TA Loeffler's Adventures that Move

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 21:
An early start for the ascent of Island Peak at 6187m./20,299ft. After taking in the spectacular 360 panorama from the summit we descend to our base camp.

Fun Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?

There is less oxygen as you go up towards the top of Mount Everest.  Oxygen levels at the top are 30% less than at the bottom.

Today’s Activity: Ice Fall Ball

Purpose: To get students to learn to move quickly and efficiently as a group.

Materials Needed: 1 tennis ball per group

In groups of 6-8 (depending on class size, try to have 2-3 groups)

–  Students begin lying on the floor in the plank position (hands and knees work fine) in a line, with the sides of their bodies facing the beginning and end of the general space

–  The goal is to be the first group to successfully cross the end line

–  On the teacher’s command, the person lying at the end closest to the finish line rolls the tennis ball under the rest of his/her group, then lies back down (plank position/ hands and knees), depending on skill level, it is possible to just get students to stand (picture below)

–  The person at the other end of the line will trap the tennis ball, then bring it to the end closest to the finish line.

–  Once there they must roll the ball under his/her group members, then lie down (plank position/hands and knees)

–  This repeats until the group has reached the end line.

* The ice fall is one of the most dangerous stages en route to summiting Mount Everest, it is critical that climbers get through this portion of the mountain as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 20:
A contingency day in case of delays to our schedule do far. May be used as a rest day or to split the ascent of Island Peak over two days with a high camp.

Fun Fact of the Day
DID YOU KNOW?

The temperatures at the top of Mount Everest are typically around 36 degrees below zero in the winter and can drop as low as 60 degrees below.

Today’s Activity: Climb the Mountain

Purpose: To get students moving a lot in a short amount of time. While learning some facts about mountains

Materials needed: individual jump ropes for roughly 1/2-2/3 of class, 10-20 hula hoops, 4-8 long jump ropes, 6-10 small (6-10″) hurdles, 15-20 poly spots, 8-10 cones/domes, cones to mark challenges & course, music to motivate

Start by telling the students they get to hike to the top of a mountain. On their way to the top they will encounter several obstacles, modify the story based on grade level.

–   At the beginning of their hike they perform 10 push-ups (traditional or modified) to scare the bears off the mountain. The students then hike to the hot rocks

–   hot rocks are set up as a jump rope area. Students jump rope 15 times on the hot rocks (because our mountain is a volcano also), then jog to the swamp.

–   The swamp consists of hula hoops set up in a line of two rows. Students run through the hoops with high knees (so they don’t get stuck in the swamp). Then they jog to the rivers area.

–   The Students leap over the rivers, which are two long jump ropes running parallel to each other, use any number of rivers. Then students hike or jog to the creek.

–   Students cross the creek by hopping from rock to rock (polyspot to polyspot). Then then continue to the caves.

–   The caves are picnic tables with benches. Children perform 10 bench push ups or 10 crunches to scare away the trolls that live under in the caves (under the tables).

–   Then they run over to the boulders. Students jump or leap over the boulders (hurdles), then continue to the switchback path. Since switchback paths are used for very steep places in a trail, I mark a zigzag pathway using cones.

–   Then onto the rocky ledge at the top of the mountain. Students have reached the top of the mountain when balance on the rocky ledge (for our school this is the cement curb around our sandbox).

–   Students then take a different pathway down the mountain, to the beginning. They have the option of taking the short cut (monkey bars) across from one side of the “ledge” to the other.

– Students continue hiking up and down the mountain until time is up. (usually 5 -8 minutes – a few songs when playing music).

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 19:

Scree slopes and an icefall are tackled to gain the Amphu Labtsa (5700m). We now descend fixed ropes to the Imja Glacier and trek to our base camp for Island Peak.

Fun Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?

Later renamed Imja Tse, the peak was originally called Island Peak as it looked like an island springing out of a sea of ice when viewed in Dingboche.

