Objectives
- Describe mindful moments as when you pause and focus on the present moment.
Lesson Plan
This unit helps a child to understand and practice mindfulness. To practice mindfulness is to purposefully pay attention to your breathing, feelings, senses, or actions in the present moment. When a child is mindful, they increase their ability to regulate emotions, manage stress, and self-motivate. Print the Mindful Moments cards and fitFlow yoga cards to practice mindfulness with your students.
Set The Stage
Turn off the lights. Have students close their eyes and listen to the sounds around them. After 30 seconds, ask students, "What did you hear?"
To use this with your students click here.
Captivate
Listen Closely
Ask students if they noticed any new sounds during the listening activity? Then begin the slideshow, and ask them to reflect on their day, focusing on their breakfast and their travel to school.
Educate
Mindful Moments
Explain that mindful moments are when you pause and focus on the present moment. When you pause and focus on what you are tasting or what you see on the way to school, you are being mindful. When you are mindful, you notice many things, like your breathing, how you feel, and what you see, smell, hear, taste, and touch.
Check for Understanding: What is a mindful moment?
Activate
Look Closely
Practice being mindful with your students by having them choose an object near them and pay attention to how it looks and feels.
Close the Lesson
With students, choose a time later in your school day to pause for a mindful moment. Repeat the 30 second listening activity or do another mindful activity of your choice.
Grade: 3-5
Time: 20 Minutes
What You'll Need
Resources
Materials
- Poster Board or White Board
- Markers
- Slideshow
Health Education Standards
- Standard 1: Core Concepts -Promote Mental and Emotional Health
- Standard 4: Interpersonal Communication
- Standard 5: Decision-Making
- Standard 7: Practice Health-Enhancing Behaviors
Social and Emotional Learning Competencies
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Management
- Responsible Decision-Making
Extend the Lesson
- Play Greetings from the fitGames series for kids to practice ways to be mindful when greeting one another.
- Read about Breathing Techniques to help your students relax and become more mindful of their choices.
- Read about how you can help kids be more mindful of their choices with the cue "Think fit. Be fit!"