Teachers in Albert Lea had a choice of participating in four areas of instruction as part of the Blue Zones longevity quest to Icaria, Greece. The materials were aimed at fourth- through eighth-graders.

Jacque Sorensen picked three of the four for her fourth-grade class at Lakeview Elementary.

“The things they are teaching are all things I believe in,” she said.

The four areas are termed Quest, Legacy, Challenge and Financial. You probably guessed the fourth-graders didn’t do the money one.

Quest is following daily items from the Blue Zones team in Icaria, such as a daily video, photos, dispatches, stuff like that, via the World Wide Web. Friday was the last of 10 days in a row.

Anyone at home can see the same information at BlueZones.com.

“I believe that the quest is good for all of us,” Sorensen said. “It benefits adults, seniors and students if we all work together.”

It comes with lessons on reading, writing, math, health and science and geography. For instance, the geography lesson has them compare customs and imagine they are visiting a Blue Zone.

The outreach to the Albert Lea schoolchildren is part of the AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project, an effort to increase the lifespans of Albert Lea residents.

Legacy involves performing some social science research with seniors. Challenge is prompting the students to eat right and exercise.

On Friday morning, Sorensen’s class was going to watch the Day 10 video, but it wasn’t on the site yet. It was about 4:30 in the afternoon over in Greece, so they rewatched the Day 8 video. They watched the Day 10 video later.

The students wrote in their journals about what building community means to them, and they spoke with a Tribune reporter.

Student Sam Chalmers said one problem the Blue Zones team is facing in Icaria is many people want to host them for dinner, which is great but they there is work to do.

That work means they aren’t getting much sleep, said Jackie Laylana.

Justine Nelson said it is important to greet and value parents and grandparents because family is a key to living longer. And she said playing sports and being active is important, too.

“You want to have a purpose so you get up in the morning,” said Ben Witham.

Online, the students get to direct aspects of the expedition, which seeks to bring experts together to determine whether Icaria is the world’s fifth Blue Zone. A Blue Zone is a place where people generally live longer than the rest of the world.

But the part Jesse Vasey — and many other students — likes best is the part labeled “gross and disgusting.”

Here is the straight poop from the team: “Beekeepers in Ikaria don’t waste resources. They even use cow dung when bees are putting up a stink! A clever device called a ‘smoker’ heats dried cow manure, generates fumes, and gets feisty bees all pooped out. This bee-calming technique may have started in ancient Egypt, but today, smokers are still an essential tool for beekeepers around the globe.”

A lot of gross and disgusting has to do with food — Icarian couples consume about two heads of garlic a day — and so the class will hold a taste-test party on Friday.

“The students are anxious and nervous about trying different foods,” Sorensen wrote, “but they are up to the adventure!”

Students next Friday will get to try thick honey, goat milk and cheese, garlic cloves, Mediterranean soup, olives and other Greek food.

The daily dilemma has questions for online voters to assist the team. For instance team leader Dan Buettner wrote:

“Something interesting happened today. I went to a store to buy some much needed items (shampoo, a gift for our translator, an apple and a soda pop). Once I reached the cash register, I handed her a $50 Euro note to cover the items, but she would not allow me to pay. When I tried to force her to take the money she refused again! She said that she heard about our expedition and my money was no good in her store. It was a nice gesture, but one that made me feel guilty because the value of the items was roughly $40.”

The poll asked: “So, if this happens again, what should our team members do?”

Forty-six percent favored “except the gift and thank her for her kindness” and 53 percent supported “thank her but insist that she take the money.”

The students said they enjoy how the Blue Zones people use science and they are glad the work they do with the Legacy and Challenge parts are part of the Vitality Project.

“I can do things people say can’t happen but provide it is true,” Justine Nelson said.

Sean Brownlow said the work will be sent to Washington, D.C., when they are finished.

For the Legacy part, the students will interview two “super seniors.”

The seniors answer questions such as “What are the three most important factors that you feel have contributed to your good health?” and “How often do you eat green salad?”

It also has an interesting finger-tapping exercise. The seniors are timed while they are sort of connecting the dots with their fingers.

The Challenge pushes the students to set goals for living healthy. The students will keep track of their consumption of fruits and vegetables and when they exercise. They also will record their servings of sweetened beverages and time spent watching television.