TA Loeffler's Adventures that Move

We have come to the end of the Everest 3.0 Curriculum and we (the curriculum team and I) thank you for your participation! If you enjoyed following The Everest 3.0 Expedition, we invite you to continue following  T.A. on future adventures!

I (TA) would like to send many thank yous out!

Special thanks to the Everest Curriculum Team (Nicole, Jaymee, Kirsten, Emily, and Tiffany) for all of their hard work in preparing the learning materials and web posts.

Thanks to all of the cooperating teachers who shared the curriculum with their classes.

Thanks to my teammates and expedition staff.

Thanks to the Newfoundland and Labrador Credit Union for their support of Everest 3.0 as well!

Thanks to all who followed and supported me before, during, and since the expedition.  Please give yourselves a hug from me and consider yourself invited to follow along anytime!

I’m looking forward to many micro/mini adventures over the summer, gardening, and our big trip to Labrador in August.  Please stay tuned.

Find Your Fit! is a provincial physical activity promotions/communications campaign designed to get individuals motivated and moving towards healthy, active living.  The Find Your Fit! website is an excellent resource for physical activity throughout the lifespan.

Quote for the Day

Walking shares with making and working that crucial element of engagement of the body and the mind with the world, of knowing the world through the body and the body through the world.
― Rebecca Solnit

Did You Know?

The Himalayas are one of the youngest mountain ranges in the world.

Find Your Fit Fact

It’s good to have a hat when walking as it shields your face and head from the sun and thus can keep you cooler (which usually translates into being able to longer distances).

Activity Suggestion:

Warm-up: Avalanche Tag

Equipment:

• 2-4 pinnies

Background Information: Explain to the student that when climbing mountains there is a chance that an avalanche could happen. Knowing how to stay safe if you find yourself caught in an avalanche is important for climbers. To increase you chance of being rescued they say to reach your limbs or something else long (like a ski pole, etc) up through the snow to increase your chances of being found.

Instructions: Choose 2-4 students to be ‘it’ and they will wear the pinnies, they will be avalanches. They must try to tag the other students in the designated playing area. If they tag someone they must lie on their back as if they got caught in an avalanche, putting hands and feet in the air to increase the chance of being rescued. If a student who is not ‘it’ tags them they are rescued and can continue to play. You can change taggers periodically.

Activity: Mount Everest Scavenger Hunt

Worksheet: Appendix M

Equipment:

• List of questions for each team
• 4-5 sets (depending on the number of groups) of letters that will spell out EVEREST, which has the answer to each question on the corresponding letter.

Background Information: This activity will test the student’s basic knowledge of Mount Everest that they may have learned over the last 7 weeks. Each letter has the answer to one of the questions and the objective of this activity if for each team to answer all the questions and spell out Everest. The team must work together to answer each question and if they need help after thinking about it first they can ask the teacher for help. View appendix M.

Set up: Scatter all sets of letter to spell out EVEREST throughout the gym or playing area.

Instructions: Divide the student into 4-5 groups and give each team a list of questions. For each question the students will find the answer in the playing area with a letter on it. The goal is to spell Everest by getting all the questions correct. Each team must try to answer the question then go out to find the answer and the corresponding letter on it.

Note: Depending on the class you can make a rule that they must answer the questions in order and it has to be checked to make sure it is correct before they can move on.

Appendix M

Mount Everest Scavenger Hunt Questions

1. Mount Everest is ________ meters high?
2. It takes about ____ days to climb Mount Everest?
3. _________ was the first female to climb Mount Everest?
4. _________ climb Mount Everest as a job for climbing expertise and to help support their families?
5. Mount Everest is located on this continent?
6. Mount Everest grows about ____ inches per year?
7. Mount Everest is the _______ of the seven summits? 

