YOGA IN THE CLASSROOM (Upper Elementary) · PDF fileYOGA IN THE CLASSROOM (Upper Elementary) ... Try some of these poses, games and activities to help lift the energy in your classroom

Karma Kids Yoga, LLC www.karmakidsyoga.com

YOGA IN THE CLASSROOM (Upper Elementary)

When and How? There’s never a bad time to use yoga in your classroom. Yoga poses, games, activities, breathing exercises and relaxation/visualization techniques can be used at various times throughout your day: to mark the beginning of a lesson or class, woven into your curriculum, used during transitions, or even as a closing ritual. The most important thing you can do as a teacher is to assess the needs of your students. You can check in with your students by simply asking them “How do you feel today?” Or you can be more playful and ask students to show you how they are feeling through their faces, one word, or even an internal weather report. Get creative! Once you gauge the energy in your classroom, you can plan effective yoga activities to help students focus better by releasing extra energy, or yoga can be used to energize a group that be lacking their usual “pep.” Below are some of our “go to” Yoga in the Classroom tools for teachers. Remember, you don’t need prior experience to be able to use yoga in your classroom. Have fun! Below are class plans for 3 different needs: for energizing, for calming and for focus. 2 minutes – 45 minutes (you can pick and choose exercises from this lesson plan as needed) You will need: crayons and paper for Breathe & Draw, feathers for Feather Breathing To learn more about sharing yoga with kids in schools or on the mat, check out our Children’s Yoga Teacher Training, Teen Yoga Teacher Training Intensive, Yoga In The Classroom, Yoga In The Preschool Classroom, and Kids Yoga En Español course by visiting our website at karmakidsyoga.com.


To Energize

Let’s Get Moving! Try some of these poses, games and activities to help lift the energy in your classroom. Yoga Jumping Jacks Star, Rocket, Star, Mountain Start in Mountain Pose and jump your legs and arms out into a Star pose. Then bring your hands together over your head and bend your knees, coming into Rocket Pose. Move back through Star Pose and back to Mountain. Continue moving through the sequence at a faster speed until freezing in Rocket Pose and blasting off. Washing Machine Breathing Begin by sitting in Washing Machine Pose. Twist to one side to inhale and to the other to exhale. Continue for approximately 10 on each side. Relax and take a few regular breaths in and out. Try another round, but this time switch which side you inhale and exhale. Squat and Breathe Breathe in and lower yourself down into a squat as if you’re sitting back into an imaginary chair bringing your arms straight out in front of you. Now breathe out as you come back up to stand, drawing your arms back in toward your body.

Lion Sit tall in your seat. Open up your chest and take a deep breath in. As you breathe out, stretch out your hands like paws with claws, and stick out your tongue. Young children will let out a big roar! Older kids will let out a lion hiss – but it still feels really good to roar at any age…encourage it.


Feather Breathing You will need lightweight feathers for this exercise. Give each child one feather. Demonstrate how everyone will try to keep the feather up in the air by using the breath. Slow, long breaths up into the air and staying underneath the feather help to accomplish the task. Encourage them to use their peripheral vision to avoid bumping into each other. Count how many breaths you can keep the feather from touching the floor.

Volcano Begin standing in Mountain Pose. Bend forward over your toes and imagine that your hands are the lava and magma building up inside the volcano. For smaller children (if the space permits), have them bend their arms at the elbows and make fists with their hands. Begin to make little circles with the arms moving arms around each other in a circular motion. Say “Bubble, bubble, bubble” as you slowly come up to stand and “BOOM!” as you jump your legs wide and ‘erupt’.

Banana Stand tall and reach your arms over your head bringing your palms together. Tilt your upper body to one side. Peel your banana by drawing your arms straight down to your sides. Repeat on the other side.


Yoga Game: SHAKE EIGHT Benefits: Energizing and fun Objective: To shake out our bodies Ages: All ages Step by Step Instruction:

1. Ask everyone to stand. You’ll shake out each arm/hand, leg/foot, and whole body for the count of 8. Right hand, “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8”; Left hand, “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8”; Right foot, “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8”; Left foot, “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8”; Whole body, “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8”;

2. Then do it all again, but only up to 7.

3. Then do it all again, up to 6. Keep going until you finish at “1” for each part.

4. On the last shake out, end with a big cheer.

5. Be sure to ask the kids how they feel.

Note: Consider doing this activity in a different language. Closing Namaste. The Light in Me Honors the Light in You. Always remember to check in with the students after doing yoga in your classroom. Ask each student how they feel and what they may notice within their bodies and their minds. They can draw how they feel, write in a journal or share verbally with the class, always allowing students to pass if they do not wish to share.


To Calm the Nerves

Keep the Peace In! Try some of these to inspire calmness. Peace Breath Take a deep breath in and as you breathe out, sing the word “Peace” until all of the air is released. Do this a few times. Choose alternate words or sounds.

Count 5 Breath Inhale slowly for the count of five, and then exhale slowly for the count of five. You can start with a count of three and work your way up to five. The goal is to increase the number and really slow down the breath. For an even calmer feeling, see if you can exhale for one count more than your inhale.

