My favorite hobby is paper folding, i.e. Origami. The art of Origami begin in China, and paper folding is often associated with the Chinese tradition of re-creating small objects used during a person's life and then burying or burning them with a deceased person. This practice of funerary folds is still carried out today strongly influenced by Chinese religion and culture. But later on a monk brought this technique to Japan. The word of Origami comes from the Japanese language. Ori means folded and gami means paper. Origami is unique among paper crafts, because it requires no material other than the paper itself. But nowadays people also apply cutting, gluing or drawing on the paper into Origami, it makes more effective.
I have organized several Origami clubs since 1998 in Vantaa area, something should be written done according to my experiences in order to improve the education, such as what models we have made and what kind of lessons have to be prepared before hand. Usually 15 lessons to be given in one club, it takes 90 minutes per time. The age of children are between 7 and 12. Children learn basic skills, such as mathematics concepts, concentration, hand and eye coordination, and cooperation skills. Some Pictures from the club are available at the last. In this page you can click on the lesson to see the contents and click on the pictures to see the enlarged one. And also you can see what is the Origami Bases too.
Lesson 9 |
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Lesson 2 |
Lesson 10 |
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Lesson 3 |
Lesson 11 |
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Lesson 4 |
Lesson 12 |
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Lesson 5 |
Lesson 13 |
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Lesson 6 |
Lesson 14 |
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Lesson 7 |
Lesson 15 |
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Lesson 8 |
Lesson 16 |
Lesson 1
Aim: to practice the preliminary basis which is the foundation of many Origami models, as well as the preliminary stage of folding animals, birds and other creatures later.
Models and Photos:
Piano Star box
Piano and Star box are very simple models, pupils should learn Origami from the very beginning. The star box can be used for flower pot later on, and also it can be a candy box. Folding a piano is easy, but still some manual decoration for making a key board with a piece of white paper and a pen is needed.
Lesson 2
Aim: to practice kite base which is often used for many Origami models. The purpose to choose these models is to improve pupils' motivation, not only folder objects, but also folding some animals with certain interval.
Models and Photos:
Flower card Fish
The flower card is made of eight pieces of small paper glued on a paper board, then assembly them together, and cut leafs with teeth scissor, and glue on the corner of the top. Children can do anything what they want to decorated the card.
The fish model is a very easy one for practicing the kite base. Using a color paper to fold fish and then children can draw the eyes and scales.
Lesson 3
Aim: to Practice more on the kite base. Normally we will fold same model several times with different size and color, so that we could make combination of the models; the combined unit looks more fun.
Models and Photos:
Rabbits Flying Bird - Dove Penguins
Children like those animals such as rabbits, flying bird and penguins. For the first model, teacher should teach them hand by hand and demonstrate closely in front of the students. For making repeated models, students should make them by themselves mainly, but teacher should assist them when they need help. In this way we can ensure that students can work individually, not always depend on the teacher.
Lesson 4
Aim: to teach students that not all the Origami models are made of square paper but double square sized paper together. Double color on one paper is much useful to fold some models such as birds: surface color appears on bird body and inner color appears on the neck fir. More practice on kite base as well.
Models and Photos
Hearts Parrots
The hearts are made of double square sized paper, it can be used for making cards. The parrots are cute, there is only one step difference, the left one needs to cut of the wings and fold up.
Lesson 5
Aim: to practice more preliminary base on star box and learn how to fold flowers and decorate in flower basins. The another aim is to teach students how to use different colors when they fold complex objects.
Models and Photos
Tulips
This model consists of three parts. The stem and the flower pot (star box) can be made of same size paper, but the flower should be made of small paper, maybe half of the pot size or even smaller then that. This model can be used for decoration or give it to friends as present at any time. If we wrap the flowers into a transparent plastic bag and decorate as gift to present to friend, it makes much fun and meaningful.
Lesson 6
Aim: to learn the water bomb base from the bat and easy folding from the other models. These models are quite simple and quick to fold. The models can be used to demonstrate to new students to show them how easy and fast to fold a sample.