Mount Everest Scavenger Hunt – Answer Key 

1. Mount Everest is ________ meters high? E – 8848
2. It takes about ____ days to climb Mount Everest? V – 40
3. _________ was the first female to climb Mount Everest? E – Junko Tebei
4. _________ climb Mount Everest as a job for climbing expertise and to help support their families? R – Sherpas
5. Mount Everest is located on this continent? E – Asia
6. Mount Everest grows about ____ inches per year? S – 0.25
7. Mount Everest is the _______ of the seven summits? T – Highest

For printable version click here:

Mt. Everest Scavenger Hunt Question and Answer Key

Quote of the Day:

“You know what they say, man. It’s not the altitude, it’s the attitude” – Scott Fischer

Did You Know?

It takes 40 days to climb Everest to give the body time to adjust to the high elevations

Activity Suggestion: 

How Far Did TA Travel?

Objective: This activity teaches students how to find distances on maps in order to find out how far TA has travelled to get to Nepal.

Instructions:

1. Use the St.John’s to London map provided to show the students how you record distances on maps using scales. Use a hard copy of the map or an electronic copy opened on a smart board to demonstrate the activity. This can be completed by following these steps:
   1. Find an object that can be used to measure the length of the scale (ie. String or a measuring stick).
   2. After measuring the length of the scale, use the object to measure the line provided between destinations.
   3. Count how many times this object fills the line including the left over space (ie. 10 and 3 quarters or 7 and a half.)
   4. Then times this number by the number presented on the scale. (ex. 100km)
   5. The resulting number is the amount of kilometers it took TA to get from one destination to another.
2. As a class or in groups try to determine the distance TA travelled on the second two maps using the same steps.
3. Add all three map kilometers together to determine how many kilometers TA travelled to get to Nepal!

See the links below for Map’s for this activity.

Map 1 St John’s to London

Map 2 London to New Delhi

Map 3 New Delhi to Kathmandu

Quote of the Day:

“I’m climbing Mount Everest… because I can… because to be able to climb that high and see that kind of beauty that nobody ever sees, it’d be a crime not to” – Doug Hansen

Did You Know?

First woman to summit mount Everest was Junko Tebei on May 16^th, 1975

Activity Suggestion:

T.A.’s Backpack

Objective: The goal of this activity is to get the class talking about packing backpacks while exercising memory. Encourage students to remember terms they have learned in previous lessons.

Instructions:

1. Arrange the class to sit in a circle. For this activity we will use the catchphrase: “To Everest I will bring…”

The first person will finish the phrase by chossing an item that starts with the same letter as their name.

E.g. T.A. could say “To Everest I will bring a tent”.

2. The next person will repeat back “You are bringing _________, and to Everest I will bring_________”.
3. This will continue around the circle until everyone has thought of something to bring.
4. For added challenge, ask participants to recall everyone’s items.

E.g. We have packed ____________, ____________, ___________, and _________, and to Everest I will bring ____________”.

Quote of the Day:

“The mountain is not in your way, it is your way” – Unknown

Did You Know? 

There are no plants above 5,750 meters on Mount Everest.

Activity Suggestion:

Whiteout, Wind Storm, Avalanche!!

There are many risks to watch out for while climbing Mount Everest.  Some include:

1. Avalanches
2. Wind storms
3. Falling rocks
4. Frostbite
5. Whiteout conditions
6. Dehydration
7. Exhaustion
8. Illness

Equipment:

• None required.

Instructions: Have the students stand at one end of the gymnasium or large area (i.e. field) Choose one student to be ‘it’. Have the rest of the students choose between, whiteout, wind storm, and Avalanche. The student who is ‘it’ will shout out one of these risks and the students who had chosen that same risk will run to the other side trying not to be tagged by the student who is ‘it’. The students who get tagged have to freeze in the place they were tagged. The student who is ‘it’ will then call out another risk. The game continues until all students are tagged.

Quote of the Day: “There is a yeti [or fear] in the back of everyone’s mind; but the blessed are not haunted by it.” [Old Sherpa wisdom]

Did You Know?

