Relaxation Stations

• Safety: Allow enough space to move freely and minimize collisions. Determine boundaries that are a safe distance from obstacles and walls.
• Determine how you will group learners, using best practice guidelines from the Teacher's Guide.
• Set up stations: Place fitFlow cards, tangram puzzle pieces, and Mindful Moments Cards throughout your activity area.
• Be prepared to demonstrate fitBoost brain break activity and fitFlow yoga.

Begin with a fitBoost.

Say: We are going to do a body scan to relax! Lie down, close your eyes, and get comfortable.

1. Start at your toes, squeeze them together, then relax them. As you squeeze them together, breathe in as if you are smelling a flower. As you relax, let your breath out as if you are blowing bubbles.
   
   
2. Next, do the same with your ankles: tighten then relax the muscles in your ankles. Follow with your calves, knees, and upper legs.
   
   
3. Now, move to the middle part of your body. Tighten and relax your stomach, then your chest muscles, then your shoulders. Tighten and relax your muscles while you breathe in and out.
   
   
4. Let's move to our arms. Flex your arm muscles, then your hands, and finally your fingers.
   
   
5. Open your eyes. How do you feel? Is your energy refreshed?
   

Your energy affects your choices. You get energy many ways, like nutritious food, physical activity, sleep, and even when you take a mindful moment and relax without screens. Do you ever feel your energy is low during the day? When? (Encourage responses such as after lunch, after school, etc.)

The number one thing you need to know is you can recharge your energy throughout the day by shutting down the screens and doing a relaxing activity!

Today we are going to practice ways to relax to refresh our energy throughout the day.

1. Demonstrate each relaxation station.

• Walking meditations: Walk in the slowest motion possible, so slowly that it takes several minutes to walk the perimeter of the  activity area. No talking! Think about the muscles that are moving in your body.
• fitFlow: Draw fitFlow cards and do a set of yoga poses.
• Puzzle: Provide tangram puzzle pieces for learners.
• Mindful Moments: Select a Mindful Moment card and complete the activity.

2. Learners rotate after 2 to 3 minutes at each station.
   
   
3. If time allows, ask learners to identify their favorite relaxation station. Send them to the station to repeat the relaxation activity.

1. Partner learners.
   
   
2. Select a fitFlow card and complete poses.
   
   
3. While stretching, ask learners to give examples of choices they can make to recharge their energy throughout the day.
   
   
4. Assess understanding with the following questions:
   
   Q: What was our lesson about today?
   A: During the day you can do a quiet activity, without a screen, to recharge your energy.
   
   Q: Why do you need to recharge throughout the day? (To get energy.) What are your favorite quiet activities that recharge energy?
   A: Listen for examples of ways to relax without screens throughout the day.
   
   Q: Why is it important to relax to recharge throughout the day?
   A: Recharging throughout the day gives you the best kind of energy to move and think.
   
   
5. Use the Assessment Rubric (see Teacher's Guide) as a checklist to assess understanding, skill development, and personal responsibility.

Plan to relax and recharge your energy throughout the day.