Ms. Tongate shows how Africans used animals in their stories to teach morals and ideas. For example, popular cartoon animals often teach morals to American children. Students see that today's popular stories and books come from yesterday's ideas. To show students African influence on clothing trends, she has them make native skirts. The idea of a repetitive pattern in clothing originated in Africa.
Students make the skirts by first blocking off two inch square sections.
They create designs in blocks, then color them. Students personalize their skirts by using logos from clubs, sports and even after school jobs. The final step is to crumple up the skirt to simulate wrinkles. This wrinkling effect called, broomstick, is a popular fashion of the 90s. They realize their life today is influenced by older times and other cultures.