Today’s Activity: Spiky Ice Field (Trust walk)

Purpose: Have the student rely on each other to navigate and overcome obstacles

Materials Needed: Random obstructions (Hurdles, hula hoops, balls)

Activity Description:

–   Scatter the equipment all over the floor from one end of the activity area to the other

–   Have the students work in pairs

–   One partner is wears a blind fold while the other works as a guide to instruct their partner through the ice fall

–   The instructing partner is not to touch their partner at any time.

–   One partner is wears a blind fold while the other works as a guide to instruct their partner through the ice fall.

–   Once they cross the ice fall (i.e., activity area) they switch places. If they touch an obstacle at any time they are to switch places, but they go back to the beginning.

–   Make harder or easier by adding or subtracting equipment.

Was it hard to trust your partner? What did it feel like being the leader? What did it feel like being the follower? Why was communication so important?

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 18:

A rest day. The guides and Sherpas ascend the Amphu Labtsa to establish fixed lines and prepare the pass for tomorrow’s crossing. Camp.

Fun Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?

Most climbers attempt Everest during April and May.

Today’s Activity: Base Race

• Mark the boundaries of the area with the hula hoops; 1 hoop in each corner of the gym, and 1 hula hoop in between the 2 corners on the longest side of the gym.
• Split the class up so that each hoop has an even number of people.
• The tagger must begin by standing in the center circle of the gym.
• The person designating as the tagger yells “Get to Base Camp!”  Once this is said, everyone must run to a different hoop.
• If someone is caught, they become a tagger along with the previous tagger(s).
• The game ends when everyone is caught.

*This game replicates the different base camps spread throughout different elevations of Mount Everest, which provide shelter and warmth and a place to eat for the climbers.

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 17:

Passing beneath the giant west face of Chamlang we follow the Hongu Khola and finally the Hongu Glacier to the holy site of Panch Pokhri (five lakes). Camp (5400 meters).

Fun Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?

Everest in the Nepali language is Sagarmatha which means goddess of the sky and it stands at a staggering 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) above sea level.

Today’s Activity: Puzzle Relay (Images)

Materials Needed: Cut outs of images relating to Mountaineering, or Mount Everest, i.e coils of rope, ice pick, flags, helmets, different mountains, etc.

– Each group will have an image which they will have to piece together (the group will not know what their image is before hand)

–  In groups of 4-5, have students lined up (single file behind their pylons)

–  Each group will have a set of puzzle pieces located directly across from them

–  On go, the first person in line will run towards their pieces, and bring back ONE piece.

–  The next person in line will do the same, until each piece has been returned to the group

–  Once all the pieces have been brought back the group can begin trying to put together the puzzle of their image

–  The game does not end until each image has been completed (encourage students to help other groups to finish their puzzles!!!)

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 16:
After descending to the Hongu River we trek up valley to a camp beside a large frozen lake. (5000m). Camp.

Fun Fact of the Day
DID YOU KNOW?
In Nepal, people do not greet each other with a handshake; instead they put their palms together, bow their foreheads, and say “Namaste.” Namaste translates as “I salute the god in you.”

Today’s Activity: Crevasse Crumble

Purpose: Have students learn the difference between stalagmites and stalactites while being active at the same time.

Materials Needed: 20 tennis balls, 20 marker cones (10 of each colour), 6 small soft balls or size 1 mini footballs.

Activity Description:

-Set up 10 cones with a tennis ball on each at either end of the hall, with a centre line which players must not cross and divide the group into 2 equal teams.

– The objective of the game is to roll the soft balls to try and knock the tennis balls off the opposing teams cones. The game is continuous and is played until all balls are knocked off.

What teamwork strategies did you use? Did they work? Did you enjoy the activity?

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 15:

We make the technically easy ascent of Mera Peak (6476m). The summit view includes 5 of the World’s 6 highest mountains. Descend to the Hongu Valley. Camp (5200m).

Fun Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?

Mera Peak is 6,476 metres high.

Today’s Activity: Heat Loss Dance

Purpose: To teach students the different ways they can lose heat outdoors.

Using the teachers specifications as a guide, the students will dance out the 4 types of heat loss.

–   The teacher shows the class a diagram of the forms of heat loss which includes CONVECTION, CONDUCTION, RADIATION, and EVAPORATION.

