Boa[1] t
Type of Practice: Yoga
Recommended Grade Levels: 3-5
Individual/Partner/Group Practice: Individual
Time: 3 minutes
Materials:
- One yoga mat per student.
- Enough floor space that students can spread out.
Set Up:
- Arrange the yoga mats, ensuring that students have enough space to move without bumping into one another.
- If you have enough space, consider arranging the yoga mats in a circle so that you can see each student from your own mat.
Script:
Let’s start by sitting comfortably on our mats.
We’re going to practice boat pose today.
Start by bending your knees and putting the bottoms of your feet onto the mat.
Excellent.
Now lift your head up toward the sky so that you’re sitting up tall.
Are you a little taller now than before you sat up straight? Check and see.
Let’s build the sides of our boats. Lift your arms up so that they’re next to your knees.
Check out how my palms are faced in towards each other. See if you can make your arms look like this.
Wonderful!
Are you ready to go sailing?
Start by lifting your right foot off the mat just a little bit.
Now lift your left foot off the mat too. Feel your stomach muscles tighten!
Let’s see if we can keep our balance.
We’re going to try to hold this pose for two breaths.
As you breathe in, lift your chest up toward the sky.
As you breathe out, squeeze your stomach muscles tighter, keeping your boat
afloat!
As you breathe in, reach your fingertips a little farther toward your toes.
As you breathe out, relax your shoulders down toward the mat.
Wonderful.
Now gently lower your left foot down to the mat. Now lower your right foot down to the mat. And move back into a seated position.
Tips:
- You do not need to read the included script verbatim. Adapt the language so that it is appropriate for your students in particular.
- It is perfectly appropriate to simplify the breathing cues, particularly when you first introduce the pose to your students. You might invite students to simply count several breaths in the pose, or you might opt to omit them altogether.
- It is not important for students to get the pose “exactly right.” Instead, focus on helping them build mind-body awareness each time you practice.
- Offer students positive reinforcements throughout each practice. Focus on qualities and behaviors they can control, like their focus, effort, or persistence. Be specific whenever possible. This will help your students develop a “growth mindset.”
- This pose focuses on core work. Be sure to follow up with a gentle lower back stretch. For example, you might consider integrating cobra pose into your sequence shortly after boat pose.
- There are several variations of this posture. As your students begin to gain core strength and feel comfortable in this pose, invite them to raise their shins so that they are parallel with their mats. To help keep your students safe, ensure that they keep their heads and spines straight while their legs are lifted.
- Once this feels comfortable for students, invite them to extend their feet up toward the ceiling while keeping their chests lifted and their arms extended forward. Invite students to tune into their bodies as they try out this posture. If it feels too difficult, encourage them to bring their toes down towards the mat.
- For younger students, it might be fun to add more boat imagery into your instructions. For example, consider inviting students to “row” their boats, mimicking a kayaker as they move their hands from side to side.
Variations/Extensions: None
Authors: Megan Downey and Anna Basile
Adapted from: Compassionate Schools Project
Associated graphic:
Butterfly
Type of Practice: Yoga
Recommended Grade Levels: K-5
Individual/Partner/Group Practice: Individual
Time: 2 minutes
Materials:
- One yoga mat per student.
- Enough floor space that students can spread out.
Set Up:
- Arrange the yoga mats, ensuring that students have enough space to move without bumping into one another.
- If you have enough space, consider arranging the yoga mats in a circle so that you can see each student from your own mat.
Script
Begin by sitting comfortably on your mat. We’re going to practice butterfly pose today.
Start by gently bending your knees and putting the bottoms of your feet together.
Wonderful.
Now sit up a little straighter. Do you feel taller when you sit like this? Check and see.
Now gently relax your knees down toward the mat.
Excellent. This is butterfly pose.
Let’s pause here for two breaths.
As you breathe in, bring your shoulders back, checking to see whether the front of your
body feels any different when you do so.
As you breathe out, gently relax your knees a little closer toward the mat.
As you breathe in, notice any discomfort you feel in your body.
As you breathe out, imagine blowing that discomfort out of your mouth.
Return to a comfortable seated position on the mat.
Tips:
- You do not need to read the included script verbatim. Adapt the language so that it is appropriate for your students in particular.
- It is perfectly appropriate to simplify the breathing cues, particularly when you first introduce the pose to your students. You might invite students to simply count several breaths in the pose, or you might opt to omit them altogether.
- It is not important for students to get the pose “exactly right.” Instead, focus on helping them build mind-body awareness each time you practice.
- Offer students positive reinforcements throughout each practice. Focus on qualities and behaviors they can control, like their focus, effort, or persistence. Be specific whenever possible. This will help your students develop a “growth mindset.”
- If students are not experiencing a stretch, invite them to move their feet closer to their hips.
- If students are feeling uncomfortable, invite them to move their feet farther from their hips.
Variations/Extensions:
- For younger students, it might be fun to add more butterfly imagery into your instructions. For example, consider inviting student to imagine flying like a butterfly during the breath portion the practice. A sample script is included below.
Are you ready to fly?! Let’s extend our wings (arms) out to our sides.
