Lesson Plan - The World’s Most Dangerous Job

Learning Objective

Students will learn how Sherpas help climbers reach the top of Mount Everest.

Content-Area Connections

Social Studies 

Standards Correlations

CCSS: RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.3, RI.3.4, RI.3.5, RI.3.7, RI.3.8, RI.3.10

NCSS: Global Connections

TEKS: Social Studies 3.3

Text Structure

Description

1. Preparing to Read

Watch the Video
Watch the video “What You Need to Know About Mount Everest.” Ask: What are some of the difficulties involved in climbing Mount Everest? Would you want to try to climb this mountain?


Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

  • summit
  • altitude
  • hazardous


Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about some of the dangers of climbing Mount Everest.

2. Close-Reading Questions

1. Why do you think the article calls the summit of Mount Everest “the top of the world”?
The article calls the summit of Mount Everest “the top of the world” because it is so high. The article explains that Everest is “the highest mountain on Earth.”
(RI.3.1 Text Evidence)

2. According to the article, why are the camps on Mount Everest important?
Based on the article, you know that the camps on Mount Everest are important because climbers can stop to rest at them on their way up the mountain. The article states, “the trip is too long and risky to climb all at once.”
(RI.3.2 Main Idea and Key Details)

3. Based on the sidebar “What’s Up, World? Nepal,” what are three things you might do on a visit to Nepal?
Based on the sidebar “What’s Up, World? Nepal,” a visitor to Nepal could climb Mount Everest; see the palaces, temples, and statues in Kathmandu Durbar Square; and taste dal bhat.
(RI.3.5 Text Features)

3. Skill Building

FEATURED SKILL: Paired Texts
Distribute the skill builder “Gear Up!” and have students read about four important pieces of equipment most climbers use to scale the mountain.
(RI.3.9 Paired Texts)

Text-to-Speech