5 cultural exchange activities for a first classroom collaboration
A cultural exchange is a practical first international classroom collaboration. Partner classes can share festivals, recipes, folk tales, traditional games, or music, then reflect on what they learned about one another.
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Five cultural exchange activities for students
- Virtual cultural festival: each class presents a traditional festival through a presentation, video, or live performance.
- International recipe exchange: students share favourite recipes and can prepare dishes together during a virtual cooking session.
- Folk tales and stories exchange: students compare stories from their cultures and retell them through illustrations, short plays, or videos.
- Traditional games and sports exchange: students explain the rules, history, and cultural significance of an activity, then invite the partner class to try it.
- World music collaboration: students share songs, instruments, or dance styles and can create a joint musical piece or performance.
What can students learn about one another?
- Build connections with an international partner class through shared activities and discussion.
- Explore one another's customs, traditions, experiences, beliefs, and perspectives.
- Compare viewpoints and reflect on cultural diversity beyond the students' own classroom.
Where a first exchange can lead
The Class2Class learning journey describes three stages: get to know one another through cultural exchange, work together on a Sustainable Development Goal, and create solutions to real problems with design thinking. A first project can focus on the cultural exchange stage before the partner classes take on a shared challenge.
Plan with a partner teacher
Keep the first exchange manageable. Agree the topic, student expectations, and timing with the partner teacher before the classes begin.
- Take time to get to know the partner teacher and plan together.
- Choose a topic that engages both classes.
- Set clear agreements with students before the exchange.
- Allow enough time for meaningful collaboration.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good first international classroom project?
Start with a short Get to Know Each Other cultural exchange. Agree the topic and timeline with the partner teacher, set clear expectations with students, and allow enough time for both classes to contribute.
What cultural exchange activities can students do together?
Try a virtual cultural festival, a recipe exchange, a folk-tale exchange, traditional games or sports, or a world music collaboration.
Explore classroom projects
Browse project ideas for a first exchange with another class.