Exploring Stories Across Cultures through culture box with penpal via letters

Present the Culture Box Exchange Project purpose: exploring how books reflect cultural values and storytelling traditions across countries

Show students the timeline and explain what will be in each culture box (2 educational books, 90 handwritten letters, cultural items like stickers, posters, and local snacks)

Ask students: 'What is your favorite book and why? What does your choice say about you and your culture?' - gather responses on the project board

Explain that they will be writing letters in English to pen pals in 4 different countries to share their favorite books and learn about books loved in other cultures

Launch the icebreaker by having each student create a short written introduction (3-4 sentences) sharing their name, favorite book, and one reason they love reading

Post all student introductions on the project board so partner classes can view them

Guide students to read introductions from their pen pal class and identify 2-3 similarities or differences in reading preferences

Facilitate students writing their first friendly letter to their assigned pen pal, including a greeting, introduction, and one question about the pen pal's favorite book

Use the group chat to remind students about letter-writing etiquette and cultural respect in written communication

Present the driving question to students: 'How do the books we love reveal who we are and where we come from? What can we learn about another culture through the stories they treasure?'

Guide students to reflect individually in a journal or digital document: What themes appear in books popular in my country? What values do these themes show?

Facilitate a class discussion where students share their reflections and notice patterns (e.g., adventure, family, nature, justice)

Explain that they will be exploring this question by exchanging letters about favorite books with pen pals and looking for similarities and differences in the themes and values each culture values in literature

Organize students into small groups (3-4 students per group) using the group functionality on Class2Class

Assign each group a category of books to research: children's classics, contemporary fiction, fantasy, or educational books popular in your country

Guide groups to research 2-3 books in their category and document: book title, author, main themes (e.g., friendship, courage, environmental awareness), and why these books are valued in your culture

Have students create a shared Google Doc or Padlet post for their group showing the books they selected for the culture box and brief descriptions of why each book represents your country's literary traditions

Facilitate groups selecting the 2 most meaningful books to include in the culture box that will be sent to partner countries

Collect all 90 handwritten letters from students and organize them for packing into the culture box along with the 2 selected books and cultural items (stickers, posters, traditional paper-making kits, local snacks)

Send the culture boxes to the 4 partner countries in early April, using the group chat to confirm shipping details and expected delivery dates

Once partner culture boxes arrive (expected April or May), distribute the letters to students so they can read their pen pals' messages

Guide students to respond to their pen pals' letters by writing new letters that answer questions, share reactions to the books received, and ask follow-up questions about themes and cultural values

Use the project board to post photos of the culture boxes received, the books inside, and student reactions to the letters and items

Guide students to synthesize their letter exchanges and book research into a final collaborative product: either a comparative presentation (using Google Slides or Canva) or a podcast episode

For presentations: Students organize findings into sections comparing themes across cultures (e.g., 'How Different Cultures Approach Adventure Stories', 'Family Values in Books Around the World')

For podcasts: Students write and record scripts discussing the books exchanged, themes discovered, and insights about cultural values revealed through literature, with each student contributing 1-2 minutes

Organize students into production teams using the group functionality, assigning roles such as researcher, designer/editor, narrator, and presenter

Have teams share their draft presentations or podcast outlines on the project board for peer feedback from classmates

Launch a reflection activity by asking students: 'What did you learn about your pen pal's culture through their favorite books? How did this change your understanding of global literature?'

Guide each student to complete a simple reflection form (digital or paper) addressing: one new insight about another culture, one similarity they discovered with their own country's books, and one way their thinking about literature has grown

Facilitate a class sharing circle where 5-6 students share one meaningful moment or discovery from the pen pal exchange

Organize a celebration event to showcase final presentations or podcast episodes to the school community, inviting parents, other classes, and local community members

Send a thank-you message through the group chat to partner classes, including a brief video or written message from students expressing gratitude and reflecting on what the exchange meant to them