Instructor: Cecilia Fowler
Community: Grades 6-8, Classroom Setting, 60 minutes
Plan Creation Date: November 18, 2013
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Community
Props/Music/Resources Required: Drum, Hoberman Sphere
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – with Hoberman Sphere: class chooses a count – As a group we breathe in, then breathing out together. Focus on coordinating with drum beat.
Activate
- Tree – Focus on your own unique tree, many different kinds of trees in the forest. It’s the variety of trees that makes the forest interesting and makes the forest ecosystem sustainable.
- Tree Circle – Sense into support of those around you, how sometimes we need to bend and sometimes we need to be strong in order for all of us to stay standing together. We each have different strengths and expressions, and we need all the different skills and talents in order to work together as a group. Notice if you’re experiencing any challenges in balances, any frustrations, any difficulties. See if you can keep in the circle even when those difficulties come up. Feel the support of the whole circle through your hands.
- Woodchopper – Remaining in circle, imagine any challenges that may have come up as we were all balancing in the tree circle. Breathing out, chop through that difficulty. See if any individuals are willing to share a challenge from tree circle, or anything that is weighing heavy for them. The whole group supports to chop through.
- Chair 15 – With a focus on students playing different parts; highlighting and complimenting those leading, those drumming, those following, those making respectful choices for themselves, etc.
- Tree – Remembering how we supported each other in the circle and in woodchopper, recall that support. Starting with one hand at your heart, imagine the circle of support, imagine a friend or imagine someone who you can depend on, someone who helps you to stand strong. Breathing out, extend that hand out, keeping the image of that person with you, feeling their support. Perhaps imagine that as you reach out, you are helping to support that person.
Calm
- Relaxation Story – Story about unexpected animal friends, such as hippo and turtle.