What did I just witness?! I had never heard of cheese rolling until this course, and I now have a new obsession: learning everything there is to know about this non-traditional sport! The event, which is called The Cooper's Hill and Cheese-Rolling Wake in Gloucestershire England, is an annual event held on the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper's Hill near Brockworth.

Starting at the top of the 200-yard long hill with a slope of about 50%, participants race after a 7-9 lb. wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. The competitors aim to catch the cheese; however, the cheese has a one-second headstart and can reach high speeds that can potentially knock over and injure a spectator. The winner is the first person to make it over the finish line, and he or she takes home the cheese. Multiple races take place during the day, with separate events for men and women, and there are uphill races for children. After the race, there is a festival. In 2013, The Guardian called it "a world-famous event," with winners coming from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States.

Fun Facts:

• In 2005, 4,000 people attended the event. In 2009, it rose to 15,000.

• The wake (festival) is estimated to be hundreds of years old and was first recorded in 1826, but even then it was recognized as an ancient tradition.

• The cheese wheel has been reported to reach speeds of 70 mph.

• Some reported injuries:

  • snapped thighbone,

  • a 59 year-old grandmother was knocked out by a cheese wheel,

  • in 1997, up to 37 people were reportedly injured, including 7 spectators. It was so bad that the following year it was cancelled for safety concerns, but it resumed in 1999.

    
    

    Community and Subculture:

  The event is deeply rooted in tradition among locals. Thousands of spectators and fun-seekers attend the annual event. You definitely have to be an adrenaline junkie to participate in the event. The event has evolved from a local event to gathering international appeal. Media and online platforms have promoted the event and share the excitement of the event through videos and interviews.

  
  

How Can I Use Non-Traditional Sports to Engage Readers and Writers:

This was so much fun to learn about, and I went down the rabbit hole on this topic! I can see using non-traditional sports as an opportunity to teach students research skills. I can see students creating a "how to" writing piece explaining how to prepare for a specific non-traditional sport. I could see students writing persuasive pieces, for example: why we should have a chess club at school or why the cheese rolling event should be banned (ABSOLUTELY NOT!). I could ask students to make a literary connection, such as asking students to justify why a particular non-traditional sport would be a good fit for a character. Students could even create a found poem or a shape poem to demonstrate what they learned after reading about a non-traditional sport.

Why I Chose This Sport:

It's a sport that involves cheese! Need I say more? This is now on my bucket list!

But understanding it intellectually and witnessing its human impact are two completely different things.

That difference became real when I met Dean Gillespie and heard his story. This is his story.

My lesson plan is loosely based on sports... but more so about those who find new beginnings in the face of adversity.

Anyway, I chose to write about e-sports because I've always wondered how they work, especially since they are gaining popularity.

I didn't focus my lesson on one specific social justice issue. Instead, I created a lesson that would give students some choice, especially when dealing with topics that many in my district would consider controversial.

Well. This is wild. I had never taken the time to learn how you do Roller Derby. It is intense. It involves a TON of hip checking. The scoring system involves a jammer to try to pass a certain # of players through strategy within a restricted period of time. It is very physical (it did remind me of rugby).

In an article I read, "roller derby has one of the highest percentages of participants with advanced degrees of any sport."

Studies consistently show that a huge portion of derby players are teachers, librarians, social workers, nurses, and other helping professionals. The sport attracts intelligent, independent women who want an outlet that's completely different from their day jobs.

One interesting thing about Roller Derby is that a common misconception is that it is only for "alternative or tough women" and that it's not fake (like professional wrestling).

My dad remembers there being a Roller Derby presence in Cincinnati and it being televised on Sunday afternoons. So I looked up the Cinci Rollergirls and they have a presence in Cincinnati, KY and Columbus, Ohio.

I think that with any topic in any classroom, it is so imperative to introduce students to things they may have zero schema or prior knowledge about. I would often use things like a random roller derby video or a chess competition and have students write in their journals about it.

It's an opportunity for students to think outside of themselves (perspective), hear from classmates who may be connected to it, and a way for them to grow a more global perspective. I love exposing my students to things that aren't "mainstream!"

For my portfolio I'm doing "Sports Week"(and hoping to do one each quarter) but I can see this fitting anywhere throughout the year!

As a sidenote during our Holocaust unit we use the timeline resource cards from USHMM. I think this project above would support students in analyzing a timeline. I learned about this from the OWP course I took two summers ago on teaching the Holocaust. If you don't have a copy of cards this is where you can request them! (they're free) https://engage.ushmm.org/request-timeline-cards.html

How to we bring joy and connection to the classroom?