As you breathe in, flap your wings up.
As you breathe out, flap your wings down.
Wonderful! We’re flying.
As you breathe in, fly a little higher (flap your wings up).
As you breathe out, imagine seeing the classroom from high up above (flap your
wings down).
Take another breath in, and sit up tall as you fly through the sky (flap your wings
up)!
And as you breathe out, gently land back in the classroom, relaxing your arms
back down to your sides (flap your wings down).
Authors: Megan Downey and Anna Basile
Adapted from: Compassionate Schools Project
Associated graphic:
Cat
Type of Practice: Yoga
Recommended Grade Levels: K-5
Individual/Partner/Group Practice: Individual
Time: 2 minutes
Materials:
- One yoga mat per student.
- Enough floor space that students can spread out.
Set Up:
- Arrange the yoga mats, ensuring that students have enough space to move without bumping into one another.
- If you have enough space, consider arranging the yoga mats in a circle so that you can see each student from your own mat.
Script:
Begin on your hands and knees on the mat. Spread your fingers out wide. Today we’re going to practice cat pose.
First take a deep breath in, feeling your stomach fill up with air.
Now slowly breathe out, and as the air leaves your body, round your back up toward the sky.
Wonderful! Now we’re cats!
Let’s hold this pose for two breaths.
As you breathe in, lift your back just a little bit higher toward the sky.
As you breathe out, press down into the mat through your hands and knees.
As you breathe in, feel your entire back gently stretching.
As you breathe out, imagine any discomfort your feel leaving your body.
Great job! Now gently lower your back down toward the mat and return to hands and
knees.
Tips:
- You do not need to read the included script verbatim. Adapt the language so that it is appropriate for your students in particular.
- It is perfectly appropriate to simplify the breathing cues, particularly when you first introduce the pose to your students. You might invite students to simply count several breaths in the pose, or you might opt to omit them altogether.
- It is not important for students to get the pose “exactly right.” Instead, focus on helping them build mind-body awareness each time you practice.
- Offer students positive reinforcements throughout each practice. Focus on qualities and behaviors they can control, like their focus, effort, or persistence. Be specific whenever possible. This will help your students develop a “growth mindset.”
- Cat pose is often paired with cow pose. You can create a mini-sequence by moving between the two poses at a pace of one movement per breath. In other words, for each inhale, move into cat, and for each exhale, move into cow.
Variations/Extensions:
- Consider inviting younger students to make “cat sounds” while they are in this pose. A sample script for the breath practice is included below.
As you breathe in, allow your neck to relax.
As you breathe out, let out a soft purrrrrrrr.
As you breathe in, notice how your whole back is stretching.
As you breathe out, let out a loud meeooooowww.
Authors: Megan Downey and Anna Basile
Adapted from: Compassionate Schools Project
Associated graphic:
Chair
Type of Practice: Yoga
Recommended Grade Levels: K-5
Individual/Partner/Group Practice: Individual
Time: 2 minutes
Materials:
- One yoga mat per student.
- Enough floor space that students can spread out.
Set Up:
- Arrange the yoga mats, ensuring that students have enough space to move without bumping into one another.
- If you have enough space, consider arranging the yoga mats in a circle so that you can see each student from your own mat.
Script:
Today we’re going to practice chair pose to help the muscles in our legs grow strong.
Wonderful.
Begin by taking a big breath in and lifting your arms up and out in a sunrise motion[3] .
Great job.
Now as you breathe out, pretend like you are sitting on an invisible chair, lowering your hips toward the mat. Leave your hands in the air as you pretend to sit backwards.
Well done! This is chair pose.
Take a moment and check whether you can see your toes. If not, move your hips back just a little bit until you can see them. This helps to keep your body safe.
Good job.
Now see if you can lift just your toes up from the mat and wiggle them.
Nice.
Gently lower your toes back to the mat.
Let’s stay here for two big breaths.
As you breathe in, press down through your feet into the mat.
As you breathe out, see if your legs are starting to feel warm or even a little bit shaky!
As you take another breath in, reach your hands higher toward the sky.
As you breathe out, imagine your legs growing stronger.
Excellent.
Now gently stand up straight.
Move your hands out wide and then down in a sunset [4] motion.
Wonderful. We’re back to mountain[5] pose.
Tips:
- You do not need to read the included script verbatim. Adapt the language so that it is appropriate for your students in particular.
- It is perfectly appropriate to simplify the breathing cues, particularly when you first introduce the pose to your students. You might invite students to simply count several breaths in the pose, or you might opt to omit them altogether.
- It is not important for students to get the pose “exactly right.” Instead, focus on helping them build mind-body awareness each time you practice.
- Offer students positive reinforcements throughout each practice. Focus on qualities and behaviors they can control, like their focus, effort, or persistence. Be specific whenever possible. This will help your students develop a “growth mindset.”
Variations/Extensions:
- If students find this pose too difficult, invite them to lower their arms, placing their palms together in front of their chests.
Authors: Megan Downey and Anna Basile
Adapted from: Compassionate Schools Project
Associated graphic: