AGE RAGEAGE RAGE

THE FEAR OF YEARSTHE FEAR OF YEARSby herb lucasby herb lucas

ED 301.02ED 301.02

Diversity Technology Lesson:Diversity Technology Lesson:

Power Point & WWWPower Point & WWW

OUR DIVERSE RESOURCES OUR DIVERSE RESOURCES UNITUNIT

Explorations for Mr. Lucas’ 11th Explorations for Mr. Lucas’ 11th gradersgraders

a mini-lesson concerning age biasa mini-lesson concerning age bias

part one of an 11 part diversity unitpart one of an 11 part diversity unit

You’re never to young or You’re never to young or too old too old to live.to live.

Legislature Legislature commands citizens commands citizens to obedience.to obedience.

The laws say we The laws say we cannot disciminate cannot disciminate because of age.because of age.

Law has no body.Law has no body. People--you and People--you and

me--are why we me--are why we need legislature. need legislature.

NO YOUTH

NO OLD FOLKS

Objectives Objectives

Describe age biasDescribe age bias relate age bias to relate age bias to

different different maturational maturational perspectivesperspectives

illustrate benefits illustrate benefits of inclusion and of inclusion and acceptanceacceptance

our responsibilitiesour responsibilities

: to bring the seedling of concept to sound rooted vitality of maturation.

MATERIALSMATERIALS , ,

PLEASE…..PLEASE…..

WE NEED A LIVINGCLASSROOM….okay. you guys will do. you are breathing?

paper, pens or pencils

an attitude ofreceptibility…thewillingness to acceptwhat’s transmitted.

a sense of life.a curiosity.participation.sense of humor.

““I’m sorry. We need someone born I’m sorry. We need someone born this century. Have you thought this century. Have you thought about volunteering at the funeral about volunteering at the funeral home?” employer.home?” employer.

OLD COOTSOLD COOTSSILVER-BACKSSILVER-BACKSOVERQUALIOVERQUALIFIFIEE

DDWOBBLIESWOBBLIESPRUNEHILDASPRUNEHILDASMOULDY MOULDY

OLDIESOLDIES

““We’re looking for someone with We’re looking for someone with more experience….is that placenta more experience….is that placenta on your chin?”on your chin?”employer.employer.

WhippersnappersWhippersnappers know-it-allsknow-it-alls know-nothingsknow-nothings shut up and learn shut up and learn

something!something! ““Grow up!”Grow up!” ““What do you know What do you know

about it? You’re a about it? You’re a kid.”kid.”

WELCOME TO THE WORLD WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF AGE OF AGE BIAS BIAS

““NO ONE, IRREGARDLESS OF NO ONE, IRREGARDLESS OF THEIR LACK OF YEARS, OR THEIR LACK OF YEARS, OR THEIR SURPLUS OF YEARS, THEIR SURPLUS OF YEARS, SHOULD BE DISCRIMINATED SHOULD BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN TERMS OF THEIR AGAINST IN TERMS OF THEIR LIFE, LIBERTY, AND PURSUIT LIFE, LIBERTY, AND PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.”…Mr. Lucas.OF HAPPINESS.”…Mr. Lucas.

DO YOU DISCRIMINATE DO YOU DISCRIMINATE FOR AGE?FOR AGE?

Do you view Mr.Lucas as adinosaur, and irrelevant?

Sometimes the old Sometimes the old becomes newbecomes new

Literature and Literature and media is media is abundant in abundant in tales of “elderly tales of “elderly tortoises” tortoises” outrunning outrunning “younger “younger hares.”hares.”

ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE ELDER ELDER APPRECIATIONAPPRECIATION

Write a half-page response about how an Write a half-page response about how an older person has effected your life.older person has effected your life.

What older (past middle-age) person would What older (past middle-age) person would you like to be like when you reach that you like to be like when you reach that age? Write a few sentences, and then be age? Write a few sentences, and then be prepared for large group discussion.prepared for large group discussion.

Research and make a creative chart Research and make a creative chart displaying 6 people who achieved displaying 6 people who achieved something after age 55.something after age 55.

ACTIVITIES CONTINUEDACTIVITIES CONTINUED

BE A STAR! Role play: The entire class is BE A STAR! Role play: The entire class is over 55. Arrange the classroom into over 55. Arrange the classroom into sections of a rest home, and group sections of a rest home, and group students in sections. Role play a rest students in sections. Role play a rest home.home.

BE A STAR! Role play: Now turn the rest BE A STAR! Role play: Now turn the rest home in to a cruise ship full of 55 and over home in to a cruise ship full of 55 and over passengers, some single, some married. passengers, some single, some married. Think of this as a geriatric Think of this as a geriatric LOVE BOAT tv show.

Web resources to Web resources to experience experience bias bias against the agingagainst the aging

http://plato.acadiahttp://plato.acadiau.ca/courses/engl/u.ca/courses/engl/young/shakes/KL/young/shakes/KL/grp1/walter.htmlgrp1/walter.html

A study of King Lear

More WWW resourcesMore WWW resources

http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/2aa/2aa51http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/2aa/2aa516.html 6.html

website about gramma moseswebsite about gramma moses http://www.graypanthers.org/http://www.graypanthers.org/

DO THE OLD FOLKS DO THE OLD FOLKS DISCRIMINATE AGAINST DISCRIMINATE AGAINST YOU, TODAY’S YOUTH?YOU, TODAY’S YOUTH?

We all forget where we came from.

ACTIVITIES TO EXAMINE ACTIVITIES TO EXAMINE REVERSE AGE BIAS: why REVERSE AGE BIAS: why run from young?run from young?

Imagine you are the Imagine you are the school principal. How school principal. How do you view your do you view your students? Write a students? Write a one page response.one page response.

Select acurrent topic. Select acurrent topic. You are congress You are congress debating a current debating a current issue in congress. issue in congress. Debate issue in class Debate issue in class as group.as group.

Activities continuedActivities continued

Compile your Compile your results from the last results from the last debate. Now debate debate. Now debate the same issue as if the same issue as if you were 30-99 you were 30-99 year old politicians.year old politicians.

Compare your Compare your results. Large results. Large group discussion of group discussion of findings.findings.

DISTRUST OF DISTRUST OF TIME’S PLANTIME’S PLAN

We forget we are but caterpillars, each of us with our own particular chosen thread to weave.

BUT REMEMBER...

You were me, I hope to be You were me, I hope to be you.you.

If you’re old, you once If you’re old, you once were young,were young,

If you’re young, then If you’re young, then you hope to grow old.you hope to grow old.

AT WHAT AGE AT WHAT AGE DO WE FORGET DO WE FORGET OUR LIFE’S OUR LIFE’S JOURNEY? JOURNEY?

SUMMARY

BIAS OF ONES years, by our own peers, isas common as rain--”Oh! The sweet smell spring rain!” Will the older folks makeconcessions toward the less fortunate. Yes.

Will the students who have matriculated

through the class, appy their values against we shall see .