A global studies unit on Mt. Everest and Nepal for homeschool, worldschool or just for fun.
The tallest mountain in the world fascinates on so many levels. This was one of our first ever topics and we just recently repeated it. The first time the girls were only five and we mostly focused on just Mount Everest. This time around they're eight and we expanded our learning to included nearby regions and some cultural themes.
Printables
Here's this week's info, all wrapped up into an easy-to-read printable. Click here for the full color copy and click here for a low-ink black and white version.
On the Dining Room Wall
This map, zoomed in to highlight South Asia.
This diagram showing the tallest mountains on each continent.
This map of Everest and this Nepal flag.
The tear out portion from the Who HQ book about Everest. (Not a library book.)
These images from Wikipedia showing the seven monuments and buildings of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site. I put them on a printable page below.
What We're Listening to
Tibetan Singing Bowls - This was so peaceful!
Talking Points
It can take six hours to climb the treacherous Khumbu Icefall. Watch the YouTube video about it (on my playlist) and then set a timer for six hours. Tell your kids to imagine that starting now they will be beginning an exhausting, incredibly hard climb in the freezing cold where it's hard to breath. Six hours later, when everyone has forgotten all about it, tell them they finally, just now, got to the next camp. Whew and Brrr!
Is it problematic to climb Mount Everest? This is a loaded question with a lot of facets. Google images of Mount Everest garbage - it's pretty grim. Are Sherpa guides being exploited? Are people just climbing to say they've done it and does this lead to unskilled climbers who increase the risk for others? There's a lot to unpack here if you and your kids are up to it.
Books
One from each category plus an assortment of picture books is usually just perfect.
Not all book series are as good as the next. Get the scoop on some of our favorites here.
Library Haul
Not all of these books will get read. Most library systems allow you to browse online and put books on hold. They'll round them up for you and deliver them to your local branch. It's a big time saver!
Base Non-Fiction Books:
Read every word or simply flip through and reach what catches your eye.
Top Pick:
Where is Mount Everest? (Who HQ Book) Another great book about the origins of the mountain itself and the history of climbing it.
Other Ideas:
Himalaya: The wonders of the mountains that touch the sky (By Soledad Romero Mariño) This is beautifully illustrated, large-scale picture book is easy to flip through and read what catches your eye.
Everest (By Sangma Francis) Same kind of book as above, it's an easy one to peruse and pick and choose from what looks interesting.
Base Fiction Chapter Book & Cultural Story Books
Some of these books are part of a series but all of them work as stand alone books.
Sunlight on the Snow Leopard (Magic Treehouse #36) Jack and Annie get whisked off to Mount Everest and as always, adventure ensues.
Other Notable Books
Have more time? Try these too.
You Wouldn't Want to Climb Mount Everest! (You Wouldn't Want to Be Book) I like to go through these books in pace with our Who HQ book. It covers a lot of the same material but adds in funny illustrations and commentary.
Tibetan Tales from the Top of the World Three illustrated tales from Tibet. Easy to read and understand and each can be read in five minutes or so.
Surviving Mount Everest (You Choose Series) My kids love these books but those with young learners should be aware that you will die in about half of these endings.
Picture Books
Library inventories vary so much with picture books. Rather than wasting time tracking down specific ones, I like to do keyword searches and just grab what's available.
Search these keywords: Everest, Nepal, Sherpa, Tibet, Himalayas, Snow Leopards, Kathmandu, Tibetan Folktales, Nepal Folktales.
We liked these books:
Two at the Top A short picture book about the first two people to summit Mount Everest.
Chandra's Magic Light A nice story about a Nepalese family getting a solar lantern.
Snow School We loved this book about two snow leopard cubs who have to learn from their mother how to survive.
Kami and the Yaks A story about a young Sherpa boy who helps save the family's yaks.
The Mountains of Tibet I found this book to be a bit depressing but I'm still mentioning it because my girls loved it. It opened up a lot of conversation about who and what you could be if you had limitless options.
Things to Watch*
My YouTube Playlist for the Week Please note: In the video from "Where is the World," the family witnesses a cremation on the river. It's respectfully mentioned and the funeral pyre is briefly shown in the video.
Sherpa Documentary This one is more for the adults but I wanted to mention it because it was very good. My husband and I watched it and we learned a lot about the Sherpa people and the complicated relationship to the Mount Everest climbing industry.
*Always vet material before watching it with your kids, especially if they are sensitive viewers. I try to note any potential issues but everyone has different parenting thresholds of what they consider appropriate.
While You Read Activity Ideas
Make Mount Everest out of clay, Playdough, Legos, et. Here's our version of the Khumbu Icefall.
Field Trip Ideas
We got food from a Himalayan food cart near us. It was delicious!
You could also go on a mountain hike. Or, are there any rock climbing walls near you? It's not a mountain but it seems kind of relevant.
End of Week Movie Night Ideas
Abominable (PG, 2019) This is such a beautiful, underrated and under-promoted movie. It has a great message and as a bonus, one of the main characters (Jin) is voiced by the grandson of Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who was one of the first two people to reach Everest's summit.
Smallfoot (2018) PG A cute movie about a Yeti who beings to question why things have always been done the way they have.
Segue Ideas... China, India
Wrap Up
Here's my pancake picture for the week. It's a yeti climbing Mount Everest! This week had a lot of good stuff. All of this material would work great for a Mt. Everest and Nepal homeschool unit or, in our case, just some fun, extra learning.
Final Moment
We've yet to visit this part of the world but here's a picture of a mountain town we visited in the Caucasus Mountains in the Republic of Georgia. It was beautiful!
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