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Tense? Just Relax - Outcome B (4-6)-8

Ask your students to imagine a person carrying a heavy box. Now ask them to imagine what would happen if someone came up to that person carrying the box and cracked a joke. What would happen? Is it difficult to maintain strain (and for that matter stress) when you are laughing?

You bet. The person carrying the box would burst out laughing and drop the box. Laughter releases stress. A similar reaction to stress occurs after vigourous physical activity.

We seldom think of children of this age as facing stress. Stress is usually something we associate with the pressure of being an adult. But take a moment to think about the things that may be causing stress for your students. They feel the pressure of taking tests, friendships, and family relationships.

Have your students share experiences when physical activity helped them deal with stress. Now ask students to lie comfortably on the floor, face up. Students must be quiet with their eyes shut (use mats if you like).

Ask them to completely relax. Next ask them to tense each body part individually, starting with their toes and working up to their face. Hold the tensed muscles for six seconds, then relax. Again tighten, and relax. Then work down from the head to the toes. End with a full body tightening and relaxing.

Students should begin to feel a sense of relaxation. Make the connection for them between the tensing and relaxing of muscles as it relates to activity and the relaxation that comes from doing activity.

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