There are two main climbing routes of Mount Everest; the southeast ridge from Nepal, and the north ridge from Tibet

Activity Suggestion:

Storytelling

Instructions: Read aloud a traditional Sherpa folk tale to the class ask them to pay attention and see if they can find the moral of the story. After the story is read facilitate a discussion about the folk tale. Ask the students what they think the moral of the story is? Did they enjoy the story? Do they know of a folk tale or story that sends a similar message?

Optional: Did the class enjoy the folk tale activity and want to try something else? As a class try and write your own folk tale! The folk tale can be about anything the group chooses, or stay on the Everest theme.

Story: Befriending a Yeti

One night a lama was sitting at his place not far from Mount Everest. He was keeping one of his silent vigils over the moonlit world of men and creatures. While he was praying for their salvation, a huge Yeti stole up on him in order to kill him. But in the lama’s peaceful presence the yeti forgot it, and with gentle gestures the ragged monk welcomed his huge visitor. For the first time in his life the horrible Yeti felt accepted; it made his untrammeled spirit soar with an unspeakable relief.

The lama now began to treat his visitor as part of his household in order to sow some seeds of peace in his heart. Little grows so high up in the mountains, far above the treeline, but from that day on the Yeti brought fresh meat to him and tried to please him thus.

Years slipped by, and the lama grew old and infirm. But the mighty yeti continued to bring him food, collect firewood, and carry water from a nearby stream. Again and again the saintly sage prayed for his friend.

One evening, after there had been a great avalanche nearby, the Yeti did not return to the old lama’s place, as he used to do. The lama went out to seek him by moonlight and found him many hours later. He lay dead at the bottom of the avalanche.

It is also told that he later gave the skull of the Yeti as a treasured relic to the monastery at Pangboche.

Story retrieved from:

TheGoldScales.(2002).TibetanFolkTales.Retrievedfrom http://oaks.nvg.org/tibetales.html#2

Click the link for a printable copy:

Story Telling Activity

Happy Find Your Fit Friday to ALL! TA is the ambassador for Recreation Newfoundland and Labrador’s Find Your Fit Campaign. How are you finding your fit?

Find Your Fit! is a provincial physical activity promotions/communications campaign designed to get individuals motivated and moving towards healthy, active living.  The Find Your Fit! website is an excellent resource for physical activity throughout the lifespan.

Quote for the Day

There is this to be said for walking: it is the one method of human locomotion by which a man or woman proceeds erect, upright, proud and independent, not squatting on the haunches like a frog. Little boys love machines. Grown-up men and women like to walk.
― Edward Abbey

Did You Know?

The snow capped mountains of Nepal were named Himalaya because the word translates as “the abode of snow”.

Find Your Fit Fact

Walking helps those people who have diabetes. Walking for about 30 minutes a day helps to prevent type 2 diabetes and also helps to balance out blood sugar levels for those with the disease.

Activity Suggestion:

Warm-up: Icefall Trail Tag

Equipment:

• No equipment required

Background Information: When on climbing expeditions it is important for the climbers’ safety to stay on the designated trail, like the icefall train on Everest. This trail can change every year and even several times a year. The trail is mapped out by the professional sherpa’s for the safest route to climb. Staying on the designated trail can reduce the chance of coming upon dangerous situations like a crevasse (deep cracks in the ice).

Instructions: Choose 1-2 student to be ‘it’, who have to tag the other students. In this tag game (like pac man tag), the students and taggers must stay on the lines on the gym floor, representing the icefall trails. Choose 1-2 student to be ‘it’; they must try to tag the other students, who then becomes the new person ‘it’. Explain to the students that when changing lines it must be at an intersection, no jumping from line to line.

Activity: Across the Crevasse

Equipment:

• 2 mats per group

Background Information: A crevasse is a deep crack in the ice that are commonly seen on Everest that climbers’ must cross over safely. Climbers’ will use ladders to climb over the crevasse that go from one edge to the other.

