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Topic: 5C Gases around us
Sir Edmund Hillary, the first climber to scale the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, has died aged 88. He was the first man to climb the 8,850m (29,035ft) peak, with Tenzing Norgay, on 29 May 1953.
In this activity children will investigate the need for supplemental oxygen at high altitudes. They will determine when extra oxygen is necessary on a climb and will learn about the dangers of altitude mountain sickness (AMS).
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· that oxygen is vital to human life
Children will demonstrate this by completing the task on page 2 successfully.
· that the higher you climb the less oxygen is available to you
Children will demonstrate this by completing the task on page 3 successfully.
· that climbing over 7000m requires supplemental oxygen
Children will demonstrate this by completing the task on page 3 successfully.
Science:
QCA Unit 5C Gases around us
· that there are many gases and many of these are important to us
Scientific enquiry
· establish links between causes and effects
· making a prediction
· interpreting data
· communicating ideas
Literacy
· speaking and listening - putting together a scientific briefing and explaining it to a group using suitable vocabulary and persuasive argument
Numeracy
· Handling data and measures - interpret the graph of oxygen vs altitude
Introducing the activity
· Display Page 1 of the activity through a data projector or on an OHT. Discuss the story of Hillary conquering Everest.
Discussion starters
- Why are they wearing oxygen masks?
- Why do aircraft carry oxygen and masks?
Emphasise the dangers of frostbite, crevasses, glaciers and the need for extra oxygen at high altitudes.
· Put children in groups and ask them to discuss what technology we have now that they didn't have fifty years ago. How much of today's technology would have been useful on Hillary's expedition? Gather the class together and write two columns on a whiteboard titled ‘Now' and ‘Then'. Ask a child from each group to come up and write an example. Encourage the children to understand what an epic achievement this was.
Leading the main activity
· Display Page 2 through a data projector or on an OHT. Discuss the symptoms and dangers of AMS. Split the children in small groups to role-play a mountaineering team on an expedition to Everest. Secretly select one child per group to have AMS. They must demonstrate symptoms. Which group will be the first to identify their casualty? What will they do about it?
· Display Page 3 through a data projector or on an OHT. Print off copies for the children if necessary. What does the graph show? Above what altitude is it important to use extra oxygen? Whereabouts on the route shown on Page 2 would the scientists advise constant use of supplemental oxygen? Ask the children to research facts such as: How much oxygen would a climber need to take? What happens if he runs out? What happens to the empty tanks?
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