Building Bridges: Youth Cultural Exchange for Global Sustainability

Teacher presents the Cultural Exchange project purpose, explaining how students will connect with international peers across Japan, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, or China to share teenage culture and collaborate on environmental solutions

Students review the five-week timeline together, exploring a visual roadmap of all planned activities from Culture Box exchanges to the Eco-Tour Map

Teacher clarifies expectations for respectful intercultural dialogue, active participation, and the importance of understanding global perspectives on cultural identity and environmental challenges

Each student creates a short digital introduction (video, slide, or voice message) sharing their name, interests, and one aspect of Korean teenage culture they are excited to share, then posts it on the Project Board

Students view introductions from partner classrooms and post welcoming comments on the Project Board, building initial connections and curiosity about other cultures

Teacher facilitates a brief live or asynchronous discussion where students share what surprised them or intrigued them about their new international peers

Teams collaborate to prepare for Activity 2 by discussing what aspects of Korean teenage culture they want to highlight in their Culture Box

Teacher launches the driving question: 'How can understanding teenage culture and environmental challenges across the world help us become better global citizens?'

Students brainstorm in small groups using the Class2Class group chat to discuss what they already know about other countries' teenage cultures and environmental issues

Each student writes down one personal question they want to answer through this cultural exchange project and shares it on the Project Board

Students select 5-7 items showcasing Korean teenage culture for their Culture Box (snacks, school supplies, photos, stickers, etc.) and write personal introductory letters explaining each item's cultural significance

Working in small groups, students photograph their selected items and upload descriptions to a shared Google Drive document titled 'Korean Culture Box Inventory' for Activity 3

Teams research and document the latest Korean teenage slang, buzzwords, and memes, preparing to create illustrated 'Slang & Meme Cards' for Activity 4 with English explanations and example sentences

Students conduct interviews with classmates about their favorite school cafeteria items, study methods, friendship tips, and daily routines, collecting stories and photos to feature in the High School Survival Guide for Activity 5

Guide students to research how climate change specifically affects their local environment and daily lives in Icheon (air quality, seasonal shifts, water resources, impacts on local nature) and document findings with photos and personal observations for Activity 6

Students mail their Culture Boxes to partner schools and simultaneously receive Culture Boxes from international peers, then participate in a group unboxing session where they photograph and describe each item on the Project Board

Teams design illustrated 'Slang & Meme Cards' using Canva or Google Slides, uploading finished cards to a collaborative Google Drive document and exploring partner countries' cards to discover global commonalities in youth culture

Working in assigned teams, students create High School Survival Guides in the form of short videos, infographics, or digital booklets using Google Slides or Canva, uploading materials to shared Google Drive and preparing to present asynchronously on Flip or through video recordings

Students view and comment on partner classrooms' High School Survival Guides using the Project Board, asking questions and sharing observations about similarities and differences in school life across countries

Working in groups, students research how climate change affects their local environment and create visually engaging posters or card news highlighting specific local impacts (using Canva or Google Slides), then upload materials to the shared Project Board

Teams explore partner countries' climate impact materials on the Project Board, discussing in group chats how the global climate crisis manifests differently across regions and what interconnected environmental challenges they observe

Students identify ecological tourist destinations, eco-friendly transportation options, sustainable accommodations, and local organic food sources in the Icheon region and throughout South Korea

Each student or small team creates detailed pins for Google My Maps with descriptions, photos, and sustainability information about their identified locations, then uploads pins to the shared collaborative map

Teacher facilitates a live Zoom session where students from partner classrooms present their eco-friendly locations, ask clarifying questions, and collaboratively refine the global Eco-Tour Map together

Students review the completed Eco-Tour Map and discuss what they learned about sustainable alternatives available in different regions, documenting insights in a shared Google Doc

Students organize a school-wide 'Global Connections Fair' by creating exhibition materials and display boards featuring Culture Boxes, Slang Dictionary posters, High School Survival Guides, Climate Crisis impact materials, and the Eco-Tour Map

Teams prepare talking points about their intercultural discoveries and practice presenting key learnings to other classes, families, and school staff during the fair

Students compile all project materials into a shared Project Board gallery with photos, videos, and digital artifacts, making the collection accessible to partner schools and creating a lasting record of the cultural exchange

During the fair, students engage visitors in conversations about what they learned, answer questions about partner countries, and demonstrate how intercultural understanding connects to environmental solutions

Students participate in a guided reflection discussion addressing: 'What surprised me about other cultures?', 'How did learning about international peers change my perspective?', 'What did I discover about my own culture?', and 'Why is intercultural understanding important for solving global problems?'

Each student completes a self-assessment rubric evaluating their own intercultural communication, collaboration with international peers, and respect for diversity throughout the project

Students provide peer feedback to classmates using simple comment forms on the Project Board, highlighting moments when they saw strong intercultural communication or collaboration

Students contribute their reflections to a shared digital mural on Padlet titled 'What We Learned Together,' creating a collaborative record of intercultural insights and personal growth