Instructor: Holly Hansen

Community: Grades K-6, Gym setting, 30 minutes on yoga mats

Plan Creation Date: August 28, 2012

Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Community

Lesson Plan:

Calm (sitting on mats)

  • Belly breathing – with a student using the Hoberman sphere and another student leading counting to 10. Legs crossed, sitting up straight, hands on belly and when student expands sphere the children inhale and as the sphere closes the students exhale all in sync together. Using the analogy of the sphere being like their bellies filling with air and when exhaling the sphere shrinks in size.

Activate (now standing)

  • Children Teach Yoga Poses – Children take turns volunteering to come to the front of the room and teach the rest of the class their favorite yoga poses. Assist the child leading when necessary using verbal cues, etc.
  • Yes/No Game –  Ask a student to volunteer and leave the room.
  • While child is out of room, have another child pick an object in the room that is easily accessible. Then tell the class when the child re-enters the gym we are going to use negative reinforcement to help them find the object. Practice with the children to only say the word “no” when child is going away from object picked and to remain silent if child is going towards object. Then bring the child back into the room and play the game until the student finds the object.
  • Then ask another student to volunteer and leave the room.
  • While child is out of room, have another child pick a different object. This time let the class know we will be using positive reinforcement to help them find the object this time. Practice with the children to only say the word “yes” when child is moving in the right direction toward the object and to remain silent when child is moving away from the object. Then bring child back into the room and play the game until the student finds the object.
  • Discuss with the students which way they preferred playing: hearing instruction using the word “yes” or “no.” Ask them why and is it easier listening to one word over the other. How it made them feel and how the child who was trying to find the object felt hearing “yes” or “no.” Give them different examples of places they can use positive reinforcement such as school, home or playing with friends, etc.

Calm (laying on mats)

  • Changing Channels –  Have children lay on their mats comfortably with their eyes closed. Tell them to notice what they are thinking about at that particular point in time. Let them know they are going to practice changing channels.
  • Change the Channel – Think about the first time you came to yoga class this summer and what you were thinking and feeling and how the poses felt. (Wait 30 seconds)
  • Change the Channel – Think about how you are feeling today with it being the last yoga class of the summer before school starts. Is it quite different from the first day you tried yoga? How does your body feel during and after yoga now? Are the poses easier to you? (30 seconds)
  • Change the Channel – What did you think about the students in class who taught today? Or maybe you were one of the students teaching today. How did that make you feel? Did you ever think you would be teaching yoga? I bet the poses became easier for you as the summer went on. (30 seconds)
  • Change the Channel – What were your thoughts on playing the Yes/No Game? Did you like it? Did you like hearing yes or no better? Why do you think you like one word better than the other? Perhaps, you can try to use the word “yes” more often instead of “no.” (30 seconds)
  • Change the Channel one last time – Go to your most favorite place. It can be inside in your house or in your room are examples. Maybe it’s outside in your backyard or in a park? Are there any noises you hear; birds chirping, cars moving or voices speaking? How about any smells; cookies in the oven or your most favorite meal cooking? And, most importantly…how do you feel in your most favorite place?

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