The purpose of this unit is to provide activities to help 7-12 grade students understand some of the physical handicaps and social problems that the elderly must face. The unit, designed to be used in six class sessions, is arranged into two parts. In the first, students vicariously experience what it is like to have some physical handicaps that are common to older people by participating in simulations in which they experience impairment of vision, hearing, and mobility. For example, students' eyes are covered and then they are asked to walk across a stage. Objectives are for students to feel empathy for elders with physical handicaps, describe specific physical problems that frequently come with advanced age, and cite ways in which good health habits can minimize the effects of aging. The second set of activities deals with relations between older and younger persons. Students read a problem situation, such as, "a retired factory worker with a heart condition must persuade a manager in an apartment building that he is capable of being a security guard in an apartment." Then students use these problem situations to prepare skits which they act out for the class and invited older guests. Objectives are to help students understand typical social problems faced by elders, cite ways in which society often places restrictions and demands on the behavior of older people, and recognize similarities in the way society often expects old and young people to behave. Skit situations and skit analysis handouts are included. Each unit activity contains an overview, a list of objectives and materials needed, information on the advance preparation and teaching time required, and guidelines for each day's activity. (Author/NE)