Year 5 - Science
Changes in old age
Human development
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit describes the changes humans undergo from birth to old age. It involves planning scientific enquiries, measuring accurately, recording complex data, and presenting findings. Emphasis is on identifying evidence to support or refute ideas, drawing conclusions, and explaining results.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe changes in humans as they develop into old age.
Key Notes
- Old age is the last period of human life.
- Old age in adulthood is believed to begin at about 65 years.
- During old age, hair can become more grey and hearing and vision can deteriorate.
- During old age, bones can shrink in size, and muscles generally lose strength and flexibility.
- We can find answers to questions about human development in old age by speaking to elderly people.
Vocabulary To Learn
- human: People are a type of animal called humans.
- develop: To develop is to grow or change gradually.
- adult: The adult is a mature form of a plant or animal.
- elder: Humans past the age of 65 are considered to be elders.
- elderly: An elderly person is an older person past the age of 65.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may think that all elders are like their grandparents or other older people they know, whether they are fit and active or more frail and sedentary.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Old age is the last period of human life. Old age in adulthood is believed to begin at about 65 years.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'human'
People are a type of animal called humans. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may think that all elders are like their grandparents or other older people they know, whether they are fit and active or more frail and sedentary. Correction: Using the resources to support, explain that all humans are different and so there'll be differences in how they age. Also make it clear that old age can span up to 40 years so there'll be differences between someone who is 65 and someone who is 95.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Analysing data about human height Study Guide
- Changes during puberty Study Guide
- Changes in adulthood Study Guide
- Changes in childhood Study Guide
- Changes in humans before and after birth Study Guide
- Finding out about human height Study Guide
- Life expectancy (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability) Study Guide
- More about human development Study Guide
- Representing data about human height Study Guide
- The impact of population growth ( non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability) Study Guide
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