Models and Photos
Spanish box Boat Bat
The Spanish box can be used for candy. A big bat can be used for a hat when pupils play together. A little more work is needed when we finish folding the bat: cut bat ears slightly to make the bat more vivid.
Lesson 7
Aim: to practice more on water bomb base. We also make mask with large paper to improve students' motivation. They can wear different-color masks when they play in groups.
Models and Photos
Balloon Helmet
When the balloon is ready, you should blow air in it as the picture shows. You can hand the balloon on the window with a string to decorate room. The helmet can be used for a hat too.
Lesson 8
Aim: to improve assembling skills from the cube. Making an easy lotus can help to practice basic skills of Origami. Using different paper source to create Origami objects.
Models and Photos
Lotus Cube
The lotus can be made of a napkin, because it is soft, easy for folding, this one can be used for decoration of dinner table or a party, it is one kind of napkin folding.
The cube made of six pieces of paper, then assembly them together, notice that those six completed pieces have to be same direction, otherwise it can not be assembled properly like the picture shows.
Lesson 9
Aim: to improve the assembling skills by using glue or puncher nails to form a complex object. It is also for improving children's patience on it.
Model and Photo
a colorful ball
The colorful ball made of six pieces in different colors. It is a good model, can be used for decoration of rooms. The color ball can be presented to friend as a normal gift, e.g. birthday, celebration and so on.
Lesson 10
Aim: to practice more on preliminary base from the crane and starts. Improving assemble skill from the united star.
Models and Photos
Star Crane
The united star can be a good decoration and present. One start is made of two piece of paper. More starts in different size can be glued together to be like 3-D. The thousand of cranes represent peace.
Lesson 11
Aim: to present Origami as special themes. Making an Origami handcraft for Easter time by using the easy model.
Models and photo:
Easter grass, bunny, chickens, box, small flowers
The Eater grass can be cut it directly out by using a scissor. But the box is little bit difficult. Two boxes are needed to cover each other, and glue chickens on the top of the upper box.
Lesson 12
Aim: to improve fine motor skill from the small model of Chinese star, and also improving assembly skills. By making crown children can practice how to manage the folding with a big piece of paper.
Models and Photos
Chinese stars Squares Crown
These Chinese stars can be use for decoration, maybe make a necklace too. The material for making the Chinese stars can be paper, gift belt or color plastic. The square Patten can be used for decoration too, the individual folding is simple and just put all pieces together with central paper. The square pattern can be glued on wall or place on table. The crown can be used for playing or as a real one to protect hair when you paint wall or roof..
Lesson 13
Aim: to practice assembly skill and train individual designing capability.
Models and Photos
Flower card Colorful ball
The flower card made of eight pieces of paper, then use glue and stick them together. Write some words on the card and present to a friend. The colorful ball made of six pieces of paper, it can be turned on the plain surface, very nice looking. Children can play together by throwing the ball to each other. It looks much fun when you spin the ball in air.
Lesson 14
Aim: to practice more assembling models from the basket. Get good habit to use wasted paper to form new objects.
Models and photos:
Basket Lily flower
The basket is made of 9 piece of paper, 8 out of 9 are for the basket, and the rest one for basket handle. You can place some candies or your juries in the basket. The Lily flower can be glued on a iron string and add some leaves to form a troop of flowers.
Lesson 15
Aim: to improve assembling skill with combination of more piece of individual object. Using paper nature to make a frog that can jump by pressing and loosing on the back.
Models and photos:
A ball jumping frog
The ball can be used for decoration in room, or present to friend as a gift. Children can play the jumping frog by pressing its back. Amy has invented this model by herself.
Lesson 16
Aim: To evaluate children's work during this Origami club time.
Models and photos:
Piano Star box Flower card Fish
Rabbits Flying Bird - Dove Penguins Hearts
Tulips Spanish box Boat Bat
Helmet Lotus Cube Star
Chinese stars Squares Crown Colorful ball
Basket A ball jumping frog
Some pictures from the Origami club is also seen here.
