Yoga Animals

Teacher: Nia Chen

Date: 5/26/15

School: Thurston Elementary

Class: KIN 355

Grade Level:(First)
Time: 8:30am

Equipment Used: None

Targeted NASPE Standard(s): 1,2,3,4,5

Specific Objective: By the end of the lesson, the students will be able to conduct
basic yoga poses. Example: lion pose, butterfly, downward dog. They will also
learn about the importance of breathing and greeting one another by using the
yoga phrase Namaste. This will be assessed by observation, listening, checking
for understanding, and review at the end.
Concomitant Objective: The students will stay physically active while listening to
directions.
Time
___1__
Minutes

__15___
Seconds

Procedures Followed
Warm Up:
This is the balloon breath warm up to practice our
breathing. Form a circle and sit with your legs
folded and crossed and your back straight. Put
the palms of your hands together at the center of
your chest. Close your eyes, and begin by taking
three big balloon breaths. A balloon breath is
when you breathe in deep, raise your arms above
your head in the shape of a big balloon. Then take
a big breath out and bring your arms back down
so that your palms are together at the center of
your chest. Do it three times.

Transition:
When I say go, I want students to stand, walk
over to the green line and put their toes on the
green line. Make sure that you have enough
space to lift your arms and not hit anyone next to
you. Set induction given there.

Materials

__1___
Minutes

_30____
Seconds

___1__
Minutes

Set Induction: I am going to teach you a greeting

called Namaste. In yoga this is something that is
said before and after the yoga session as a hello
and goodbye or a thank you for a great yoga
class! Bring your hands up from your sides and
bring them together above your head. Bring both
hands straight down to the middle of your chest
and as you bow your head say Namaste. Make
sure to take a deep breath in when your arms go
up and then a big breath out when bring your
hands down (like the big balloon warm up!)
Demonstrate and then do all together. Today I am
going to show you how yoga can calm the body
and can be a good break to stretch muscles but
we are going to do it in a fun way involving poses
that will make us into animals!
Learnable Piece:
You will be learning a few yoga poses today. These
yoga poses correspond to animals to help you
remember the poses. You will learn how to
breathe and stretch your muscles in a safe,
healthy, and fun way! Your goal is to step out of
your comfort zone if you havent done any type of
physical activity such as this, and if you have you
can maybe lend a hand to someone else and
follow along!
Presentation of New Material/Directions:
Once students are settled and attention is gained,
then explain:
We will be performing different yoga poses. I will
read the instructions on doing the pose and you
will follow me. Once we are in the pose I want you
to take a moment to get used to the pose. I will
ask you you are a and I want you to tell me
what animal you think this pose relates to.
Safety:
There will be lots of movement so be sure to
watch out for your neighbors and make sure you
have enough space around you.
If you feel like you cannot hold the pose I describe
or feel hurt of any kind then you may get out of
the pose, and wait for the next one.
Checking for understanding:
What should you do if some part of your body
hurts when doing one of the poses?

Thumbs up if you understood my instructions and

you understand the safety part of this activity

__30___
Seconds

__2___
Minutes

Transition:
When I say go I want everyone to find one
person and say Namaste to one another the way
we had just practiced it and then stay where you
are.
Dont forget to breathe in and out!
After you say Namaste to your partner I want
everyone to spread out and have arms out so that
they have enough room, then sit down on the
ground with legs crossed.

Activity:
Structure: Students are spread out facing one
way.
Use You are a Lion story by Taeeun Yoo for yoga
poses
Teacher: make sure to give positive feedback and
appropriate corrective feedback.
We are going to do some yoga poses together. I
will give you instructions and we will do the poses
together and you can try to guess what animal
corresponds with the pose.
1. Sit on your heels, hands on your knees,
tongue out! You are alion! King of the
jungle, Roaring so loud, Make the woods
rumble.
2. Sit, with feet together, hold on to toes, legs
flap! You are abutterfly! Spread your
bright wings, flutter and fly, as the breeze
sings.
3. Stand, with feet flat, bend and touch
ground, bottom up! You are adog! Stretch
in the sun, bark at your friend, ready for
fun.
4. Lie on your stomach, hands next to
shoulders, push up! You are a...snake! In the
cool grass, slither and glide, make a big
hiss.
5. Kneel on hands and knees, head down, back
up! Head tilted up and arch back. You are

You are a
Lion book by
Taeeun Yoo
(hard copy not
necessary)

acat! Frisky at night, meow to the mod,

play till its light.
Students will sit back cross legged with hands
on their knees after the yoga session is over.
Then everyone will do one more Namaste bow
together.

__N/A___
Minutes

_1____
Minutes

Notes:

Possible Modifications:
Have students show me one of the yoga poses
without me demonstrating if the yoga poses are
too easy. If it is to hard or the instructions are too
hard, only do a few of the yoga poses. Also do
less poses if time runs out.
Lesson Review:
What are some of the animal poses you learned
today?
What does Namaste mean?
Why was the breathing activity helpful? Did you
remember to breathe when doing the poses?
Did you feel the stretch in your muscles?
Good!
Teacher: Focus on learnable piece above.