Lesson 1 of 5

30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: 1.1, A1.1, A2.3, A2.4,
A3.1, B1.1
Sun Salutation Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living
Grade 6 | Yoga

Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

use self-awareness and self-monitoring skills to assess their level of health-related fitness, and to
develop and implement plans of action as they follow teacher-directed yoga poses
perform smooth transfers of weight in a variety of situations involving static and dynamic balances
participate actively and safely in a wide variety of fitness activities to the best of their ability for a
minimum of 20 minutes.

Facility

Gymnasium

Safety Requirements

Refer to the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education.

Equipment List

1 mat per student

Audio equipment and calm, relaxing music (optional)

Teacher Resource 1: Sun Salutation Instructions

Grade 6 | Yoga | Sun Salutation | Page 1 of 8

 Lesson 1 of 5
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: 1.1, A1.1, A2.3, A2.4,
A3.1, B1.1
Sun Salutation Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living
Grade 6 | Yoga

Teacher Resource 2: Active Living Living Skills Anecdotal Recording Chart

Teacher Resource 3: Movement Skills Checklist: Locomotor Movements Involving Balances

Student Resource 1: Fitness Goal Setting

Warm-Up

Students will gradually increase their heart rate by participating in the following activity.

Breathing with Awareness

Instruct students to lie on their mats in Savasana (see Notes to Teacher, Fig. 1). Ensure that students
lie quietly and direct them to respond to teacher prompts in their head.
Teacher prompt: “As you lie quietly on the mat, reflect on the various parts of your body that are still
moving. How are these body parts moving? Why are these body parts moving?” Wait one minute for
student reflection.
Teacher prompt: “Lying on your back, you may notice your chest or stomach rising and falling with
each breath. For Warm-Up today we’re going to focus on our lungs, our breath, and how our body
reacts when we breathe.” Direct students to place their hands on their diaphragm (lower ribs).
Teacher prompt: “Now focus on the movement of your ribs. As you breathe in deeply, feel your ribs
spread apart as your lungs fill with air. Notice how your hands rise as you breathe. As you exhale,
notice what happens to your ribs. What are your hands feeling?”
Have students bend both knees up to their chest and hug their arms around their knees. Direct
students to rock back and forth, building momentum to come up into a seated position. Students sit up
in Easy pose (see Notes to Teacher, Fig. 3) and share observations they made while breathing.

Minds On

Share and clarify the lesson Learning Goals with students. Students work in small groups to re-word the
Learning Goals using their own words. Students share newly worded Learning Goals orally.

Grade 6 | Yoga | Sun Salutation | Page 2 of 8

 Lesson 1 of 5
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: 1.1, A1.1, A2.3, A2.4,
A3.1, B1.1
Sun Salutation Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living
Grade 6 | Yoga

Have students find their own place on a mat in the activity area. Students assume either Savasana or
Easy pose. Students lie or sit quietly in their selected pose. Students reflect on the features and definition
of the health-related fitness component, flexibility.

After one minute, students use the Think Pair Share Strategy (see Appendix) to compare and contrast the
differences between their definitions. In a large class discussion, explore how knowledge of this fitness
component, flexibility, may help them to be successful throughout this unit.

A&E - Minds On

Teacher observation with feedback of students’ knowledge of health- and skill-related fitness components
during large-group discussion

Action

Throughout the Action, students monitor their level of exertion. To encourage students to take notice of
their body, ask them the following questions.

Teacher prompt: “What is your breathing like? How do your muscles feel?” Prompt students between each
rotation of the Sun Salutation.

Sun Salutation
Prior to doing the series of poses, inform students that if they feel too challenged they can hold Child’s
pose (see Notes to Teacher, Fig. 2) or Downward-Facing Dog pose (see Teacher Resource 1: Sun
Salutation Instructions). Be sure to review these two positions prior to beginning the series.
Each student should have his or her own mat.
Students are spaced around the activity area, facing the teacher who is at the front of the room, or
students and teacher form a circle with their mats facing in. Student positioning in relation to teacher
depends on the number of students in the class. Teacher should be able to see every student at all
times.
Provide direct instruction, modelling and guiding students through the Sun Salutation yoga series (see
Teacher Resource 1: Sun Salutation Instructions).
The Sun Salutation series is usually performed numerous times in repetition. Be sure to provide

Grade 6 | Yoga | Sun Salutation | Page 3 of 8

 Lesson 1 of 5
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: 1.1, A1.1, A2.3, A2.4,
A3.1, B1.1
Sun Salutation Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living
Grade 6 | Yoga

students with the appropriate safety cues for each pose as they move into the pose.
As students grow more adept, positions can be held for longer or can be moved through at a flowing,
quick pace.

A&E - Action

Teacher observation with anecdotal writing of students’ demonstration of active and safe participation
using Teacher Resource 2: Active Living/Living Skills Anecdotal Recording Chart

Teacher observation with feedback of students’ demonstration of smooth transfers of weight involving
static and dynamic balances using Teacher Resource 3: Movement Skills Checklist: Locomotor Movements
Involving Balances

Cool-Down

Savasana: Heart Centre

Teacher is encouraged to play calm and relaxing music.
Have students lie down on their own mat away from other students and possible distractions. Students
should be positioned in Savasana (see Notes to Teacher, Fig. 1). Lying on their backs may be
uncomfortable for some people. Placing a rolled sweater or mat under their knees can make Savasana
more comfortable.
Guide students through the following movements:

Inhale, crinkling the toes and then relax.

Inhale and stretch, lengthening the legs and then relax.
Inhale and crunch, engaging the abdominals and then relax.
Inhale, clenching the fists into tight balls and then relax.
Inhale, stretching the arms and then relax.
Inhale, crinkling the face and then relax.
Inhale and tense the entire body, then exhale and relax, returning to Savasana.

