Sleeping Chicks

Sleeping Chicks

Details

Lesson Plan: Sleeping Chicks	Grade level: K-4; Age range: 5-9
Time: 20 minutes	Tasks: Listening mindfully, moving mindfully, imagination, sati and samadhi.

Materials:

Egg shaker

Description:

Sit in a circle and set the atmosphere with music.
Begin with mindful movements to calm and settle the children.
Inform the children that you have something to show them today. Introduce the egg shaker. Ask the children what animals come from eggs. Remind them to put their hands up to answer.
Depending on what the children answer, ask them to imagine that that animal is inside the egg you’re holding. Inform the children that the animal is sleeping inside the egg, and we need to keep quiet so not to wake it.
Tell the students you will pass the egg around the classroom, but that it is important to keep as quiet and still as possible as they pass the egg, so they should use their samadhi and sati while passing. Remind the children to say thank you before receiving the egg from a classmate.
Before the students pass the egg around, you may wish to add some imaginary play and encourage caring action, such as stroking the egg to take care of the “chick” (or whatever is inside).
Once the students have passed the egg around, thank them for trying hard not to wake the “chick.” Put the egg “to bed” aside somewhere for the time being.
After this, you can ask the children to be like the animal in the egg and have a short rest. Ask the children to close their eyes and lie down. Talk to the children about what it is like inside the egg. It is dark and warm, a bit like being wrapped up in big warm blanket.
Encourage the children to stay relaxed and lying down for a few minutes, breathing in and out calmly and slowly.
Ask the children to open their eyes, but stay lying down for now.
Do some mindful movements while lying down (lifting the legs and arms one by one, for example), before asking the children to sit up, then stand.
When the children are standing, you can either end the activity or do some more movements if they still have focus.
Wrap up the activity by asking the students if they found it difficult to keep the egg quiet, if they wanted to shake it, etc.

Note: Older children may wish to try passing around another object after, such as a jingle bell, or something more difficult to pass quietly. If they seem to enjoy the activity, this could be an extension.