The Into Thin Air unit, based on the book by Jon Krakauer, was designed as an interdisciplinary unit for a small group of academically gifted sixth-grade students. It included hands-on, minds-on activities that would immerse students in the scientific, social, and personal struggles people face while attempting to climb the world’s tallest mountain. The unit successfully blended science, language arts, mathematics, and social studies through a combination of independent reading, thought-provoking conversations, reflective writing, and hands-on science investigations. In this article, the authors highlight the reading strategies used.