Instructions: In this activity the student will imitate crossing over a crevasse with their teammates. Using 2 mats per team they must go across the crevasse (from on end of the gym to the other) while staying on the mats and not touching the floor. The team must work together to figure out how to more across the gym successfully and safely, imitating crossing a crevasse. If a student touches the floor the whole team must start over. The first team to reach the end of the gym wins, as they are the first team to cross the crevasse successfully and safely.

Quote of the Day:

“Sometimes we worry a little too much about the height of the mountain before us when we should be thankful to be given the opportunity of climbing it” – Kiplimo Chemirmir

Did you Know?

More than 5,000 people have climbed Mount Everest, where about 77% of those have reached the summit

Activity Suggestion:

Explorer Scavenger Hunt

Objective: Teach students how they can explore in their own backyards.

Instructions:

1.        Take kids outside and supply them with the scavenger hunt list.

Click the link below for the ‘Explorer Scavenger Hunt’ activity sheet.

Explorer Scavenger Hunt Activity Sheet

Congrats to Pemba on his first Everest summit last night. He was our youngest Sherpa on the team and he worked very hard for us. I’m glad he was able to make the top as it will be very beneficial to his climbing career.

Team Update:

“Our team is on their way down. Pemba summited early this morning around 0330, in the dark. Bill was unable to summit due to exhaustion. He is OK and on his way to C2 with Jangbu, Nima and Pemba. Ade is also descending to BC from C2. Everyone still has to pass through the icefall one more time, please pass on positive thoughts.”

My congrats and consolations to Bill and Ade. I know the mix of emotions they are likely to be feeling. I wish them safe passage to base camp and home, a quick recovery from the ravages of high altitude, and I’m eager to chat with them to hear their stories of their summit bid and surviving the storm at Camp Three! Well done guys! It was a privilege climbing with you both.

Summit Bid Tonight

Here is the latest from my teammates:

Bill and Ade woke to clear weather on Wednesday morning and set off for the South Col. Ade decided it would be best to return to camp and rest and regroup preparing for another attempt tomorrow. Everybody climbs their own mountain and it’s imperative to pay attention to your body. Bill, Pemba, Nima, and Jangbu continued on up to Camp 4. The windswept shoulder at 26,300 is a significant step in every expedition. Here climbers cross into the 8,000 meter zone where the human body will simply not recover. Every moment counts at this altitude and the High Adventures Expedition team is making their time count by pushing on. After a few hours rest and rehydration at the South Col, the team set off for the summit at 7PM. They have twelve hours of hard work ahead of them and all of our thoughts and prayers behind them!

Best wishes to Bill, Pemba, Nima, and Pemba tonight…it’s currently 2:00 am in Nepal and if all is going well they are likely halfway to the summit about now.

Special Thanks to MacDonald Drive Elementary Pod Fours

I received a special package yesterday from the MacDonald Drive Elementary Pod Fours. There were many letters with wonderful pictures on the back. I sat in my favourite chair and read every letter aloud and savoured each child’s words. I was touched by their concern for my health, that they see me as never giving up, and that sometimes it takes more than one or two or three tries to reach your goal. Thank you very much!

Special Thanks to Bonne Bay Academy

Today I received a package in the mail from Bonne Bay Academy that was also delightful. I loved the many renditions of my Journey’s End photograph and the many quotes the students chose to share with me. Another wonderful pick-me up. Thanks very much.

Update on Me

I saw the ENT doc this morning and he believes my situation isn’t being caused by an inner ear difficulty so we’re on a continued path of investigation. I can manage a few hours up and about and then need to get to where I can sit quietly so it’s a bit different pace than I’m used to. I found something called Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS) that matches much of what I’m experiencing so I’ll ask about that-the good news is that it should likely pass and soon I hope to be back to full speed ahead. Thanks for all your well wishes and support.

Quote of the Day:

“One climbs a mountain not to conquer it, but to be lifted away from the earth up into the sky” – Russell Banks

Did You Know?