Twists Begin sitting tall in your chair. Cross your right foot over your left knee. Reach your left arm across your body and rest your hand on your right thigh or on the outside of your chair. Look over your right shoulder and notice what you see behind you. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side and hold for 10 seconds.

Seated Mouse Sit at your desk with your knees touching. Bend forward and place your forehead on the desk. Let your arms rest either on your desk, at your sides or on your lap with your palms facing down. You can also push your chair back, so that your head can rest on your knees. Allow your arms to dangle at your sides. Also known as Child’s Pose.


Breathe and Draw You will need something to draw with (crayon, marker, or chalk) and something to draw on (paper or chalkboard) for this exercise. Place your crayon on the paper or chalk to the board and close your eyes. As you breathe in, draw upward and as you breathe out, draw downward. Continue for a few breaths. Open your eyes to see your breath. Now change colors, close your eyes, and continue the exercise until you have a beautiful rainbow breath.

Seated Cat Sitting at your desk, place palms face down in front of you, shoulder width apart. Round your spine toward the back of your chair and look for your belly button. Meow, purr, or hiss like a cat if appropriate.

Seated Cow Sitting at your desk, place palms face down in front of you, shoulder width apart. Reach your chin up toward the sky, arching your back while your belly reaches toward your desk. Don’t forget to moo!

Downward Desk Dog Take one large step away from your desk. Stand with feet on the floor, hip width apart, leaning forward over the desk placing your palms down, shoulder width apart. Reach your ‘tail’ into the air, forming an L shape with your body. Let your head hang between your hands. Wag your tail and bark if appropriate.


Yoga Game: BELL GAME Benefits: Focus, concentration, balance, and a sense of calm Objective: To carry the bell from one person to another, without it ringing. Props: A small bell Step by Step Instruction:

1. Begin by sitting in a circle with your group. Give each child a chance to ring the bell by passing it around the circle and letting each kid shake it. After everyone has had a turn ringing the bell, you can begin the game. 2. As the teacher, you can start by picking up the bell and walking it over to someone without ringing it, as you explain the object of the game. That person will then walk it to someone else without letting it ring. 3. If the bell rings while someone is walking with it, you can allow another opportunity to go back and try it again, or just continue on with a little more focus. Of course, if it rings while they are still at their desk it doesn’t count!

Closing Namaste. The Light in Me Honors the Light in You. Always remember to check in with the students after doing yoga in your classroom. Ask each student how they feel and what they may notice within their bodies and their minds. They can draw how they feel, write in a journal or share verbally with the class, always allowing students to pass if they do not wish to share.

Tree Stand tall and let your feet ‘root’ into the ground. Lift the sole of one foot onto the calf or thigh of the other leg. Point that knee out to the side and extend your branches (arms) up and out over your head. Ask kids to focus on an object that is not moving. Remind them to use their breath to help calm their bodies and hold the pose. Release and try the other side. Notice the differences as you change sides. Be sure to ask what kind of tree everyone is!


Focus and Concentration

1, 2, 3…Eyes on Me Try these quick activities to help with focus and attention. Alternate Nostril Breathing Sit comfortably and close your right nostril with your right thumb. Inhale fully through your left nostril and then close your left nostril with your right ring finger. Hold. When ready, release your right thumb and slowly exhale through your right nostril. Inhale through your right nostril and then close your right nostril with your right thumb. Hold. When ready, release your right ring finger and slowly exhale through the left nostril. Continue in this pattern for as long as it feels right. When you’re ready, release your fingers from your nose and take a few deep breaths. Yoga Game: WALK, STOP, JUMP, CLAP Benefits: Builds focus, concentration, and listening skills Objective: To follow the directions and listen carefully! Step by Step Instruction: 1. Have everyone stand still as you give the first instructions and demonstrate by example. Walk = Walk; Stop = Stop; Jump = Jump (one jump); Clap = Clap (one clap) When you say, “Go”, the class is going to walk throughout the space and try to keep evenly spaced throughout the room. Challenge the group to walk energetically, but silently. Play and practice. 2. Up the stakes. You can say, “This time we’re going to make the game a little more challenging”.

Walk = Stop; Stop = Walk; Jump = Jump; Clap = Clap

On “Go”, play and practice, just like the first round. No one gets out. Everyone just keeps trying. Continue on until it feels ready to take it to the next level. 3. Raise the stakes, again! Walk = Stop; Stop = Walk; Jump = Clap; Clap = Jump Play and practice. The game is over when it feels over.


Closing Namaste. The Light in Me Honors the Light in You. Always remember to check in with the students after doing yoga in your classroom. Ask each student how they feel and what they may notice within their bodies and their minds. They can draw how they feel, write in a journal or share verbally with the class, always allowing students to pass if they do not wish to share.

Eagle Sit forward on your chair. Cross your right leg over your left. If possible, hook your right ankle around your left shin, making a pretzel twist with your legs. Extend your arms out in front of you and cross your left elbow over your right, twisting your arms so that your elbows are parallel to your shoulders. Bring your hands away from your face as you cross at your wrists. Lift your arms up toward the sky. Untwist your arms and open up your eagle wings. Repeat on the other side.

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YOGA IN THE CLASSROOM (Upper Elementary) · PDF fileYOGA IN THE CLASSROOM (Upper Elementary) ... Try some of these poses, games and activities to help lift the energy in your classroom