Everest (PM Resources) Product Category: Leveled Reading ...

Sapphire: Level 30
Everest
Jim Howes
SESSION ONE: Pages 4 through 15
Preparing for reading
■
Read the title of the book and discuss why Mount Everest is famous.
■
■
■
■
Ask the students to describe Everest’s environment as depicted on the cover.
Discuss why people engage in extreme sports, such as climbing Everest.
Invite the students to scan the contents for content clues and text-type clues.
Read “The Lure of the Mountain” out loud together.
Reading
■ Direct the students to read silently to the end of page 15 after setting the focus questions:
“What aspects of Mount Everest have changed over time and what aspects
have stayed the same?”
“Why was there so much secrecy involved in measuring the mountain?”
Early finishers can make a time line of people and events linked to Mount Everest.
Discussing and examining the text
■ Invite the fast finishers to share their time lines.
■
Ask the students to share their responses to the focus questions then discuss the
following:
“Why has the author included quotes?”
“How were the Himalayas formed?”
“Who were the important people involved in the history of Everest?”
■
■
Draw the students’ attention to the use of cause-and-effect language in the explanation
of how the Himalayas were formed.
Introduce the spelling rule “i before e except after c.” Explain that there are always some
exceptions to rules. The author of this text has used a number of ie and ei words. Ask
the students to search for these words.
PM Sapphire Everest 9994201379

Text Features and Teaching
Opportunities
Factual text — information report and explanation
Use of visual text to enhance meaning — diagrams,
photographs, illustrations, labels
Vocabulary — technical terms
Vocabulary — ie/ei words
Cause and effect relationships
Verbs and nouns
Commas — to separate parts of a sentence
Text structure — contents, headings, subheadings,
glossary, and index
Synopsis
Mountains have fascinated people from many different
cultures all over the world since time began. Mount
Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth. So tall, in fact,
that if a jumbo jet were flying past Mount Everest at its
normal altitude, a climber at the top of the mountain
would be able to wave to people through the windows of
the plane! To the Nepalese and Tibetan people, Mount
Everest is sacred, and both cultures refer to it as a goddess.
Other cultures, on the other hand, are fascinated with
climbing Mount Everest. But if one were to ask why, the
answer would most likely be — because it’s there!
SESSION TWO: Pages 16 through 25
Before reading
■
Discuss the content of the previous chapters.
■
Ask the students to make a list of the sorts of items and clothing they think that they
would need to take with them if they were to climb Mount Everest. Share the lists.
Reading
■ Ask the students to silently read to the end of page 25 after setting the focus questions:
“What are the main differences between 1920s climbing equipment and
clothes and modern-day equipment and clothes?”
“What are delusions?”
“What is one of the mysteries of Everest?”
Discussing and examining the text
■ Ask the students to share their responses to the focus questions.
“Why do climbers need to drink five to six quarts of water a day?”
“Is it possible to rank the clothing and equipment in order of importance?”
■
■
“Would Mallory and Irvine have gone missing in modern times?’’
Explain how some words can be both verbs and nouns (eg., camp — to camp or set up
camp). Ask the students to search for other examples of words that are nouns and verbs.
Ask the students to find commas to separate parts of sentences.
INDEPENDENT READING
Have the students independently read the rest of the book after setting the focus questions:
“What damage is currently being done to the Himalayan environment?”
“Should there be restrictions for visits to Everest?”
PM Sapphire Everest 9994201379

Everest
PM Sapphire
F/P: T
DRA: 50
Everest
PM Sapphire
F/P: T
DRA: 50
9994201379
9994201379
Everest
PM Sapphire
F/P: T
DRA: 50
Everest
PM Sapphire
F/P: T
DRA: 50
9994201379
9994201379