Happiness Recipe-- Inspired by Yoga Calm

I recently went to Yoga Calm training and was asked to come up with activities/lessons that would fit well in my classroom implementing some of the techniques of Yoga Calm.  I am using the book Yoga Calm for Children: Educating Heart, Mind, and Body by Lynea and Jim Gillen.

There is a section in the book where listening and community are highlighted.  These are two of the five principles of Yoga Calm.  As I looked at page 114 titled Exploring Feelings, I couldn't help but think about how this could very well support self portraits that are created in the Visual Arts class.  In short, the activity suggested on this page is to explore different feelings that we have, writing them on the board.  It then suggest having students act out the feelings so there is movement, and a little drama/performance. The rest of the students are guessing to identify the feeling being acted out. There are many other extensions to this activity as well.  One that was interesting is to have students demonstrate two feelings at once in the body.  Oh, that sounds like fun doesn't it.  Can you imagine the visual artwork that could come from that prompt?  

On page 115, there is an interesting activity called the Happiness Recipe.  There is a supporting worksheet that brings students through what makes them happy.  The worksheet helps students identify their happy triggers.  This allows them to make a choice in the morning to be happy.  They can do this by choosing some of the happy triggers identified. An extension to this activity is to have parents fill out the same worksheet.  This could really provide some good dialogue between parents and students so that both parties can recognize what truly makes the other happy.  This could lead to some great support from both parent and child... or perhaps students and teacher.  

Doing this Happiness Recipe activity again could support a different kind of self portrait... I love the literal interpretations of a recipe.  My thought is to title this 'recipe' as suggested in the book... Happiness Recipe. Then add all the ingredients visually.  A amazing artist that you might study when doing this is Koosje Koene. Take a minute to explore her work (click here)  I was introduced to her while taking a Sketchbook Skool Korse (she is an instructor).  Her visual drawings for recipes are spectacular.  I could see this activity for upper elementary to adult learners.  Watch the video below to get an idea of her process. 

I couldn't help it.  I had to do my own drawing.  I love when I explore a lesson plan and it sounds like so much fun that I can't wait to try it out myself. Here is my combo Yoga Calm, Self Portrait Lesson Plan and #k12artchallenge for this month.  #jfj16 is hosting this month check it out if you aren't already participating in it :)