Origami in the Geometry Classroom

 

Disclosure: I was sent these packages of origami paper in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Last week was a stressful and emotional week at school and home, so I wasn't able to post. I have realized when I'm not in the right mindset my reviews are hard to write. For a while I have wanted to share some ideas I use in my geometry class with origami paper. I will be sharing four new packages of origami paper with you in this post. I keep a box of origami paper in my classroom and students come and get some when they are feeling creative or need to relax. I also use it in my geometry class. I have the kids do a project using geometric terms project using geometric terms, but I also use it for some easy discovery and illustrating properties. I have been wanting to share these ideas with you. May is the perfect time to introduce it since origami is a Japanese art form and ties into Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The Paper

Let's start with talking about the origami paper. Most of my origami paper is 6-inch. I find this to be a nice size to work with in class. The first two packs of paper I am sharing are 6-inch packs.

The first is Origami Paper 200 Sheets Rainbow Patterns 6". Personally I love the colorful patterns of this paper. The publisher shares:

This origami paper pack contains 200 high-quality origami papers printed with colorful Rainbow Patterns.

These exciting Japanese paper patterns were developed to enhance the creative work of origami artists and paper crafters. The pack contains 12 different designs, and all of the papers are printed with coordinating solid colors on the reverse side.

This origami paper pack includes:

• 200 sheets of high-quality origami paper
• 12 unique designs
• Over 16 sheets of each design
• Vibrant and bright colors
• Double-sided color
• 6 x 6 inch (15 cm) squares
• Instructions for 5 easy origami projects

There's enough paper here to assemble amazing modular origami sculptures, distribute to students for a class project, or put to a multitude of other creative uses from scrapbooking to designing a beautiful bullet journal!

Almost all of the origami paper I use is from Tuttle Publishing. I find their paper to be the highest quality and there are so many fun patterns in each pack.

The second paper pack is Origami Paper 100 Sheets Washi Patterns 6". The publisher shares:

This origami paper pack contains 100 high-quality origami sheets printed with 12 different Japanese washi patterns.

With 12 different washi designs unique to this set, this origami paper pack includes:

• 100 sheets of high-quality origami paper
• 12 colorful Japanese-style designs and patterns
• Double-sided color
• 6 x 6 inch (15 cm) squares
• Instructions for 5 easy origami models

There's enough paper here to assemble amazing modular origami sculptures, distribute to students for a class project, or put to a multitude of other creative uses!

These colors are not as bright, but the patterns are pretty. I have found that my students have very different tastes when it comes to selecting their paper and I love to offer them a variety. Sometimes I am surprised by what they like best. 

I also like to have different sizes for different projects, so I also am sharing with you a 4-inch paper, Origami Paper 500 Sheets Japanese Waves Patterns 4". The publisher shares: 

This origami paper pack contains 500 high-quality origami sheets printed with 12 different attractive Japanese wave patterns.

The handmade look of this paper was selected to enhance the creative work of modular origami artists and paper crafters. The pack contains prints unique to this package, and have coordinating solid colors on the back sides.

This origami paper pack includes:500 sheets of high-quality origami paper

• 12 colorful Japanese-style designs and patterns
• Double-sided color
• Over 40 sheets of each design
• Small 4 x 4 inch (10 cm) sheets—great for modular projects!

There's enough paper here to assemble amazing modular origami sculptures, distribute to students for a class project, or put to a multitude of other creative uses from scrapbooking to designing a beautiful bullet journal!

As the publisher mentioned this size is great for modular projects. I have many modular projects hanging all over my classroom (from the ceiling). I love having this size to make various polyhedra! 

The other pack is an extra-large size or 8.25-inch squares! It is Origami Paper 100 Sheets Japanese Washi 8.25". The publisher shares:

This paper pack contains 100 high-quality, extra large (8.25 inch) origami sheets printed with traditional Japanese Washi Designs

The handmade look of this paper was selected to enhance the creative work of modular origami artists and paper crafters. The pack contains prints unique to this set, and each sheet is printed with a solid, coordinating color on the reverse side.

This origami paper pack includes:

• 100 sheets of high-quality, double-sided origami paper
• 12 colorful Japanese-style designs and patterns
• Extra large 8.25 x 8.25 inch (21 cm) sheets
• Step-by-step instructions for 5 easy-to-fold origami projects

There's enough paper here to assemble amazing modular origami sculptures, distribute to students for a class project, or put to a multitude of other creative uses!

I find having the larger paper for some projects makes it easier for the kids who sometimes struggle with the folds. It is also great to have the different sizes to show projects in different sizes and thus dilations and transformations. 

The Projects:

I have an Origami calendar for this year that I leave out for the kids to create and learn origami. I have several kids who create the projects in it including one who claimed he couldn't do origami last year in geometry. They have been loving it! I have also been enjoying it when I need a break from my crazy class schedule. One project I fell in love with was the hummingbird. I brought the instructions home and made many of them in the various sizes. I then lost the instructions. UGH!! However, they are similar to these. What I love about this one besides it making a hummingbird is it uses an isosceles right triangle or half the paper. It is great to talk about how you fold the diagonal of the square and then cut along it. The first fold in the hummingbird is the median of the isosceles triangle which is also the angle bisector, altitude, and perpendicular bisector. If I was doing this project in class I would show how we know all of that with the actual fold. It is a great discovery project! The second folds are also the medians of the two smaller isosceles triangles and thus you can see the other lines as well. 

You can see the various sizes based on the paper I used. I love that you can make two birds from each sheet! 

Another project I loved from the calendar thus far is what they called the fractal. I do have a love for fractals. I still have this instruction page and have included it in the picture. This project allows you introduce a fractal. It also illustrates some of the properties of squares. Things like the diagonals are perpendicular and congruent, thus making four isosceles triangles which you actually fold into the shape.

The various sizes of paper allow to show transformations like a dilation, etc. 

My final project is more of a discovery using the origami paper. It is to discover some of the properties of quadrilaterals. 

The first is simple, just fold the diagonals of the square paper. The kids should see the diagonals are perpendicular. They bisect each other as well as the vertex angles and are congruent. Because of these properties the four triangles formed are congruent (and right isosceles). 

The next is the rectangle. To get the rectangle fold the sheet in half (not along the diagonal). Fold the diagonals of the rectangle. The kids should see the diagonals do not bisect the vertex angle as it is not as easy to fold these diagonals. They are however congruent and do bisect each other. The result is two pairs of congruent triangles. I should note that some of these properties are easier to see on the solid side of the paper. 

The next one is a kite. I actually saw this fold in a geometry textbook. To create a kite fold one diagonal. Then fold the bottom edges to the fold. Looking at the diagonals formed by the fold and the edges of paper, one can see the diagonals are perpendicular. One can see the shorter diagonal is bisected but the longer one is not. You can fold the kite along the longer diagonal and see the one pair of opposite congruent angles. Students will tend to find these facts easier to remember with the actual shape to manipulate. 

The final discovery is with the midsegment of a trapezoid. Start by folding the sheet in half and then unfolding it. This will be the midsegment. Then let the kids fold the sides of the square to make it a trapezoid. Have them measure the bases and the midsegment. Gather the measurements and help them discover that the length of the midsegment is the average of the bases. They should also see that it is parallel to the bases. Having different sizes of origami paper will make this discovery more interesting too!

I hope you will add some origami to your geometry lessons and be sure to check out all the amazing origami paper at Tuttle Publishing!