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Grades 2-up
News Content
A 13-year-old California boy hopes to become the youngest person to scale Mount Everest.
Anticipation Guide
Write the word continent on a board or chart. Ask students to identify the names of the worlds seven continents
Next, write the word Everest on the board. Ask any students to share information they know about Mount Everest. Then you might share some additional facts:
News Words
Next, introduce these words that appear in the News Word Box on the students printable page: difficulty, achieve, accomplish, proven, attempt, and accompany. Discuss the meanings of any of those words that might be unfamiliar. Then ask students to use one of those words to complete each of these sentences:
Read the News
Click for a printable version of this weeks news story Will Jordan Romero Make It to the Top of the World?.
More Facts to Share
You might share this CBS video in which Jordan talks about this planned trek up Mount Everest.
Jordan Romero has already climbed the highest mountains on five of the seven continents:
By the end of the 2008 climbing season, about 2,700 individuals had climbed Mount Everest. More than 200 had lost their lives in the attempt.
Many climbers consider the climb up Mount Denali to be more technically difficult than the ascent to the peak of Everest. Weather conditions and breathing difficulties at high altitudes can make the Everest climb more brutal.
"Mountain climbing requires a lot of mental training and making smart decisions. It's a metaphor for life," Jordan told the Associated Press. When pressed about the dangers of the climb, he said he considers himself ready and that his age should not be a consideration at all. I want to do something big," he told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and I just happen to be 13."
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Jordan's mother, Leigh Anne Drake, is not a mountain climber, but she said she supports her son even if she is nervous. "I'm on a roller coaster," she said. "From the second he leaves my arms until he's back, it's like I can't breathe and I can't cry. But at the same time, I'm so overjoyed that's he's getting the chance to do and see all of these amazing things." She said Jordan is taking two months of homework to Nepal so he can keep up with school.
The total cost of Jordans Everest expedition is about $150,000. Climbers must pay for a license to climb, which costs about $25,000 per climber. In addition, they pay their sherpas, or guides. Three sherpas will accompany Jordan, his father, and his fathers girlfriend.
Atmospheric pressure at the peak of Everest is about a third that of sea-level. That can lead to breathing difficulties, mental sluggishness, and other serious medical problems. Those dangers as well as falls and avalanches have claimed the lives of many climbers.
Temba Tsheri, a 16-year-old boy from Nepal, is the youngest climber to have conquered Everest to date. His record may soon fall.
Jordan Romero and his team await the start of their climb from their base camp on the Chinese side of the mountain. They are spending a few weeks there getting acclimated to the conditions as they wait for the window of opportunity to begin the climb. You can follow the progress of their climb at jordanromero.com.
Use the News
Use the News: Answer Key
Reading Comprehension. 1.g, 2.b, 3.j, 4.a, 5.h, 6.d, 7.e, 8.f, 9.i, 10.c.
Language Practice: Word Use. 1.c, 2.b, 3.d, 4.a, 5.b, 6.a.
Follow-Up Activities
Geography. Provide students with a world outline map (alternate map source) and have them plot and label the locations of the worlds Seven Summits, the highest place on each of the seven continents.
Mountain | Feet (height) | Location: Country (Continent) |
Everest | 29,029 feet | Nepal/Tibet (Asia) |
Aconcagua | 22,840 feet | Argentina (South America) |
Denali (Mount McKinley) | 20,320 feet | Alaska (North America) |
Kilimanjaro | 19,339 feet | Tanzania (Africa) |
Elbrus | 18,481 feet | Russia (Europe) |
Vinson Massif | 16,067 feet | Ellsworth Range (Antarctica) |
Carstensz Pyramid | 16,023 feet | Indonesia (Oceania) |
Assessment
Use the Use the News printable activity page as an assessment (answers above). Or have students work on their own (in their journals) or in their small groups to respond to the Think About the News question on the news story page.
Lesson Plan Source
Education WorldNational Standards
LANGUAGE ARTS: English
MATHEMATICS: Measurement
GRADES Pre-K - 2
NM-MEA.PK-2.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
GRADES 3 - 5
NM-MEA.3-5.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-MEA.6-8.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
GRADES 9 - 12
NM-MEA.9-12.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH: Physical Education
GRADES K - 12
NPH.K-12.3 Physical Activity
NPH.K-12.4 Physical Fitness
NPH.K-12.5 Responsible Behavior
NPH.K-12.7 Understanding Challenges
SOCIAL SCIENCES: Geography
GRADES K - 12
NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial Terms
See recent news stories in Education Worlds News Story of the Week Archive.
Article by Gary Hopkins
Education World®
Copyright © 2010 Education World
04/29/2010