Unit 1

Introduction
Molecules, Cells and Theories

Unit Outcomes
Things To Do For This Unit
Chapter Notes & Textbook Assignments
Online Activities

Unit Outcomes

After reading these chapters, students should be able to:

Describe and discuss the major concepts of homeostasis, developmental change, biological aging, cell structure and function, and the Hayflick limit.
Identify and analyze the distinctions between aging and disease; the risk factors that promote abnormal and disease states; the hierachy of structure and function of the body; and the six types of aging and how they relate.
Describe and discuss the methods to analyze the aging process and the various theories of aging.

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Things To Do For This Unit

Make sure you are registered and have your textbook.
Submit your Letter of Agreement to the Distance Learning Department immediately. (This link opens in a separate window. Use the Back Button to return).
Complete the reading and Web board assignment below.
Choose a case you want to work on and email your choice to your instructor.

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Chapter Notes & Textbook Assignments

The Chapter Notes constitute a brief outline of the concepts and vocabulary that you should concentrate on in your readings. The notes also contain supplementary information which will help you to meet your learning objectives for the chapter.

The notes are available to download and print.

Chapter 1 Notes
Chapter 2 Notes
Read Chapter 1
Read Chapter 2

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Online Activities

WebBoard Assignment 1

Introduce yourself to your classmates and take the Life Expectancy Calculator test.

Your introduction should include the following items:

a brief synopsis of who you are, including your major (if known);
your reason for taking the Biology 120 course;
what you hope to learn from the course;
what you believe the normal aging process is;
the results of your life expectancy calculator test (see below);
according to the calculator, identify the main health habit that you can change that will increase your longevity;
how did your results from the calculatory compare to the hypothetical perfect 20 or 60 year old male or female (choose the one that is closest to your age).
Identify a website that is directed to the older adult and focuses on how to age successfully (i.e., wellness, nutrition, helpful tips). Provide a brief review of the site that looks at the ease of use for an older adult, the types of information it contains and the usefulness of the information.
This web assignment is worth 10 points. Please note if there are any problems with the web board, email your assignment to the instructor and it will be emailed to the rest of the class.

Life Expectancy Calendar

"The average person is born with a set of genes that would allow them to live to 85 years of age and maybe longer. People who take appropriate preventive steps may add as many as 10 quality years to that. People who fail to heed the messages of preventive medicine may subtract substantial years from their lives." (cited from Alliance for Aging Research, creators of the Life Expectancy Calendar).

Go to the Life Expectancy Calculator (Opens in separate window - use Back Button to return) and see what your projected life expectancy would be. The test provides reasons why each factor contributes to life expectancy, so pay special attention to these areas.

If the link does not work or there is some other reason that you cannot use the Life Expectancy Calculator look over the results and note the factors that increase longevity in the hypothetical cases presented. If you are able to access the Life Expectancy Calculator, compare your results with the results for a hypothetically perfect 20 year old and 60 year old male and female, as well as a hypothetically non-perfect person in each gender and age group. Whether or not you can access the Calculator, you should note what you can do to improve your life expectancy.

Clinical Case

Choose a case and email your choice to your instructor.

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