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Mellowing With Age, A Closer Look
Joyce Delinda Johnson
Bay Point Elementary and Gulf Beaches Elementary, St. Petersburg, Florida
Subject: Science: Human Growth
Grade: K-5 (Gifted)
"While touring one of the recreational centers that offered
so many varied activities for the elderly, one student blurted,
'I can't wait to get old.'"
Purpose and Description of Project
Joyce Johnson used the camera as an integral part of a wide range
of activities designed to help her K-5 students realize that aging
is a "natural, continuous process" and develop sensitivity
to the needs, desires, and capabilities of the elderly. The unit,
developed for gifted students from two schools, focused on the
normal physiological effects of aging, the psycho-social needs
of older people, and their environmental needs.
The youngsters took pictures of every aspect of their activities,
including interviews, special events planned for and with the
elderly, field trips, and school appearances by resource people.
They also wrote about their experiences and about how their feelings
changed during the project.
Johnson says that the project helped dispel many of the children's
misconceptions about aging, helped them empathize with older people,
and resulted in many warm, sharing relationships between young
and old.
Activities
In addition to studying books and
films
on various aspects of
aging, the children had access to a wealth of resource people-both
older community members and people who work with the elderly.
To help the students understand the physical effects of aging,
for example, a clinical specialist in geriatric nursing not only
presented medical data but also helped them experience through
simulations what it is like to have sensory losses. Activities
touching on the psycho-social impact of aging involved a professor
of geriatric care, a group of elderly musicians, a student's great-grandmother,
and representatives from the American Legion. The environmental
needs of older people were discussed by activities directors of
apartment buildings and a nursing home.
The students also photographed things signifying "young"
and "old," such as babies and worn shoes, interviewed
elderly relatives and neighbors; took field trips to nursing homes,
retirement facilities, and recreational centers; performed plays
focusing on the elderly; presented a talent show featuring both
young and old; visited with a baseball league of players in their
70s, 80s, and 90s; produced newsletters about the project and
their reactions to it; and wrote poetry, journal entries, and
photo-stories based on their experiences.
Materials, Resources, and Expenses
Human resources included the many elderly community members, experts
on aging, and workers with the elderly who interacted and shared
their knowledge with the students. This included about 20 individuals
and groups who visited the schools, the many residents and clients
of the facilities visited by the children, and the relatives and
neighbors who were interviewed.
Students used several different types of
cameras
, including six
provided by the students themselves and three provided by the
teacher.
Outcomes and Adaptability
Johnson says that the students' improved factual knowledge about
aging was demonstrated through testing. Their changes in attitude
were made evident through their willingness to come in contact
with and communicate with the elderly-including volunteering for
additional interviews; their weekly log entries; class news articles;
poetry; and written philosophies and perspectives on aging. She
stresses that all the project activities were enhanced by photographs,
which helped to capture memories, send reminders of how special
many of their subjects were, make the child realize that all age
groups have common physical and mental traits, dramatize that
talents such as singing and dancing are ageless, and highlight
such common needs as love and belonging.
The teacher believes that similar activities would be suitable
for any or academic group and are particularly important as senior
citizens come to make up a larger and larger proportion of our
population.