Discuss the differences between a continent and a country. Define the words 'museum' and 'exhibit' for the students and set up the items in the box in a display area. Make index card labels of the items you took from the box to model how the description of the items should look and what information it should have. Ask students to bring in Chinese cultural items. Label and display them.
Older students can work in cooperative groups writing descriptions of the items on index cards.
This activity could be the beginning of the unit as well as the culminating activity. If this is an introductory activity for the unit on China, have the students write everything they know about China on a piece of paper before they learn any material in school. Have them do this same activity at the completion of the unit. Have students compare the two papers. This is a good way to show them concrete evidence of their learning.