This post includes a link for the lesson, as well as brief history of the gladiators.
Ancient Roman Gladiators (in PE?)
This is a lifelong project for me — a mission to design lessons that teach academic concepts and fundamental movement patterns at the same time.
Ultimately, choosing teams is not just an SEL exercise for students—it’s also a test of restraint and observation for adults. As teachers, our instinct is to solve problems quickly. But Montessori reminds us: never do for the child what they can do for themselves.
When I first encountered this material, I was inspired to translate its central concept into movement. If the boxes shrink step by step, why not have the playing area shrink in a game to give students a physical, visceral experience of the same idea?