–  As a group, the teacher and class walk through the general space following the forms of heat loss. Name a form of heat loss and have the children move around the gym while using the corresponding dance (allow the to make up their own). Walking through the different types will give the students a better idea of basically how heat loss works as well as memorizing the four types.

What is conduction? Convection? Radiation? Evaporation? Was listening carefully important? Why?

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 14:

We continue our ascent of the North flank of Mera Peak to a spectacular eyrie nestled below a rocky outcropping on the ridge. Camp (5800m).

Fun Fact of the Day
DID YOU KNOW?
The first ascent of Mera Central was on May 20, 1953 by Col. Jimmy Roberts and Sen Tenzing (who was known by the nickname The Foreign Sportsman).

Today’s Activity: Crevasse Crossing

Purpose: To get students moving and thinking; to get them to come up with strategies on how to cross over a separation in the floor which depicts the crevasses you will encounter on Mount Everest.  To do this they must get one person at a time across the “crevasse”, while getting all the equipment to the other side as well.

Materials Needed:  Per group; 2 cones, 1 mat, 1 rope, 1 hockey stick, 1 ball, 1 bean bag.

The object of the game is for each team to get across the crevasse without falling into it.  Also you have to get all your equipment across the crevasse.  If any part of the students body touches the space between the cones (known as the crevasse), they have to drop what equipment they have and return to the starting shore.  Students have to figure out how to use the equipment to cross the crevasse.  The fun part is once one or two students get across they have to send it back to the other side somehow.  Many times they will get stuck and have to rescued by another student on another piece of equipment.  It forces the students to work  strategically together as a group.

Which method worked best to get everyone across the crevasse? Did you each take on different roles? Was communication and teamwork important?

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 13:
A rest and acclimatization day prior to the ascent of Mera Peak. Camp.

Fun Fact of the Day
DID YOU KNOW?
The Sherpa people are a group of people native to eastern Nepal that live high in the Himalayan Mountains. They have also been helping climbers climb the highest mountains in the world.  Sherpa comes from the words “shar” for east and “pa” for people.

Today’s Activity: Supply Earnings

Purpose: To get students thinking in a quick paced environment. This game is designed to get students to draw upon knowledge in a high pressure race like situation.

Materials Needed: Per group 5 bean bags of 5 different colors.

The object of the game is for students to do mathematical conversions to earn supplies. There is to be five trail lengths which the students must convert to centimeters, meters and kilometers. When they have the correct answer they must run to the teacher with the answer. Each correct answer gives them a corresponding color bean bag. Once all 5 bean bags are collected the group has all the supplies needed to climb Everest.

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 12:

Leaving our base camp we trek up onto the glacier and traverse to the Mera La. We make camp 100 metres below the pass on the Hongu side. Camp (5300m).

Fun Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?

The Sherpas are an ethnic group from mostly the eastern mountainous part of Nepal. Many are employed by mountain expeditions as they do not suffer the effect of altitude and due to their genetics and upbringing. Many groups refer to their porters as Sherpas.

Today’s Activity: Everest Rescue

Purpose: To get your entire team to safety

Materials Needed: Per group: 1 scooter and one mat. Also one general mat in the center of the gym. Rope to tie onto the scooter

The activity is done by diving the class into four groups with one scooter and one mat in each corner of the gym. Each group is stranded on their mat and must get rescued by getting from their mat to the mat in the center of the gym. The first member starts on the scooter and rides to their safety mat. Once there, they slide the scooter back to their group members on the central mat (while holding onto the rope attached). The next group member then sits on the scooter, and is pulled to the safety mat by the person who was just rescued. This is repeated until the entire team has been rescued safely.

What was the best strategy to get everyone across safely? Was communication important?

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 11:

A day for further acclimatization. We follow the ridge above camp to around 5500 metres and return to Khare. Camp.

Fun Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?

Nepal is home to one of the few places on earth where you can see both the Bengal tiger and the one-horned rhinoceros.

Today’s Activity: Thin Ice

Materials Needed: 9 hula hoops per group.

