Acute Mountain Sickness
Overview
The following web linked module is an instructive learning interaction on Actue Mountain Sickness. Students will learn how to identify the signs and symptoms of altitude sickness, acclimatization and the importance of barometric pressure, and safety strategies to prevent AMS. A teacher guide for additional classroom interaction is also included.
Acute Mountain Sickness Teacher Guide and Module Link
Acute Mountain Sickness Module
Welcome to the Acute Mountain Sickness online module for middle and high school health students. This module is designed to teach students about AMS; what it is, the various degrees of illness, how to recognize it, what to do, and how to prepare for a high altitude adventure.
Table of Contents
| 3 | Introduction and background material |
| 4 | Discussion Questions |
| 5 | Scenario Cards for Summative Assessment with Rubric |
| 9 | Student Project with Rubric |
| 12 | Student Handout Infographic |
| 13 | Student Guided Notes Page |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Introduction and Background Information
Background Information:
Acute mountain sickness referred to as AMS is a type of altitude sickness that can affect anyone at high altitudes and results from the reduced air pressure and lower oxygen levels. The symptoms of this illness can range from mild to severe, life threatening symptoms. Anyone experiencing moderate to severe symptoms should descend immediately. Proper acclimatization or allowing the body time to adjust to the reduced air pressure and lower oxygen levels can help prevent AMS. This module will take learners through an interactive experience where they will learn more about AMS and the signs and symptoms associated with altitude sickness, steps for acclimatization, as well as safety and treatment strategies.
USBE Health Education Standards:
STRAND 3: SAFETY AND DISEASE PREVENTION (SDP)
- Standard HI.SDP.2: Demonstrate how to apply thoughtful decision-making in health-related situations (for example, substance use, vehicle safety, sun safety, recreational safety, firearm safety, physical activity, nutritional choices).
- Standard HII.SDP.2: Develop strategies for safety-related or emergency situations (for example, vehicle safety, recreation safety, firearm safety, seizure, stroke, cardiac event).
Useful Links:
Cleveland Clinic - Acute Mountain Sickness
Medline Plus - Acute Mountain Sickness
CDC High-Altitude Travel and Altitude Sickness
Discussion Questions
These are several questions that the teacher may choose to use with the class before and after students complete the online module.
Before Starting Module:
- Has anyone ever heard of Altitude Sickness or Acute Mountain Sickness?
- Why would it be important to learn about this illness?
- What do you know about this topic?
After completing Module:
- What is something new that you learned?
- Do you think you could safely identify and treat someone with AMS symptoms?
- What is the number one thing to do if you suspect someone is suffering from AMS?
- What other questions do you have about this topic?
Scenario Cards
Use these scenario cards as a summative assessment. Students can work in groups or individually to answer their scenario. Ask students to compose a claim, site evidence, and provide reasoning for how they would solve the problem presented.
Grading Rubric
| Objective | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Recognize and Describe Symptoms of AMS | Learner can not recognize mild, moderate, or severe symptoms of AMS | Learner can recognize mild, moderate or severe but is not able to describe these symptoms of AMS | Learner can recognize and describe mild moderate or severe symptoms of AMS |
| Identify appropriate treatment of AMS | Learner is not able to devise a treatment plan based on symptoms of AMS | Learner can identify some treatment options for symptoms of AMS | Learner can correctly identify and select all appropriate treatment options for AMS |
| Create a safety plan | Learner is not able to develop a complete safety plan for spending time at high elevation | Learner develops an incomplete safety plan for spending time at high elevation | Learner develops a complete safety plan for spending time at high elevation |
Student Project Idea
Scenario Example:
One evening a group of friends in Los Angeles (305 ft in elevation) met to talk about their upcoming hike to Mount Timpanogos in Utah. They looked at some maps, discussed how far up they would hike each day, and identified some potential spots to camp. They also decided to bring their cell phones, a satellite phone, and a GPS radio with them. One hiker emailed the final plan to everyone, who in turn emailed it to their loved ones.
The hikers flew to Salt Lake (4500 ft in elevation) on Sunday and checked into a hotel. Monday morning, they all had a good breakfast and started on their hike. They climbed 2000 feet and set up camp. Everyone was pretty tired and one person started to feel nauseous, but after they had rested a while and had some dinner, they felt okay. Tuesday morning they climbed 2000 feet. One of the hikers started to get a little dizzy, and one was nauseous and threw up, so they descended 500 feet to camp for the night, just in case. They used a pulse oximeter on each hiker and found they were all getting enough oxygen and their heart rate was okay.
Wednesday morning, the hiker who was dizzy felt much better, as did the hiker who threw up. He figured it was probably food poisoning, or something he ate, because he felt just fine now, and so did everyone else. They now were at approximately 8,000 feet in altitude so the group took a rest day. They sat around the campfire and every so often, took short walks to explore their surroundings and take pictures.
Thursday morning, one of the hikers woke up with a headache. His oxygen was borderline okay. Even though they had not made it to the top, they descended 2500 feet and the hiker felt a little better. Friday morning, his headache was worse, and he was now complaining he couldn’t breathe well. Since these were signs of a severe altitude sickness, they immediately began their descent and used their satellite phones to contact medical personnel. They were connected with a team who happened to be training nearby. They met up on the trail and treated him with oxygen as they continued their descent and then took him to the hospital.
Grading Rubric
| Objectives/Criteria | 1-Below Mastery | 2-Approaching Mastery | 3-Mastery |
| Scenario | The project contains a scenario, but it is not related to a high altitude activity. | The project contains a scenario related to high altitude activities, but is not very realistic. | The project contains a well thought out realistic scenario based on a high altitude activity. |
| Symptoms: Recognize and Describe Symptoms of AMS | Project identifies less than three potential symptoms | Project identifies at least three potential symptoms: one mild, one moderate, and one severe. | Project identifies at least six potential symptoms: two mild, two moderate, and two severe. |
| Treatments: Identify appropriate treatment of AMS | Project contains no information about how to treat each symptom. | Project contains some information about how to treat some symptoms. | Project discusses how to address each symptom presented.. |
| Create a safety plan: Acclimatization Measures and Safety Strategies | The project mentions minimal details about acclimatization and only one safety strategy (ROCK, pulse oximeter, or communication devices) | The project contains some details about acclimatization and at least two safety strategies (ROCK, pulse oximeter, or communication devices) | The project includes rich details about acclimatization measures and all safety strategies (ROCK, pulse oximeter, and communication devices) |
All About Altitude
| Use this Guided Notes Page to help you remember the important details about hiking at altitude. |
| List the symptoms of mild altitude sickness: |
| List the symptoms of moderate and severe altitude sickness: |
| If I increase my elevation by over 8,000 feet in a single day I need to: |
| What is a ROCK Solid plan of action for preparing for a hike?ROCK |
| If I am feeling poorly, what is the best plan of action? |