Our Stories, Our Cultures: Building Global Connections Through Exchange

Students watch partner class school introduction videos and create their own brief self-introduction videos (name, interests, one fun fact) to upload to Padlet. They comment on partner videos to start building connections.

Students are paired with a partner from the other class for a live Google Meet session to chat and learn about each other's daily lives. After the call, each student collects 3-5 photos or drawings of something meaningful from their own culture or community (a food, tradition, place, or object) with a short written caption explaining its significance.

Students work in small teams to fill a physical Culture Box with items representing their traditions, games, snacks, and local culture. They write descriptions for each item. The boxes are mailed to the partner class, and when received, students open and explore the contents together in a live video session, sharing reactions and asking questions.

Students interview family members or community members about a meaningful cultural story, tradition, or celebration from their own culture. They write or record a short story (2-3 minutes) capturing the narrative, values, and significance. Stories are shared asynchronously on Padlet or a shared document for the partner class to read and respond to with reflections.

Students analyze the stories, photos, and traditions received from their partner class. In small groups, they identify similarities and differences in values, celebrations, and daily life practices. They create a comparative chart or infographic showing these connections and write reflective responses to at least two partner stories, explaining what they learned and how it changed their perspective.

The class collaborates to curate a shared digital gallery or document combining photos, stories, and artifacts from both classes. Students write captions that celebrate the similarities and differences discovered. This becomes a living record of the cultural exchange that both classes can view and share with their communities.

Students reflect on what they learned about their own culture and others through the exchange. They write a farewell letter to their partner expressing gratitude and a key insight about global connection, then participate in a final live celebration where both classes share highlights, exchange small digital or physical tokens of appreciation, and discuss how they will stay connected.