Using the nine hula hoops the instructor should make a grid which the children must navigate. The ice is only safe on certain hula hoops meaning there is only one correct way to get out of the “ice”.  If a student were to walk on thin ice they would have to go to the exit the way they entered and go to the back of the line. Eventually by trial and error and the students remembering which routes are correct they will be able to exit the ice and finish the game.

Was it important to communicate with your group? Which strategies did you use? What ones worked the best?

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 10:

We ascend an ablation valley beside the Dig Glacier to Kare, the basecamp area for Mera Peak. Camp (5000m).

Fun Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?

Mera and Island Peaks are technically classified as “trekking peaks” rather than mountaineering peaks.

Today’s Activity: There’s an Everest Storm a’ Brewin’:

Jack Frost (Instructor) calls out actions and the students who do not complete the task fast enough become a minion of jack frost. Minions chase students that aren’t able to complete the task fast enough next round.

Actions:

Windward Gale: Students run to the front of the gym

Leeward Gale: Students run to the back of the gym

Avalanche: Back to back with a partner with hands over face

Nightfall: Huddle together in groups of four

Quicken the Pace: Act out climbing a rope up a cliffside

Icefall: Students duck and head towards a wall of the gym

Heavy snow: Students walk around the gym shielding their eyes as though                                                            they were walking through a storm

Did everyone enjoy the activity? How important was listening carefully? What is a Windward Gale? Leeward Gale? Did you help your classmates if they didn’t know the action?

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 9:

A second acclimatization day at Tagnag. Today is set aside for skills training particularly the techniques required for fixed lines and crevasse rescue. Camp.

Fun Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?

There are over 100 recognized languages in Nepal. The most commonly used are Nepali (also called Gurkhali or Khaskura), spoken by nearly 60 percent of the population, and Nepal Bhasa (Newari).  According to Nepal’s constitution, all of the national languages can be used as official languages.

Today’s Activity: Slippery Trails

Materials needed: 2 pieces of paper per person

Activity Description:

–  Give each student two sheets of paper.

–  Have students place both sheets on the floor and put one foot firmly on each sheet. Challenge students to move or “ski” around the activity area in different directions, gradually increasing their speed.

What was your favorite part of the activity? What didn’t you like? What was the easiest way to move, fast or slow? Was it safer to bend your knees or keep them straight?

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 8:

A day for acclimatization. We trek up above camp to around 5,000 metres for views across to the Mera La and return to Tagnag. Camp.

Fun Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?
The National Motto of Nepal is “The Motherland Is Worth More than the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Today’s Activity

Sherpa Tag:

–   Mark off the boundaries of your area

–   One player starts off as ‘sherpa’ (tagger). When a player is tagged they must link up by the arm with the tagger and now they both become taggers (lead by the sherpa).

–   The game continues like this until only one player remains who is the winner. The link can break up at any time (minimum links of 3 people) and can also rejoin at any time.

–   Again, this game replicates traveling in groups following a sherpa, as you would be when climbing Mount Everest.

Expedition Itinerary Plan for Day 7:

Following the west side of the Hinku River, we trek via the Yak herders’ summer settlement of Gondishung and its Buddhist shrine to Tagnag (4350m). Camp.

Fun Fact of the Day

DID YOU KNOW?
A pivotal moment in Nepal’s history was the birth of the Buddha. Prince Siddharta Gautama (563-483 B.C.), of Lumbini, forswore his royal life and devoted himself to spirituality. He became known as the Buddha, or “the enlightened one.”

Today’s Activity

Sherpa Says:

Purpose: To get the students active and used to listening to commands.

Activity Description: Students are to scatter around the general area but close enough that they can hear the directions from the “Sherpa”. When “Sherpa Says” a command the students must do the action. For example “Sherpa Says: Run around the general space”. However to test the attention of your students you may frame a question without the “Sherpa Says” framing to see who does the action. The object of the game is only move when the Sherpa says the command.

Framing of the game could be build around the following guideline. On Mount Everest listening to your Sherpa is very important. Your Sherpa is there to protect you and keep you safe. When I say Sherpa Says you should do the command, when I do not say Sherpa Says you should not, as you should only listen to your Sherpa who is the person who is interested is your safety.