The Human Life Cycle

In this lesson, students will learn about the changes that occur in humans as they age. The lesson aims to answer two questions:

• Can I explain some of the changes that occur in humans from when they are born?
• Can I describe some of the characteristics that occur as humans get older?

Students should have prior knowledge of the human body and growth through their studies in early years and key stage 2. The lesson is aligned with the KS2 curriculum, specifically the topics of living things and their habitats and animals including humans. Cross-curricular links can be made with ICT, where students can research osteoporosis and other bone-weakening diseases, and RE, where students can research the ages of some of the patriarchs in the Bible.

The lesson will address common misconceptions about aging, such as the idea that brain power decreases with age and that men and women have the same average life span. Students will be provided with the correct information that brain power can increase with mental stimulation and that women live longer than men on average.

Activity: Making Human Life Stage Cards

In this activity, students will work in groups of 4 to research and discuss the life stages of humans. They will create information cards or a report that will show the stages and the characteristics of individuals at each stage, such as their physical descriptions, ability to walk or talk, etc. They will then compare their life stage cards to those provided.

Activity: A Closer Look at Puberty

In this activity, students will work in groups of 4 to discuss the changes that occur from childhood to adulthood in both sexes. They will use puberty cards to construct a Venn diagram and explore what happens to both sexes and what is unique to each sex during puberty.

Activity: How Bones Change with Age

In this activity, students will work in groups of 4 to explore how bones change with age. They will use a plastic bottle, measuring cylinder, card, 2 thick books, sharp pencil, and plasticine to conduct an experiment and record the results. The experiment involves gradually adding weight to a card representing a radius bone in the arm and observing when the card collapses. The results will be recorded for 4, 8, 16, and 32 holes punched into the card.