Friendship Dolls
Culture Box

As part of an educational program about Japan and the Friendship Dolls, some schools put together Culture Boxes to be sent to Japanese schools. Many times Culture Boxes are exchanged between American and Japanese schools.

A Culture Box gives students from one culture a tangible view into the lives of students in a foreign country. When preparing a Culture Box, students have the opportunity to discuss and identify things that represent their daily lives, their schools, their communities, and their culture. 

Below is a suggested list of the types of items that can be placed into a Culture Box:

• photos (including students in class)

• student projects, such as:
       - pictorial displays
       - drawings
       - small scrapbook on specific topic
       - posters
       - essays
       - pamphlets

• student projects can cover these types of topics:
       - typical class activities
       - local weather
       - local manufactured products
       - food
       - tourist sites
       - clothing
       - sports and other recreational activities
       - local wildlife
       - local famous persons

• maps (city, state, country)

• travel brochures about local area

• postcards

• stamps

• coins

• magazines

• dolls

• videos

• cassette tapes or CDs

• calendars

• recipes with drawings or pictures

• newspaper headlines or articles

The following web pages describe some of the Culture Box items sent to Japanese schools:

• Arrowhead Elementary School, Virginia

• South River Elementary School, Massachusetts