If you’ve visited the Individual Lessons section of the Montessori Physical Education website lately, you may have noticed something new — a small red tag next to several lessons that says “New Update 2025.”
Those tags mark lessons that have recently been reworked, refined, and improved based on classroom experience, historical discoveries, and feedback from teachers across our community.
A couple of weeks ago, I expanded the Sportsmanship lesson with a more thoughtful mantra for upper elementary students — one that better captures the spirit of cooperation and reflection at that age. Today, I’m excited to share updates to three more lessons: Photosynthesis, Timeline of Life, and Cricket and Wicket.
⚾ Cricket and Wicket: A Historical Twist
The Cricket and Wicket lesson received a historical deep dive this month. While revisiting the material, I added much more context around Wicket, the Americanized version of Cricket that was actually played by Revolutionary soldiers — including George Washington himself.
Along the way, I also uncovered new evidence that led to a small but meaningful change in the game's target setup. It’s not a significant overhaul, but for those who love uncovering the hidden stories behind our sports (and I definitely do), it’s a fun and worthwhile update that adds depth and authenticity to the lesson.
🌿 Photosynthesis: Simplified and Strengthened
When I revisited the Photosynthesis lesson, I realized something felt off — it didn’t quite match the version I remembered writing. After digging deeper, I discovered that an earlier update I had made hadn’t been fully incorporated into the published lesson.
So, I went back and made sure this version finally reflected the improvements I had envisioned:
Simplified rules and clearer instructions for both teachers and students.
Streamlined gameplay that captures the essential ideas of photosynthesis while staying fun and active.
New, easy-to-read diagrams created in Canva (a significant visual upgrade from my old software).
The result is a lesson that’s more intuitive to teach and more engaging for students — a win for both sides of the gym.
🦴 Timeline of Life: Expanding for Upper Elementary
The Timeline of Life lesson also received a major update. I added a brand new 9–12 version that builds on the foundation of the original while offering more depth and challenge for upper elementary students.
The teacher instructions have been rewritten for clarity, and — like the other updated lessons — it now includes improved visuals and diagrams. This version has already been a hit with my students, who loved seeing how the new elements fit into the familiar flow of the game.
Why These Updates Matter
These updates are more than just edits — they’re part of a bigger promise. When I created the Lifetime Membership, it wasn’t simply about giving permanent access to the existing collection. It was about ensuring that every Montessori PE educator always has the most current, tested, and refined version of each lesson.
This is a lifelong project for me — a mission to design lessons that teach academic concepts and fundamental movement patterns at the same time. The goal has always been to make learning fun, physical, and meaningful. And sometimes, that means revisiting older lessons to simplify, expand, or reimagine them.
What’s Next
I already have three more updates in progress and a brand new lesson currently being tested with my students. Once it’s refined, it will join the growing collection of lessons available to all members.
To those who have emailed recently sharing success stories about implementing these lessons — thank you. Hearing that these activities are helping students learn and move joyfully means the world to me.
We’re all on this journey together — teachers, students, and lifelong learners — and I’m deeply grateful to share it with you.