The world’s tallest building and the tallest man-made structure at 829m high is located in Dubai. Everest is more than TEN times its height.

Activity Suggestion:

Raccoon Circles

Objective: Promote and practice the importance of teamwork.

Teamwork is very important to mountaineers. They must be able to work well with others and practice problem solving to climb and summit mountains safely and efficiently. Today your class will be working on team work activities. The learning goal is to practice cooperation and team problem solving.

Equipment:

• Nylon rope: 4.6 meters of rope per group, we recommend groups of 6-8.
• Activity: This activity is divided into three parts; each part is explained below.
• Tying the raccoon circles:

Instructions:

1. Start by tying a simple (but loose) overhand knot in one end of the Raccoon Circle webbing, with a short tail (less than 2 inches is fine). Because of the flat webbing, this overhand knot will remain very flat. This first knot is the “teacher” or “mentor” knot.
2. Next travel the length of the webbing, unwinding and untwisting the webbing as you go, and hold the opposite end of the webbing. This end is the “student” end of the webbing. The student does everything the teacher does, they just happen to do it backwards. This means that (first), the student looks directly at the teacher (each tail end of the webbing nearly touches). Next, the student “doubles” the teacher by following the same path as the teacher backwards. This involves following the webbing, and finally tucking the student end of the webbing into the teacher knot, leaving about a 1 or 2-inch-long tail. Now pull the opposite sides of the knot to secure it (Cain, n.d., retrieved from: http://www.teamworkandteamplay.com/resources/raccooncircles.pdf)

Optional Activities:

Over and Under: For this activity there will groups of six participants per raccoon circle. The first person will put the raccoon circle over their shoulder like a purse. The group will then link hands. The goal of this activity is get the rope all the way around the circle without the participants letting go of each other’s hands. It must travel down the arm of the first person and the next person must step through the circle and pass it down their arm to the next person and so on.

Synchronizing: For this activity there will be six participants per raccoon circle. For each group, number participants as follows: 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2.

On the group leaders command all of the “1”s will lean in towards the centre of the circle and come back to starting position. From the starting position, on the group leaders command, the “2”s will lean in towards the centre of the circle and return back to starting position. This will practice coordination and balance.

Pizza Toss: For this activity the goal is to make the knot in the rope make it all the way around the circle by tossing the it in the air, like the tossing of a pizza. Each group will have to coordinate to toss and turn simultaneously. Once the group is familiar with the motion the instructor can have the groups race. The first group to get their knot all the around the circle and back to the starting person wins. Try tossing the pizza in both directions.

I spent much of Sunday in the garden with Marian preparing our plot for planting in a few weeks. We were doing some weeding…and I had a few thoughts…I’ll get back to those in a bit after a few updates.

My Teammates
Folks have been asking about how Ade and Bill are making out. Here is the latest update I have about their progress towards the summit: “Bill and Ade are at Camp 3 – they’re strong and well, but it’s windy so they’re waiting for weather before the move up to Camp 4 (south col).” It sounds like it’s going well so far and I have all of my body parts crossed for them for safe trip to the summit and home.

Amit was stricken by sudden onset acute mountain sickness on his way through the icefall. He was evacuated by helicopter to Kathmandu and is now doing fine but his climb for this year, like mine, is over.

Me
I visited the doctor here yesterday. She believes that the rapid descent by helicopter may have altered the position of my balance crystals in my left ear resulting in the some of the symptoms I’ve been having since leaving the hospital. I’m on a medication that’s supposed to help and I have an appointment with an ENT specialist in the morning for the Epley maneuver to help move the crystals back to where they need to be so I can feel like myself again. They have also ordered a few other tests to make sure all is well. I’m hopeful that I’ll soon be back to 100% and able to participate in all the physical activities that I love.

