11th Grade Physical Education Resources

In Yoga, the Yamas and Niyamas are a moral code of conduct, a guideline on how to live. By introducing these principles to tweens and teens, we give them an opportunity to recognize and enhance how they behave toward others, and how they care for themselves.

Yamas include five guidelines that support how each of us can be a good person to others, the world, and ourselves. Because teens are formalizing who they are becoming, they need to be reminded where they want to go and who they want to become so they can choose the attitudes, behaviors, and make decisions that support becoming that.  Niyamas describe the principles of being a good person. Through them, we build character which helps us on our path to becoming who we know we truly can be. We learn mindfulness and self-discipline so that we can be good citizens in the world.

These lesson plans can be used as a yoga class series, or easily incorporated into the school classroom.

• Each of the 10 lesson plans breaks down one of the Yamas or Niyamas and includes; introduction to that specific core value, a discussion guide, small group work or activity, breathing exercises, and yoga poses to challenge and engage children.

The Yamas and Niyamas Lesson Unit is a 47-page PDF download which you can view on your phone, tablet, computer or print out onto paper. The lesson unit helps children learn the concepts of the yoga philosophy, the context for the Yamas and Niyamas in everyday life, and how to incorporate these values at school, in sports, and at home.

In yoga, the Yamas & Niyamas are a moral code of conduct, a guideline for how to live. Together, the Yamas & Niyamas help us to make careful decisions about how to think, speak, and behave. This foundational thinking prepares children to form healthy relationships with themselves and others.

This bundle includes two (2) lesson units:

1. Yamas & Niyamas Teen Unit is 47-page PDF download directed at teenagers
2. Yamas & Niyamas Kid Unit is a 48-page PDF download directed at kids ages 7-11

Both units are a PDF download which you can view on your phone, tablet, computer or print out onto paper.

This bundle contains twenty (20) lesson plans that can be used as a yoga class series, or easily incorporated into the school classroom. Adults can facilitate conversations, games, activities, and yoga experiences that give children concrete information about each of the Yamas & Niyamas.  

Each lesson plan breaks down one of the Yamas or Niyamas and includes; introduction to that specific core value, a discussion guide, small group work or activity, breathing exercises and yoga poses to challenge and engage children.

How can kids benefit from learning about the yamas and niyamas? Our founder Lara Hocheiser discusses how to apply the principles of yamas and niyamas to children ages 7-11 in Yamas and Niyamas Webinar for Kids.

How to Print

After you download your PDF product, you may view it on any device. If you choose to print to paper, you can open the document in a PDF viewer such as Adobe Acrobat and print at your convenience. We recommended that you print in color!

For best results, print at “Fit” or "Fit to page” at High Quality.

Putting the pages into sheet protectors and a binder or folder will preserve it for plenty of uses!

Since printers vary widely, we strongly recommend that you use your Print Preview feature to see the results before printing.

Teachers tell me they can't integrate yoga and mindfulness for two reasons: They don't know how and they don't have time. I hear that 100%.

This product is made to help you SAVE time, but first, you have to invest your time. If you spend ten minutes a day, 3 times a week in September and October, by November you only spend 5 minutes, and by January kids are doing this all by themselves. You can learn it together and then you ALL get the skills! Imagine that! Imagine the time you will save not micro-managing behavior.

A colleague and first-grade teacher name Nicole did just as I described above and her class was lightyears more manageable by mid-year than the other groups. People would comment about how quietly they walked in the hallway and how quickly they transitioned from activity to activity. She invested the time and was paid back in dividends. I developed this product to help others share in Nicole's success.

Together, we can use yoga and mindfulness to learn about and take care of our bodies.

Social-emotional learning and self-awareness can be learned using this product. Think of the responsible decisions children can begin to make when we help them connect the dots inward and outward.

Commit to this lesson unit to help your students become more aware of their bodies as you guide them to make mindful connections between how body parts may feel and how can we care for ourselves. Explore ten (10) key body parts and how we can use body awareness to learn about our bodies and emotions while gaining valuable exercise. Each body part has accompanying yoga poses, mindful activities, and facilitated discussion prompts.

The Empower and Calm Teacher Bundle is made for educators, parents, and anyone doing yoga with children!

Give your students the tools to exercise and check-in with their mind and body.

Introducing the Empower and Calm Yoga Bundle, aimed at getting kids moving while learning about self-awareness and boosting self-esteem. 

This bundle includes three (3) yoga units and two (2) yoga card decks geared at empowering, energizing, and strengthening our bodies and minds. 

In this bundle you will get:

• My Body and Caring for Myself: comprehensive Teacher’s Manual and accompanying Student Workbook aimed at developing self-awareness while strengthening our bodies.
• Empowerment Sequence Yoga Cards and Lesson Plans: three lesson plans and a yoga card deck to feel empowered and help children develop a positive self-image. (Our most popular lesson plan ever!!)
• Time for Me: Calming Yoga Cards: calming yoga card deck to encourage children to slow down and manage big emotions. (Fewer words, more calm!)

Lesson Plans for Educators

My Body and Caring for Myself:

The Student workbook can be printed for all of your students, providing self-reflection questions, yoga poses, and meditations for each of 10 body parts.

The teacher's guide assists in facilitating deeper discussions and gives tips for knowing when to move on, and ways to expand the material.

The glossary gives instructions for every pose and meditation.

The slideshow can be used as a visual with basic talking points for you to guide your students with ease from the SMARTBOARD.

Empowerment:

Helping with the back to school blues, challenge your students to strengthen their self-esteem and bodies at once, while facilitating nuanced discussions and meditations.

Time For Me Cards

With fewer words and easy-to-use illustrated yoga poses, children can do relaxing poses to handle any stressor. Provide a place where children are welcome to use these during class, and help them become self-sufficient.

Our yoga lesson plans give the tools to facilitate conversations, games, activities, and yoga experiences to kids of all ages. Use our beautifully-illustrated yoga cards as a visual aid to teach children the yoga poses. Each yoga pose and activity have how-to instruction, written for children. 

With this bundle, children will gain the benefits of yoga and mindfulness while learning about the importance of body awareness and how to manage big emotions. 

This bundle is a PDF download which you can view on your phone, tablet, computer or print out onto paper.

The Essential Yoga Bundle is made for educators, parents, and anyone doing yoga with children!

The Essential Yoga Bundle includes:

1. Sun Salutation Yoga Cards

2. Yamas & Niyamas Lesson Unit

3. Empowerment Series Printable Yoga Cards + Lesson Plans

The Sun Salutation Sequence is a 19-page PDF download that you can view on your phone, tablet, computer or print out onto paper. If printed, we recommend cutting out each card and taping/gluing on a 4x6 index card or card stock. For added durability, laminate each card.

The Yamas and Niyamas Lesson Unit is a 34-page PDF download which you can view on your phone, tablet, computer or print out onto paper. The lesson unit helps children learn the concepts of the yoga philosophy, the context for the Yamas and Niyamas in everyday life, and how to incorporate these values at school, in sports and at home.

The Empowerment Sequence is a 16-page PDF download which you can view on your phone, tablet, computer or print out onto paper. We recommend cutting out each card and taping/gluing on a 4x6 index card or card stock. For added durability, laminate each card.