EDUCATION STANDARDS

SCHOOL Yoga & Mindfulness classes and methods support Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Listening and Speaking as well as for Physical Education and Health standards:

 

• During the lesson, the class follows agreed-upon rules for discussions (Speaking and Listening 1.1A).

• Students build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges (SL.1.1B) such as suggesting additions to a bowl of healthy foods or the colors and shapes on butterfly wings. 

• The Socratic Method is built into the lesson as the teacher and students ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics under discussion (SL 1.1C).

• The teacher reviews key points of the opening story during the closing of the class by asking questions about key details in the information that was presented orally (SL 1.2).

• In each of the movements within the SCHOOL Yoga & Mindfulness lesson, the teacher asks and solicits answers to gather information (SL 1.3) such as “What animal is climbing the mountain?” with the mountain pose. These questions also develop the students’ abilities to describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly (SL 1.4).

• The SCHOOL Yoga & Mindfulness lessons involve adding drawings, realia, or visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings (SL 1.5) such as heart-shaped objects, the calm heart gesture, or strong body gesture.

• Throughout the SCHOOL Yoga & Mindfulness lesson, as the teacher solicits verbal contributions from the students, they practice producing complete sentences (SL1.6). 

• In addition to incorporating Speaking and Listening Standards, the SCHOOL Yoga & Mindfulness lessons teach children to create shapes by using non-locomotor movements (PE 1.5).

• Certain poses and partner games involve balancing on one, two, three, and four body parts. (PE 1.6).

• The SCHOOL Yoga & Mindfulness poses/movements demonstrate the relationships of under, over. behind, next to, through, right, left, up, down, forward, backward, and in front of by using the body and possibly a partner (PE1.8).

• The SCHOOL Yoga & Mindfulness postures and movements require the students to identify and isolate parts of the body: the head, shoulders, neck, back, chest, waist, hips, arms, elbows, wrists, hands, fingers, legs, knees, ankles, feet, and toes (PE 2.3).

• SCHOOL Yoga & Mindfulness movements develop flexibility incorporating stretching shoulders, legs, arms, and back without bouncing (PE3.5) and at the same time, identifies the body part involved when stretching (PE 4.9).

• The warm-up activity of mixing healthy foods in a bowl explains that good choices of nutritious food provides energy for physical activity, focus, and overall health (PE 4.3). 

• The SCHOOL partner poses and yoga games demonstrate the characteristics of sharing in a physical activity (PE 5.3) and give the children times to participate as a leader and a follower during physical activities (Pe5.5).