The Weeds
Marian is fond of saying the best revenge for garden weeds is to eat them. She’s quite knowledgable about wild edibles in general and which garden “weeds” are also edible. It can feel like a bonus when we eat Chick Weed or Dandelions…like a two for one special at the store. As I weeded and wove-the ear thing makes me a bit unstable of my feet-I thought about Everest and some of the lessons I would take from this attempt. Of course, the disappointment is still there-it pokes it’s head up every now and again like a fresh weed in spring. I pluck it out. It appears somewhere else. I think it about it some more. Pluck the weed. Go forward. Pluck the weed. I know from past experience that as time passes, the disappointment will poke through less and less and more of the the fine and fun memories will prevail.

In the meantime, I had the imagine of eating the weeds. By this I mean accepting the lessons that I’ve been offered by the experience. I mean enjoying the reflection process. Diving deep into the rich soil of the intellectual, spiritual, and physical parts of the expedition and all they have taught me. Making note of what I see contributed to how it played out, what I might do differently and what I might keep and take forward into future expeditions. Looking at the weeds/life lessons as nourishment-as deep green yummy vitamins for rich growth-rather than something pesky to be eliminated. By eating the weeds, I can harvest the lush yet unexpected/unanticipated narratives that might have been buried in the dirt. By picking, preparing, and “cooking” both the weeds and the harvest from the expedition, I am taking all that I can from this patch of expedition ground.

I’ve been receiving many get well wishes and congratulations. As many of you know, I love young people’s art. I love how green this mountain landscape is and it feels fitting to close this update with it. Thanks for all of your support and kind thoughts as I transition back from Everest and Nepal. It’s means a tremendous amount to me and helps me move from there to here. Much appreciated.

Quote of the Day:

“The best view comes after the hardest climb” – Unknown

Did You Know?

During the climbing season (May) the average temperature is -20C

Activity Suggestion:

Weather Research

Using a computer search the weather is like today on Mount Everest and compare it with what the weather is like today in St. John’s.

yak 1

Quote of the Day:

“People do not wander around and then find themselves at the top of Mount Everest. You hit what you aim at, and if you aim at nothing you will hit it every time” – Zig Ziglar

Did you Know?

An Indian woman named Arunima Sinha was the first female amputee to climb Everest. Arunima lost her leg after she was thrown from a moving train.

Activity Suggestion:

Sherpa Says

Objective: Expose the students to Sherpa’s and their roles.

Play Simon Says using the Everest theme, change the name Simon to Sherpa and the actions/commands can be mountain themed.

Background Information: Sherpa’s are very experienced climbers. When climbing Mount Everest every climber will be paired with a Sherpa that will guide and assist the climber while on the Mountain. Sherpa’s will also help fix some of the latter’s, and ropes that are on the climbing route.

Instructions: One person will be Sherpa and they will stand at the front of the group. The Sherpa must safety guide the group up the mountain. It is important to listen to the commands of the Sherpa. However, the players must only follow when the sentence begins with “Sherpa says…”. If Sherpa gives a command without saying Sherpa says first, the players must not follow.

The following are examples of directions:

• Sherpa says to hold on to the ropes
• Sherpa says to go up the latter
• Sherpa says use small steps
• Sherpa says to wave to the other climbers

Happy Find Your Fit Friday to ALL!
TA is the ambassador for Recreation Newfoundland and Labrador’s Find Your Fit Campaign.
How You Found Your Fit this week?

Find Your Fit! is a provincial physical activity promotions/communications campaign designed to get individuals motivated and moving towards healthy, active living.  The Find Your Fit! website is an excellent resource for physical activity throughout the lifespan.

Quote for the Day

I have walked myself into my best thoughts and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.
― Søren Kierkegaard

Did You Know?

The lowest point in Nepal is Kanchan Kalan which is 70m above sea level.

Find Your Fit Fact

Thirty minutes of walking a day makes your muscles more sensitive to insulin. That allows glucose to do its duty inside your cells rather than pile up in your bloodstream (that’s what happens when you have diabetes) and cause other havoc.

