LESSON PLANS ON AGING ISSUES:
    Creative Ways to Meet Social Studies Standards


Participation in Government

Overview of Lesson Plans

This is a series of activities to help students think about their attitudes toward older people, and the
impact the graying baby boomers will have on future social policy in the United States. There are nine
different lesson plans, and teachers can use a menu system to choose which lessons are best suited
for their students. In the past, teachers have allotted five to ten class periods for the entire unit. Each
lesson should take one class period. Brief descriptions of the lesson plans are provided below. For a
complete lesson plan and student handouts, click on the appropriate link.

Lesson Plans
Description
Students consider the impact of the baby boomers on the Social Security system. They learn how the system works and discuss proposed reforms.
Students read a brief history of attitudes in the U.S. toward old people from colonial times to the present. They answer review questions individually for content, then participate in groups discussing their opinions of six different issues raised in the article.
Students compare legislation passed in the 1960's in both Japan and the U.S. They consider the different attitudes toward older adults in the two countries and the underlying cultural values.
This is an out of class assignment, but it takes one period to help students prepare for the interview.
Students visit local retirement communities and invite older people to come to their class. Students read and analyze reports on local conditions for older people and describe their own opinions on the issues affecting older adults.
The lesson begins with an overview of the U.S. aging population and changing life expectancies. Students think about their own goals and use the Life Expectancy Calculator© to predict, based on lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors, how long they will live.
Students take a survey about the "Myths and Facts about Older Americans". They then read an article with documented facts. They conclude by working in groups summarizing and analyzing the facts in the article.
Students consider stereotypes of teenagers and older adults. Students evaluate their own attitudes toward aging.
Students work in groups to understand a series of graphs and charts describing the characteristics of the older population now and in the future. The groups consider the fact that by the year 2030, 20% of the U.S. population will be over 65. They then predict the impact of this shift in demographics on the politics, lifestyle and popular culture of U.S. society.
Related Videos
 - Interviews with Centenarians (HBO special): Centenarians recall their lives in the light of events in U.S. history. (55 minutes)
- Flowers for Charlie: A retired man rides the bus daily and forms a relationship with young people. (12 minutes)