves rolling up on shore at a very slow pace. (Download ocean sounds) Listen to waves on the water. What are the sounds of those waves? Stop the music and have them imagine what are other sounds that you might hear when you like to relax? What are some other very calming sounds that you might hear when you like to relax? Share those sounds mentioned by the students by writing them on a chart in front of the class. Have students imagine which sounds they prefer to identify when seeking a relaxed state.