Activity Suggestion:

Warm-up: Rope Tag

Equipment:

• No equipment required

Background Information: Explain to the students that a rope is a very important piece of equipment used by climbers when on expeditions. A team of climbers will tie themselves to the one rope for safety, helping them stay together to prevent falls and to help a teammate if they are ever in danger.

Instructions: This is a simple tag game. Begin by choosing two students to be ‘it’, who will hold hands to imitate a rope and must not let go. They must work together to tag the other student who will join the chain when they are tagged. Explain to the students that when you are in the chain they must not let go of hands or it will cause a teammate to be in danger.

Activity: Follow the Sherpa

Equipment:

• Different pieces of equipment to use for obstacles along the trail (hula hoops, mats, cones, hockey sticks, etc.), blindfolds

Background Information: Explain to the students that a Sherpa is referred to an elite mountaineer as they have the ability to function in high altitudes and are experts in their local terrain. Sherpa are an ethnic group that has emerged from the mountainous regions of Nepal who work to support their family as a sherpa. The job of a sherpa requires them to work with climbers as they are on expeditions, including Mount Everest, as a guide. Tasks could include carrying equipment, fixing ropes on the trail, rescuing climber, etc.

Set up: Using the equipment you have, scatter it all across the playing area in the gym.

Instructions: Divide the student into groups of about 5 or 6 people. All but one student will be blindfolded; the one who is not blindfolded will be the sherpa. Have the student line up in a straight line at one end of the playing area. One student at a time the sherpa must guide the climbers across the trail while avoiding all the obstacles. Climbers often use cue words like ‘clear’ meaning its safe to keep moving forward, and ‘zero’ meaning stop as it is not safe to move on. Try to encourage the sherpa to use these cue words and let the climbers (students blindfolded) that if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe they can us the word ‘zero’ to stop as safety is most important. Continue until all student have made it safely across to the other side of the gym.

Quote of the Day:

“Never measure the height of a mountain until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was” – Dag Hammarskjold

Did You Know?

Marco Siffredi and Stefan Gatt were the first two men to snowboard down Everest.

Activity Suggestion:

Mount Everest Crossword Puzzle

Objective: Expose students to common terms regarding the geography of Mount Everest.

Instructions:

1.        Supply students with the crossword supplied.
2.        Review solution of the crossword with students

Click the links below for the ‘Mount Everest Crossword’ activity and answer key.

Mount Everest Crossword Puzzle

Mount Everest Crossword Answer Key

Quote of the Day:

“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books” – John Lubbock

Did you Know?

Tibetan natives refer to Everest as Chomolungma or Qomolangma meaning “Goddess Mother of Mountains”. The Nepalese people know the mountain as Sagarmatha, which means “Forehead in the Sky.”  A British surveyor, Andrew Waugh named the Mountain “Everest” in 1856.

Activity Suggestion:

Everest B.I.N.G.O.

Objective: This activity will familiarize participants with explorer/ mountaineer equipment.

Each participant has the opportunity to create their own B.I.N.G.O. card using the template provided.

Materials:

• B.I.N.G.O card (provided)
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• B.I.N.G.O markers of any kind
• Two small containers

Instructions:

Preparation for Teacher:

1. Print blank B.I.N.G.O. cards and template cards (1 of each per participant and 1 copy of each for teacher).
2. Cut out each square from your copy of the template card. Place the letters in one container and the images in a second container.

Preparation for Participants:

1. Distribute a blank B.I.N.G.O. card and a template card to each participant.
2. Each participant must cut out each individual image from the template.
3. Glue the individual images into the square of their choice.

Activity Instructions:

1. Teacher picks one letter and one image from the respective containers and calls it out to the participants. E.g. G-Ice Axe
2. The students who glued that image in the column of that letter can mark it on their card.
3. The teach will replace the letter and image to their respective containers.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 until the first student calls B.I.N.G.O.
5. B.I.N.G.O. can be called when a student has marked five squares in a row, vertical, horizontal or diagonal.

Mount Everest B.I.N.G.O.