Mini-Lesson

Build a Time Line

Mini-Lesson: Grades 4-6

Objective: Students will build a time line of Edmund Hillary's life and accomplishments.

1. Point out Mount Everest on a map. Have students share what they know about the mountain. Then, read aloud the following facts:

Mount Everest, the highest peak in the Himalayas, is also the highest mountain in the world. Its height is 29,035 feet, or 5.5 miles. For years, mountain climbers could not make it to the top of Mount Everest. The climbers faced many obstacles, including massive snow and ice avalanches, hurricane-force winds, freezing temperatures and a lack of oxygen at high altitudes. In 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the fist people to conquer Mount Everest.

2. Pass out the latest timeforkids.com news story, Sir Edmund Hillary: Top of the World. Tell students that they will be reading about the life of Edmund Hillary, who died on January 11 at the age of 88. Explain that one way to organize information about a person's life is to create a time line. As students read the article, have them create a time line of Edmund Hillary's life and accomplishments.

3. Encourage students to share their thoughts about the article. Ask: Why do you think Edmund Hillary succeeded in conquering Everest when so many others had failed? What lessons can be learned from the life of Edmund Hillary?