Introduction

Instructional Model

Teacher Guide

Teacher Background

Printable Materials

Resources

Glossary

Credits

Bibliography

Standards

About the Author

 


Explore

About the Activity:

In this Explore activity, students will investigate what it means to age. They will work in teams to discuss their findings from The Biology of Aging Survey. They will also compare the terms life span and life expectancy.

Objectives:

  • Conduct interviews with senior citizens.
  • Discuss students' findings following senior citizen interviews.
  • Compare the terms life span and life expectancy.
Materials:
 

Why We Age (make transparency)

Biology of Aging Surveys

Life Span vs. Life Expectancy (Teacher Background)

Aging Population Graph (make transparency)

Grandmother Singletree quotation (make transparency)

Image from Wildegeest: A Search for Last Places

Procedure:
  1. Show Why We Age quotation to class. Ask students to write down what they think the quotation means. Discuss the quotation as a class.

  2. Have the class brainstorm what it means to age. Record all class thoughts on an overhead. Accept all ideas.

  3. Organize students into teams of four.

  4. Have students discuss their findings from their Biology of Aging Surveys. Teams should record their findings.

  5. As a class, discuss what the various groups found. What was most surprising? What did you expect to find?

  6. Discuss life span vs. life expectancy. How do they differ?

  7. Teacher Background on Life Span vs. Life Expectancy.

  8. Show class Aging Population Graph. Discuss the importance of understanding the aging process.

  9. At the end of class, discuss the Grandmother Singletree quotation. How does our perception of aging change as we go through life? What is meant by the quote?

Additional Activities: