eagles

Eagles

Eagle in Flight

by Jennifer Malone

MATERIALS

  • Eagles books (for reference as pictures): 101 Facts about Eagles by Julia Barnes, Exploring the World of Eagles by Tracy C. Read, Soaring Eagles by Charlotte Guillain, Eagles and Birds of Prey by Jemima Parry-Jones, Eagle by Terrence N. Ingram
  • Tape measure (world’s largest recorded eagle nest is 9 feet wide)
  • Human X-ray of arm (to demonstrate the parts of the eagle’s wing that are like ours)
  • Map (to show the local distance equivalent of 2 miles)

SHORT DESCRIPTION

We’ll be focusing our lesson on eagles and what it means to SOAR.

DISCUSSION POINTS

Eagles are very strong birds. They know where to build a nest, how to spot sources of food from the sky and how to care for their families. The confidence that lies within an eagle is within you, too.

CONNECTING CIRCLE

Children sit in a circle. Two children will be chosen to help measure the diameter of our circle. In the center of our circle will be a variety of eagle books from our public library that depict the different topics/poses that we’ll discuss. An eagle’s wing is in 2 sections. The first section is like our upper and lower arm, containing the humerus, radius, and ulna bones. Those bones help the eagle to be a strong flyer. The second portion of their wing is like our hand, used to control direction of flight. Think of it as a propeller. Awesome Anatomy, Ecological Echoes

POSES AS PATHWAYS TO LEARNING

Pretzel Sitting – Our circle represents an eagle’s nest. The largest nest ever recorded was 9 ft. in diameter. Circles are measured in diameter or radius because they are round. Ecological Echoes, Math Medley

Balloon Breath

Seated Twists (to the right and then left, repeat 2 x each side)

Build a Nest – Sitting tall through the crown of our heads, stretch your legs out into a comfortable V position; it doesn’t need to be wide. The eagle is so smart that when building a nest, he makes sure to build it with herbs as part of the final product so that it keeps bugs out and keeps it clean for his eaglets.

Eagles are most likely use the nest over and over again for a few years, so making a good home is key to their survival. The eagle’s nest is almost always within 1 mile of a water source, so that he has a constant source of food. Ecological Echoes

Seated Sun Salutation (begin in Hero pose)

  • Rise up on your knees, hands reaching up overhead
  • Hands down to the floor, for extended Child’s Pose
  • Push up to all 4’s in Table of Contents
  • Moo and Meow (repeat 2 times)
  • Back to extended Child’s Pose
  • Walk hands to legs and come up to seated position
  • Reach hands overhead and exhale as you lower hands to heart center

Eagle Eyes (Eyes Around the Clock) – Do the pose in a squat. Eagles have huge eyes for the size of their head, helping them to spot their food in daylight. The eyelids are see-through, too. Eagles can see up to 2 miles. Share with your students how far two miles might be for them based on their location. Ecological Echoes, Math Medley

Warrior Series with Affirmations – Eagles are confident in his choices of where to build a nest, how to care for his young. What things do you know how to do well? Affirmations, Echological Echoes

Tree Pose – The tree gives the eagle a home, up high away from predators. Create a “Forest of Trees” by connecting hands with one another as we grow strong together. Ecological Echoes, We All Win

Eagle Pose

QUIET QUESTS

Eagle Guided Imagery

Lie on your back with your arms and legs comfortably out to the side. Wiggle around a bit until you feel comfortable. Take a moment to notice your breath and listen to the sounds of the birds flying nearby. Enjoy the gentle breeze across your face, as you relax into your breath. Our eagle spreads his wings wide as he flies across the sky. He makes sure to safely care for his family by building a nest high in the trees. You hear the sound of the nearby water, as the eagle looks for his meal. The eagle uses his amazing eyesight to confidently hunt swooping down with his powerful wings Breathe in and out as you feel the wind fly over you. As your eagle returns to his nest, to rest enjoy a few moments to rest in your spot. When you’re ready, gently roll to your right and come up to seated. Reach your hands up overhead and lower them to our heart center. Namaste.

READING COMES ALIVE WITH YOGA
Choose from one of the books about eagles listed under materials.

CLOSING CIRCLE

There are many connections between the eagle and us, strength, courage, determination, and power. Namaste.