What is a Culture Box?
Culture boxes, representing countries across the globe, provide students with a wonderful opportunity to immerse themselves in elements of other cultures. The boxes can contain clothing, games, videos, books, toys, maps, currency, musical instruments, and other artifacts from around the world. Students can touch the objects, try on the garments, play the games, and actively learn about the different cultures of the world.
A number of Councils for International Vistiors (CIVs) have culture box programs which they make available to schools, community organizations, libraries, scouting club meetings, teacher workshops, and festivals. The World Affairs Council of Oregon has been developing its culture box program for nearly twenty years. Teachers across the country agree that culture boxes promote critical thinking, and provide avenues for visual, auditory, and tactile learners; they also provide teachers with an educational tool to enhance classroom lessons on any subject, and may include a curriculum to aid in classroom presentations.
In its effort to support culture box programs, the National Council for International Visitors (NCIV) has initiated a Culture Box Support Project. Thanks to an extensive collection of cultural artifacts donated by the U.S. Department of State, Office of International Visitors and other organizations, NCIV can provide culture box materials to its members interested in enhancing existing culture box programs or launching new culture box programs. Below you will find a catalogue of all the cultural artifacts NCIV has available, an item request form, and more information about culture box programs and NCIV's Culture Box Support Project.
Culture Box Item Request Form
Catalogue of Cultural Artifacts
Uses for Culture Boxes - provided by World Affairs Council of Oregon
Culture Box Care - provided by World Affairs Council of Oregon
Culture Box Contribution Ideas - provided by World Affairs Council of Oregon
For more information about NCIV's culture box support project, please contact info@nciv.org or call 202- 842-1414.
