Cliff HangerBy: Jean Craighead George

Theme 1: Off to Adventure

Setting: Teton MountainsMountain range in WyomingThe Teton Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in North America. A north-south range, it is mostly on the Wyoming side of that state's border with Idaho, just south of Yellowstone National Park.

Elevation: 13,770 feet

Area: 1,290 sq miles

Highest point: Grand Teton

This is a story about a boy named Axel, who has a dangerous adventure while trying to rescue his dog from a cliff. His father runs a climbing school in the Teton Mountains, so Axel has had some experience with rock

climbing, but not during a dangerous storm.

Rock Climbing Gear

Harness- (noun) a set of straps attached to a rope that supports the climber as they climb.

This would include climbing nuts and caribiners.

Climbing and Descending

• Belay-(noun) an object or person that a climber’s rope can be tied to for safety

• Rappel-(verb) to move down a cliff or the side of a mountain, using a rope that is attached to a rock or harness for safety

Descent-(noun) the act of moving downward

Synonyms- decline, down, fallAntonyms-rise, climb

Descend- We shall descend the mountain.Descender-Cursive letters such as f, z, p and q have descenders.Descendants-I am a descendant of my great-grandparents.

“Cathedral Wall”

Ledge-(noun) a flat space like a shelf on the side of a cliff or rock wall

Trekked- (verb) to make a hard, slow trip

TrekTrekkingTrekker

Axel will trek up the mountain to find his dog, Grits.Trekking up the mountain will be difficult because of the storm.Axel has to be a careful trekker while going up the Tetons.

Onomatopoeia-sound words

• Kaboom• KABOOM• Flash

Simile-Comparing two unlike things using the words “like” or “as”

• “Bent like a hairpin, he found his balance and stood up.” (compares Axel to a hairpin)

• “Axel climbed slowly, from crack to crack to ledge to crack, moving like a ballet dancer.” (comparing Axel to a ballet dancer)

Grits got stuck up on Monkey Ledge and could not find his way down the mountain.

Axel’s dad was on belay.

Axel and his dad trekked up the mountain with all their climbing gear to save Grits.

They hooked up their harness to the ropes for climbing.

Once Axel found Grits, it was time for them to start their descent.

Axel used his rope to rappel down the side of the mountain.

Axel is a young boy, who works at a climbing school in the TetonMountains with his father, Dag. His dog, Grits, followed some climbers up the mountains during a storm. The other climbers came down, but Grits stayed up there. Axel and his father trekked up to the mountains. His father tied the harness to Axel. His father stayed on belay while Axel began his trip up to Monkey Ledge. Once he found Grits, and it was safe, they began their descent down the mountain. Axel then had to use the ropes to rappel the rest of the way down to his father.