Now that students are relaxed, guide them through the following meditation. Before you begin, let
students know that they may choose not to engage in the meditation, and if that is the case, they are
asked to lie quietly and not to interrupt others who are active in their meditation practice.
Teacher prompt: “Slowly take a deep breath in through your nose, and slowly exhale through your

Grade 6 | Yoga | Sun Salutation | Page 4 of 8

 Lesson 1 of 5
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: 1.1, A1.1, A2.3, A2.4,
A3.1, B1.1
Sun Salutation Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living
Grade 6 | Yoga

nose.” (Breathing only through the nose fosters relaxation.)

Teacher prompt: “Draw your attention to your heart centre. This is the space in the centre of your
chest around your heart. Imagine that it is filled with loving kindness. Every day, many feelings flow
through your heart centre, feelings you share with your family, feelings you share with your friends,
and feelings you share with yourself. See if you can connect with a feeling of loving kindness in that
space right now.”
Pause for a few minutes.
Teacher prompt: “Now that you have connected with your heart centre, think about opening your heart
centre. Think positive thoughts, and send a positive heart centre message to someone in the room and
feel positive messages from your classmates. Feel the peace and energy from your classmates filling
your heart centre. Let your heart centre be filled and overflowing.”
Let students remain in Savasana for up to five minutes (or an appropriate length of time).
Next, have students wiggle their fingers and toes, and then stretch their body from head to toe. Direct
students to roll over onto their side and using their arm as a pillow, take several slow breaths.
Encourage students to slowly come up into Easy pose when they’re ready.
Inform students that the traditional closing of a yoga practice is to place palms open on the knees, or
palms together in prayer position and chant together saying and say “Namaste,” which means “The
goodness in me bows to the goodness in you.” Remind students that we all have goodness inside of us
and it’s important to recognize and show that goodness.

Consolidation

Using the Inner/Outer Circle Strategy (see Appendix), students discuss the changes in their body before,
during and after they participated in the yoga sequence activity.

Teacher prompt: “Compare how your body/muscles felt before doing the activity and after. What parts of
the body feel different? What impact did your flexibility level have on how you feel?”

Student response: “I noticed that after participating in the activity, my pulse rate was higher.”; “My
muscles feel more stretched.”; “My hamstrings were tight before but now they feel loose and stretched.”;
“I feel so much more relaxed.”

The inside circle moves one person to the left. Students discuss the role that health-related fitness
component of flexibility had on their bodies’ response to the activity. How can they improve this area of
health-related fitness?

Grade 6 | Yoga | Sun Salutation | Page 5 of 8

 Lesson 1 of 5
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: 1.1, A1.1, A2.3, A2.4,
A3.1, B1.1
Sun Salutation Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living
Grade 6 | Yoga

Have students complete Student Resource 1: Fitness Goal Setting using the information reflected on
during the Consolidation. This handout should remain in the students’ fitness portfolios for them to
reference throughout the unit.

A&E - Consolidation

Teacher feedback of students’ knowledge related to living skills (self-awareness and goal-setting) through
conferencing

Ideas for Extension

Have students select their favourite pose from Sun Salutation and practice it individually.

Notes to Teacher

Remind students that yoga poses are personal and students should not compare their level of flexibility
to that of other students or to the perfectly performed poses illustrated in books or on the Internet.
Everyone finds some poses more challenging than others. The focus is on doing each pose or series of
poses to the best of one’s personal ability.
Review safety guidelines with students prior to introducing yoga activities.
Yoga breathing: Breathing is vital to yoga practice as it provides a focus for the mind–body connection.
Students should never hold their breath and should always breathe in a steady rhythm. When poses
become a challenge students should be brought back to their breathing and focus within. One main
idea in yoga is that as we breathe in, we draw power, energy and strength into our bodies. Inhaling is a
focus of Self. As we exhale, we are giving and letting go. Poses in yoga are not held by number of
seconds, but by number of breaths.
Encourage students to move slowly into and out of poses no matter their level of flexibility.
If available, provide yoga tools such as blocks or bands to help students who are less flexible move into
or maintain the poses (e.g., in Standing Forward Bend, rather than placing hands on the floor, students
can place hands on a block in front of the feet).

Grade 6 | Yoga | Sun Salutation | Page 6 of 8

 Lesson 1 of 5
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: 1.1, A1.1, A2.3, A2.4,
A3.1, B1.1
Sun Salutation Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living
Grade 6 | Yoga

Savasana
This yoga pose is often used for relaxation and reflection, and is usually defined in English as “Corpse
pose.” During Savasana students should be awake and alert but relaxed and in a meditative state.
Savasana is key to yoga practice as it allows the body to absorb and integrate many of the benefits of
yoga.

Child’s pose (Balasana)

Kneel on the floor, touching the big toes together and sitting on heels. Separate the knees to be hip
distance apart. Lay the torso on the thighs. Hands are stretched in front of the body. If available, consider
resting the head on a block or rolled towel.

Easy pose (Sukhasana)

Sit with crossed legs, tall spine and hands resting palms up on the knees.

Mountain pose (Tadasana)

Stand with feet slightly apart and parallel to each other. Stretch arms down along the side of the body
with palms turned forward.

Fig. 1 Savasana

Fig. 2 Child’s pose (Balasana)

Fig. 3 Easy pose (Sukhasana)

Grade 6 | Yoga | Sun Salutation | Page 7 of 8

 Lesson 1 of 5
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: 1.1, A1.1, A2.3, A2.4,
A3.1, B1.1
Sun Salutation Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living
Grade 6 | Yoga

Fig. 4 Mountain pose (Tadasana)

Grade 6 | Yoga | Sun Salutation | Page 8 of 8