T H E M O ST E X T R E M E C L A S S R O O M O N T H E P L A N E TWith Mark Wood

CHALLENGE: NO.3

AT HOME ON EVEREST

LOCATION: Camp 1

HEIGHT: 6065 METRES

CH.3

Learning objectives   Students will find out about the history of climbing Everest, and the story of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first climbers to stand on the summit. They will write and publish a biography of Tenzing Norgay, and learn about the history of the Sherpa people.       Key curriculum links  History; geography; literacy (diary)     Key skills   Gathering information from a range of sources; understanding the views, cultures and traditions of other people; thinking creatively.

Please see resources PDF for links to support this lesson

Discussion  Share the photograph / video of Camp 1. Can students name the first person to stand on top of the world’s highest mountain? It was actually two people: Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary, in 1953. Share worksheet 3a News article and / or video Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay climb Everest. Tenzing was a Sherpa mountaineer from Nepal. The Sherpa people have been a vital part of every major Everest expedition. They are used to living at high altitude and they do the hardest and most dangerous work on Everest, from putting up the ladders and ropes that allow climbers to cross the Khumbu Icefall, to carrying sick or injured climbers to safety.   

1. Write a journal entry Listen to Edmund Hillary’s diary entry from the day he and

Lesson starter

Activities

Norgay reached the summit: radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2554383  Ask pupils what questions they would like to ask Tenzing Norgay if they could interview him, and record these in OneNote. Display the questions and ask students to use the links to research the life of Tenzing Norgay:  sherpatenzingnorgay.com/bio.html  britannica.com/biography/Tenzing-Norgay    Write a journal entry about the day of the summit from Tenzing Norgay’s point of view.  

● Younger children could reenact the climb to the summit, either as a role play or using small-world play items including a model of Mount Everest.  

● Older children could turn the story of Hillary and Norgay’s summit into graphic novel or comic-style text. 

   2. Research the Sherpa way of life Read the PDF Meet the Sherpas and watch the video Interview with a Sherpa guide. Complete worksheet 3b The Sherpa people of Nepal. Students could choose one aspect of Sherpa culture to research in more depth.   

● Younger children could learn about the Sherpa ceremony of Puja that is held before a climb on Everest (Video), and make a string of Nepalese Prayer Flags to hang in the classroom, using worksheet 3c Prayer Flag Template. Print the templates on coloured paper (blue, white, red, green and yellow) or ask children to colour the flags before decorating them.  

● Older children could explore the genetic adaptation of Sherpa ancestors to high altitude living: edition.cnn.com/2015/11/11/health/sherpas-superhuman-mountaineers/, bbc.com/future/story/20170227-how-tibetans-survive-life-on-the-roof-of-the-world and nature.com/ng/journal/v46/n9/full/ng.3067.html Older children could explore the benefits of tourism in Nepal, and the risks that the Sherpas take in their work (see: video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/nepal-sherpa-culture-vin) and bbc.co.uk/newsround/27130467

Other Ideas

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Other Ideas

8848 Challenge  Research the achievements of five record-breaking Sherpa mountaineers and make short factfiles for display e.g. Apa Sherpa, Pemba Dorje, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, Mingma Sherpa and Nima Chhamzi Sherpa.  

CH.3

Collbor8848 After watching the video Interview with a Sherpa guide, ask students to write their own interview questions for someone who has undertaken an extreme challenge. This might be someone from the local area, or someone who is well-known in their country e.g. a sportsperson or explorer. Arrange to carry out the interview via Skype, and share it on Skype Expert.  

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