Best Practices: Connecting with a 6th-8th Grade Audience

The 6th-8th grade audience age ranges between 10-14 years old. These students are curious, energetic, and idealistic.

Like most students, middle school students learn new information best when it can be connected to their own experiences and when they can interact with fellow peers. Sixth to 8th graders are moving from concrete to abstract thinking, especially when solving “real world” problems. Here are tips to help you connect with this age group.

Pick a theme or a topic

Think about ways to share topics related to your host country and service.

Examples include:

• Lives of children and adolescents in your host country (typical school day, work and play, families)
• Environment (weather, plant and animal life)
• Family relationships
• A cultural difference to which you had to adjust
• Your job or area of service
• How your service changed your perspective on something, or how your earlier volunteer experience influenced you to consider Peace Corps.

Be specific and go into the topic in-depth.

Showcase objects and artifacts

Hands-on approaches are one of the most effective methods of information sharing with 6th-8th graders. Bring in a variety of objects from your host country for students to analyze so that students have the opportunity to "put a face to a name," so to speak.

Artifacts might be things that you used in daily life, that were hand-made by the people in your host country, or that have a special significance to you. These can also include clothing or music from your host country, and photographs or videos taken in your host country.

Use engaging activities

Instead of simply bringing objects to share with the class, organize activities to engage students, and prompt them to come up with questions regarding the object. Check out the Educator Resources page on the Peace Corps website for fun activity ideas.

Turn your experience into stories

Stories can provide an excellent learning opportunity for students. You could tell a folktale or story that was frequently told in your community, or read a story that takes place in your host country.

Stories help learners tap into their imagination and creativity and help students make an emotional connection to people in a distant country. They also enhance the appreciation of other cultures, regions, and environments.

Relate objects and experiences to students' life in the U.S.

Finding connections between your host country and the lives of American students will go a long way towards ensuring the lesson really sticks with the students.

Students are more likely to understand and remember key ideas from the lesson when they connect it to something they are already familiar with.