Teacher Notes
 

Attitudes Toward the Elderly 

 Scenario

  

 

You have just finished reading Cousins by Virginia Hamilton . You learned that Cammie had a strong personal relationship with her grandmother. Her cousins Patricia Ann and Elodie experienced a very different relationship with Gram Tut. Virginia Hamilton drew on her own family experiences in developing this novel. 

You have been asked to participate in research about the elderly in order to create a survey about their experiences. You and your fellow researchers will help in developing a questionnaire to use in surveying the elderly. 

Essential Question:  How do attitudes    toward the elderly differ in different American cultural groups?

Task and Product

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

Before you can develop a questionnaire, you will need to conduct research. You and your fellow classmates will be divided into six groups to research information on the attitudes toward the elderly and preserving family traditions. Each group will locate information about one of the following groups: Native American, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian, and African American. 

Your group is to make a presentation to inform the class about your cultural group.  You may make your presentation as a Power Point slide show or a video. Each group member will be responsible for creating at least two slides.

Your group's PowerPoint should include at least:

  • One title slide
  • Two slides that show your cultural group's attitudes and customs toward the elderly 
  • One slide that shows your cultural group's housing for the elderly
  • One slide that shows your cultural group's way of saving family memories
  • One slide with your group members' names

When all groups have shared their information, the class will create a questionnaire to survey the elderly.  

Assessments

 

   

You will be graded on your individual work:

Power Point Slide Scoring Tool for your two slides

The content of your slide show.

You will also be graded as to your group work:

Power Point Group Presentation Scoring Tool

Performance Task Assessment List Group Work

Your teacher may also decide to assign an alternate presentation from the following list:

Question


  

    

Essential Question: How do attitudes  toward the elderly differ in different American cultural groups?

Subsidiary Questions:

  • How do families preserve their cultural heritage?
  • How do family members express respect for the elderly in different cultures?
  • Have attitudes toward the elderly changed over time? How?
  • What tasks do grandparents perform in the family unit?
  • What kinds of heirlooms do families collect in order to preserve their family history?
  • What kinds of homes do the elderly live in?

Gather and Sort

 

 Your group must use both print and electronic resources in your explorer or conqueror research.
 Gather information from a
variety of sources.

Organize


     

 

   

Analyze your completed note-taking organizer.

Synthesize your findings by reviewing the Power Point shows the groups made. 

  • What new insights have emerged?
  • Which facts have been included?
  • What comparisons can you make among the different groups?

Evaluate the effectiveness of your research for the task.

  • Have you gathered sufficient details about cultural groups and the elderly in order to create the questionnaire?
  • Is your research reflected in the questionnaire?

Conclusion

 

    

     

    

Now that you have completed your research, it's time to create the class questionnaire.  To assist in creating the questionnaire, take a look at Tips for Creating the Questionnaire.  Also, look at the assessment that you will use to evaluate the result. 

Extension Activities: Write to a retirement community in your area, asking for the names of some of the residents.  Write to one of the residents and explain about your research.  Extend an invitation to come to visit the class to view the Power Point presentations and talk with you.