I created a lesson plan for ELA 10 and combined a lot of resources, ideas from our Sports Literacy class.

This unit celebrates student voice, incorporates current events, and builds practical literacy skills while keeping engagement high during the post-testing period.

I would love for students to work in partners and groups as much as possible to bridge social connection and story telling. Offer student voice and choice (students can find their own non-traditional sports to research, bring in their favorite sports scandal or 30 for 30 story, etc), interview a family member about sports.

Tactile, hands-on activities would be awesome to weave in as well (trading cards, Zines, etc).

The Sports Journalism Resources gave me the idea to add sports writing to the genre list, and I am so excited about it! I include several sports-based SWT prompts each quarter, so I know students who are interested in sports will have something already written. I think including this as an option will fill a gap for some of my students who aren't really interested in anything else, especially at the beginning of the year. I am looking forward to building out this genre and finding mentor texts that fit!

I have attached the mini-checklists for the genres they can choose from with the new one I created for sports writing at the top. I set these up in revision stations. Each station highlights a different genre and has a stack of the mini-checklists, copies of mentor texts, and suggestions of things they can do to revise their writing to make it fit the genre.

Also, this gives me a gentle entry point into using mentor texts with both the spoken word poetry and the graphic novel excerpt to help students begin noticing and then to make something their own.

I will include some directions on slides to help navigate what information to include.

I know this will become a catapult to help me learn about what drives them and a little about their dedication to their passion as well as their professional heroes. As an introductory lesson, it will also become evident pacing, modifications necessary for IEP students, technology skills and motivation.

As for the hand print, it was actually my son who drew symbols on his hands. I was going to use color shading like Ervick but I liked his idea better.

What I will be submitting for my portfolio is a fully built unit with links to all activities. I have done most of it and am pretty happy with how it is shaping up. I would love feedback on anything you think may be missing. (I still have to create the mini-lesson for using AI for context, add to my objectives, and add the skills I will be focusing on.)

Audience: High School Staff (Approx. 50 educators)
Duration: 60 minutes

Objective:

• To foster community and build relationships through personal storytelling

• To creatively reflect on different identities

• To model a fun, meaningful, and replicable classroom literacy strategy

  
  

1. Welcome & Warm-Up (10 minutes)

• Greet staff with summer-themed treats (popsicles, lemonade, tropical decor).

• Play a fun playlist as staff arrive.
  

• Briefly introduce the idea: “We’re creating Trading Cards—one of your summer selves and one of your high school selves—to reflect, connect, and have some fun together.”
  

2. Read & Reflect: Gerchick's Trading Cards and History of Card Trading (10 minutes)

• Pass around sample trading cards and ask:
  

  • What makes a great trading card?
    

  • What does this teach us about honoring identity?
    

  • How could this work with students in the fall?

3. Modeling: Teacher Shares Example (5 minutes)

• Present two example cards:
  

  • "Summer Gretchen" – A relaxed assistant principal who loves golfing, porch hangs, and traveling.
    

  • "Vice Principal Gretchen" – satirical approach to my role as AP
    

• Share how the format allows for fun and depth.

4. Creation Time: Staff Create Two Cards (20–25 minutes)

• Each person makes:
  

  • Front: Their name, image (drawn or photo), “superpower,” nickname, summer song, or quote.
    

  • Back: Fun facts, passion, top skill, “card stats,” or fun challenge.
    

  • Two Versions:
    

    1. Summer Edition
       

    2. High School Edition
       

• Allow for creativity!
  

5. Card Sharing & Connection (15–20 minutes)

• Staff pair up or form small groups to “trade” cards.
  

• Encourage storytelling:
  

  • What’s the most surprising or delightful thing you learned?
    

  • What song or snack defines your high school self?
    

• Optional: Create a gallery wall or lay cards out like a yearbook table.

6. Closing Circle & Debrief (5 minutes)

• Reflect on how this simple format:
  

  • Helped you see your colleagues in a new way.
    

  • Can create belonging and celebration in classrooms.
    

  • Models writing with voice, audience, and creativity.
    

• Pose the question: How can we use identity play like this with our students next year?
  

Extensions/Variations:

• Create a digital card version (using Canva or Google Slides).
  

• Make a “Deck of the Department” for new teacher orientation.
  

• Use card decks in homerooms/Sources of Strength
  

• Include student cards in Open House or Parent Night.
  

Outcomes:

• Strengthened staff culture and connection

• Playful, personal insight into each other’s lives

• Literacy strategy modeled for future use with students

• A reminder that we are all more than our job titles—then and now.