No. Brunswick students take a journey overseas
John Adams Elementary fifth-graders learn about Africa
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer
It was a jungle inside of John Adams Elementary School in North Brunswick on Friday.

The fifth-grade class participated in cultural representations during "Traveling Through Africa," an interdisciplinary program led by the music, art, computer, library and physical education departments.

"This gives students the opportunity to have hands-on experience. Kids have all different learning styles … and they learn in different ways … so this provides confidence and poise for the students … so it's just fun all around," said general music teacher Arwen Kapusta.

The students were grouped into four sections and performed various skits, such as "The Iroko Tree," about getting what you deserve; "The Calabash Children," about the importance of being grateful when given a gift; "The Tortoise and the Hare" to demonstrate humility and unity; and "The Seven Brothers" to teach about avoiding deceit.

Kapusta adapted the skits for the students to perform after the teachers read through various books to find appropriate stories, and the art teachers and students created the scenery and costumes.

PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff Left: John Adams Elementary School fifth-graders made their own costumes for the skits they performed during their "Traveling Through Africa" cultural festival on Friday. Above: The fifth-grader boys presented a traditional dance during the festival. Below: The fifth-grader girls performed traditional African dances during the cultural festival.

In between each presentation were other cultural showings.

The school's band played the lullaby "Banuwa" from Liberia.

The students played a life-size version of Mancala, a game that has seeds or beans "captured" in separate "pits" or "depressions" as the game pieces move subsequently around the board. The game dates back to at least the sixth century in Ethiopia.

There were also several dance numbers, including John Adams' version of "Dance of Welcome," and movements taught by people of direct African descent. Dance is an expression of culture and history and is separated by gender, age and status, and is usually accompanied by the drum, which is a sign of life.

On display inside and outside of the gymnasium were grigis, which are clay good-luck charms that are painted and worn around the neck to represent power, an African masks made of beans, seeds and flowers to represent simple facial expressions through mouth and eye shapes.

The school chooses a different region or historical timeframe to study each year, and the fifthgraders work for months to complete their research and activities.

Deanna Ehrhardt, who participated in "The Iroko Tree" skit, said, "I learned about what they wear and what they eat and some of the languages they speak."

She said this was her first time studying Africa, and she was surprised at how bright the people's clothing is.

Someone very familiar with the African culture is Adedanola Kukoyi, whose parents were born in Nigeria. She said she listens to African music at home, and was "happy" and "proud" that other students were excited to embrace her culture.

"I was surprised by the dancing, because I don't dance like that," she said. "I haven't seen people dance in different ways."

The program was displayed for the children's parents Friday morning.

"The kids all worked really hard and it was so much fun. What's nice is we can all work together to put on a show," said physical education teacher Cheryl Peragallo.

Contact Jennifer Amato at

jamato@gmnews.com.