[currentuser role=”instructor_level”]
Instructor: Mina Leierwood

Community: Pre-Kindergarten – 2nd Grade, School Setting, 30 minutes

Plan Creation Date: January 1, 2015

Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding

Title: Grounding with Cat and Cow

Art Standards: Patterns: Cat patterns, Lines: Straight and curved, Shapes: Square, triangle, circle, Art form: Origami

Lesson Plan:

Calm

  • Intro – Students sit in a large circle on the floor, Cat picture is on the Board:
    Look at this cat. Does she have a pattern? Stripes (like a zebra) or spots? Who is wearing spots or cat-prints today? (Choose two children who are wearing an example of a spotted pattern, or a cat-print.)
  • Belly Breathing – The two children are selected to be the leaders in the breathing activity. They each get to hold a breathing ball. Everyone else demonstrates with hands together. Teacher: Breathe in! (Hands stretch out) Breathe out (Hands come together.) Repeat 3 times.
  • Volcano Breath – Teacher: Breathe in like a volcano! (Hands slowly move up as if pressure is building…) And Let it out like a Volcano! (Children make sound: HAAAH! Arms are high/wide, then return down together) No one should have to touch anyone else. Nice job! Thank you.

Activate

  • Cat/Cow – T: Look at this cat. What shape is her back? Is it flat? Is it curved? Is it curved up (like a smile) or down (like a frown?) Draw the curve in the air with your finger. T: Look at this: What is this? (Both Bull and Cow are good answers.) What shape is his back? Is it flat? Curved? Curved up like a smail or down like a frown? Draw a picture in the air of his back. T: Now let’s try it. Get on all fours (Teacher demonstrates) Hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Start with a flat back. Now, breathe out and round up like a cat! Breathe in, look up, lift your head, drop your belly. MOO! Now slowly, back to Cat….2….3….4 and Cow….2…..3…..4 and (so on, 4 cycles.) Great! Sit back down. Wait until everyone is quiet.

Calm 

  • Art Activity – T: And now, for the Art! Everyone move to your assigned seat! Shape of origami paper? (Square!) Fold in half into what shape? (Triangle!) T: Let’s say this triangle is the mountain. Bottom of the Mountain, top of the mountain. Fold bottom of the mountain UP to make two new mountains. Continue as above. Include “Circle” eyes and use markers to make face. Write your name on the back. Give out extra paper to students as they finish with first cat, they can make a baby cat.
  • Reflection – Bring your cats to the circle. Can you make a small meow? Show your neighbor your cats.
  • Clean up – (Pick two helpers to gather markers)
  • Child’s Pose – Okay, time for the cats to take a nap. lay the cats right here in front of you. Now curl up like a little cat (Child’s pose.)
  • Closure – How are you doing? (There is a Smiley face, an OK face and a Bad face near the door to line up.) Ask the students how they are doing. How is the teacher doing? 🙂 :I 🙁 How can we fix it?
  • Evidence of Learning, measures of success: Everyone leaves room with an origami cat and a smile on their face.

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