ASA: The Leopard’s Drum

Open: begin with three sun breaths; Om on the third exhale

·  Review other rules: Stay on mat, listen to instructions, try everything at least once

·  Introduce AHIMSA, non-violence (one of the 5 yamas): Talk about how we can choose to be peacemakers or peacebreakers; ahimsa is the practice of non-violence with our actions, words and thoughts. We need to be kind to ourselves and others throughout our day. Examples might be being kind to our bodies when we are sick, using kind words with friends and teachers, and thinking loving thoughts about the people we see on the street.

Warm-Up: Sun Salutations*

hello mountain (mountain pose)

hello sky (extended mountain pose – arms overhead)

hello earth (standing forward fold)

and walk your feet goodbye (walk back to downward dog)

hello dog

ruff ruff ruff! (shake tail while bending each knee back and forth)

hello donkey

kick kick kick! (kick legs up, like you’re going into handstand)

hello cow

moo moo moo (cow pose)

hello cat

meow meow meow (cat pose)

goodbye dog (back to downward dog)

and shake your tail high (shake tail again)

bend your knees

and jump your feet goodbye (jump to the front of the mat)

goodbye earth (standing forward fold)

goodbye sky (extended mountain, arms overhead)

goodbye mountain (mountain with hands at heart)

goodbye! (jump up and then down to sitting)

* From Sarah Herrington’s OmSchooled yoga teacher training

Peace break: Practice LovingKindness: Ask the kids to think of someone they love (a person or animal) and to make a picture in their head. As they think of that person have them repeat “May you be happy. May you be safe. May you be loved.” Then have them picture themselves doing something they love and repeat “May I be happy. May I be safe. May I be loved.”

Practice: Read The Leopard’s Drum: An Asante Tale from West Africa by Jessica Souhami; practice the below poses as you get to each animal/object in the read aloud:

·  Leopard: Cat pose but one leg lifted behind and bent at the knee (mimics tail); have kids challenge themselves by lifting opposite arm too

·  Sky-God: Temple (horse pose with hands stretched above and in Namaste mudra); slowly bow outstretched arms to the group and then back up a few times

·  Cobra: Snake pose; rise up with inhale and exhale with snake breath to lower to the ground

·  Elephant: Elephant breath

·  Forest: Tree pose

·  Monkey: Balance on one foot with the opposite arm outstretched like you’re “reaching for a vine to swing on;” after holding the balance for 1-2 breath have kids jump-switch to the opposite leg/arm; go back and forth, slowly getting faster and faster

·  Tortoise: Turtle pose (either arm balancing or on the floor)

Game: Hopping Game (adapted from The Mindful Child by Susan Kaiser Greenland). Kids stand in a circle facing to the side (left or right) so that they are looking at the back of the person in front of them. The yoga mats separate each child. The teacher gives verbal prompts of “stand,” “breath”, “focus,” and “hop.” The teacher hits a drum (connected to The Leopard’s Drum) with the word “hop.” When the cue to hop is given, the kids all hop over their mats in unison. As the kids get into the routine, begin reducing the number of verbal prompts, eventually just saying “hop” or just hitting the drum to cue them to hop together. You can also speed up the time between hops as kids get better attuned to the groups’ movements.

Relax: Let kids choose pillows, stuffed animals, etc. to help them settle into savasana. Have them place hands on belly and take three belly breaths, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. Turn off lights and play LovingKindness by Charity and the JAMBand.

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