Page 2 - Easy Origami for Kids (K-5th)

 

Greetings, it's me, Alberto, but you can call me the Makerspace Guy!

In my classroom, students are invited to visit various creative stations.  A popular destination is the Origami Station, where kids follow instructions to create structures out of paper.

ori·​ga·​mi | \ ˌȯr-ə-ˈgä-mē  \ -  the Japanese art or process of folding squares of paper into representational shapes.

(Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

Instructing kids to make origami can seem rather overwhelming, especially when teaching kinder kids who are just starting school.

I've purchased many "How-To-Make" origami books and checked out several from the school library, but the number one book I recommend is EASY ORIGAMI by John Montroll.  He's my favorite author of origami instructional books. 

This step-by-step manual comes with easy-to-follow instructions and photos.

It works well for kindergarten through 5th-grade students.

TEACHING TIP:

On Day 1 of introducing origami to your students, start with the dog pattern for all grades.  It's the easiest pattern to follow and the simplest project to create.  On Day 2, introduce the cat.  Kids love dogs and cats!  As we know, children tend to enjoy creating things they like.  ---  Therefore, you may want to avoid teaching your students to make origami Brussel sprouts. 😊

If your students are struggling, remind them to look at the next step for help!  See what your project should look like when you complete the current step.

PRACTICAL TIP:

Before you present your students with a pattern, you better practice making the origami structure yourself at least a couple of times.  ---  I learned the hard way to never introduce a pattern I cannot complete myself.  You'll always have students that have questions or need help.

MONEY-SAVING HACK:

Origami paper is super expensive, especially if you are buying paper for the entire student body.  Since most patterns require square paper, we cut our own.  

To cut your squares, simply use plain white, regular weight copy paper (8 1/2" x 11") and cut it into squares (5 1/2" x 5 1/2") with a paper cutter.  2 squares can be made out of 1 copy paper sheet.

Guillotine-style cutters make me nervous in the classroom, so I use a rotary cutter with a rolling disk that slides back and forth.  ---  Ask for parent volunteers or dependable older students to help make hundreds of squares.

Yes, cutting your own squares is time-consuming, however, it saves quite a lot of money.

BRIGHT IDEAS:

• Invite your students to draw cute faces on the origami animals.
• Tape popsicle sticks (a.k.a. craft sticks) to the back of the structures and transform them into stick puppets!
• Create a greeting card and glue an origami animal to the front, or hide the origami structure in a pocket you build inside the card for a fun gift.

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If you're ready to purchase materials for your Origami Station, I recommend the following "Kid Tested, Makerspace Guy Approved" items.

TRIED & TRUE BRANDS:

INSTRUCTION BOOK

For purchase information, visit the DOVER PUBLICATIONS website: EASY ORIGAMI - Dover Publications or buy it on Amazon: EASY ORIGAMI -Amazon.

NOTE:  My Origami Station usually is just a table that seats 4 students at a time.  I prefer to let no more than 2 students share a book, however, one book per child would be ideal.

ORIGAMI PAPER

DOURA Origami Paper - 750 Sheets Economy Pack

Easy to fold 6" square sheets, 25 beautiful vivid colors, plus the package doubles as a convenient storage box.

Prices vary widely, so make sure to shop around for a bargain.  For purchase info visit Amazon: Doura Origami Paper - 750 Count.

NOTE: I keep our box of colored origami paper at my desk to avoid running out so quickly.  Students may come to me for colored square sheets, but first, they must show me their first draft, created using the plain white paper squares.

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Well, my creative friends, I hope this blog entry is useful to you and helps take away the scariness of introducing origami into your classes.

Please feel free to leave any questions or suggestions in the comment section.

Stay creative,

The Makerspace Guy

(Pictures collected for the collages and the photos used for this blog entry were all found online.) 

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