Questions for ‘Meet some of the longest-lived animals’

Sirocco the kākāpō is New Zealand’s official spokesbird for conservation. Kākāpōs may have the longest lifespan of any birds.
Liu Yang/iStock/Getty Images Plus
To accompany ‘Meet some of the longest-lived animals’
SCIENCE
Before Reading:
- List three animals with long lifespans. Provide a lifespan estimate for each example. Identify one similarity between these animals. Identify one difference.
- Consider why some animals have longer lifespans than others. List three factors that might contribute to the maximum lifespan of an animal species. Briefly explain each factor.
During Reading:
- In 2019, what was the average human life expectancy? By how many years did Jeanne Louise Calment exceed this expectancy?
- Contrast naked mole rats and mice in their size and maximum lifespan.
- Naked mole rats have developed biochemical resistance to cancer, but mice have not. Explain how predation pressure contributes to these biochemical differences.
- Identify one ability or behavior that helps bats live longer than similarly sized rodents.
- Which country is home to the bird species with the longest known lifespan?
- What initially surprised scientists about the colors of kākāpōs? Why was this surprising? Explain the reason for this pattern.
- What does it mean for an animal to be an ectotherm?
- What genetic trick do bowhead whales use to reduce the likelihood of mutations?
- What kind of animal is an ocean quahog? How do scientists determine the age of a particular ocean quahog?
- Identify one similarity in the environment of the glass sponge and other marine “old-timers.”
After Reading:
- Imagine a classmate claiming that “small animals live longer than large animals.” To what extent is this classmate correct? To what extent are they incorrect? Imagine you are tasked with developing a single sentence explaining how a species’ size relates to longevity. Would you find this task challenging or easy? Briefly explain your answer.
- As a class, come up with a list of factors that contribute to the average lifespan of a species. Then, set a one-minute timer and work individually to rank these factors from highest to lowest impact on lifespan. Find a partner and compare your lists. Is your list the same or different from your partner’s? Discuss similarities and differences with your partner. If the rankings are identical, explain how your partner picked their highest and lowest rankings. Did you use similar or different reasoning to rank your list? If your rankings were different, explain your partner’s reasoning for one of their different rankings. Briefly explain why you ranked this factor differently.
- Generally, do you think of plant lifespans as longer, shorter or similar to animals? Pick one lifespan-affecting factor mentioned in this story. To what extent do you believe this factor affects animals and plants equally? Explain your answer.