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Origami Facts & Worksheets

Origami, also called paper folding, is the art of folding objects out of paper. The word origami originated from Japanese oru, meaning “to fold” and kami, meaning “paper.”

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Origami, also called paper folding, is the art of folding objects out of paper. The word origami originated from Japanese oru, meaning “to fold” and kami, meaning “paper.”

See the fact file below for more information on the Origami or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Origami worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ORIGINS

  • While there is no concrete evidence where and when origami was invented, it is widely accepted that China and Japan would be the countries who started this art.
  • Around 105 AD paper was invented in China, and folded paper—or zhezhi—emerged shortly after. By 900 AD, , or gold nuggets “paper yuanbao,” were a staple at traditional Chinese funerals.
  • Paper was introduced to Japan in the 6th century. During this time, the practice of paper-folding was part of the ceremonial Shinto ritual.
  • It was not until Japan’s Edo Period (1603 – 1868) that origami evolved into a leisurely activity and art form.
  • Akisato Rito published in 1797 the Sembazuru Orikata (Thousand Crane Folding). It is the earliest print mentioning origami. He explains the cultural significance of origami and touches upon the traditional ways of making the paper art.
  • In 1845, Adachi Kazuyuki published a comprehensive compilation of paper folding with Kayaragusa. The term for paper folding then evolved from orikata (“folded shapes”) to origami by the late 1800s.
  • In 1954, Akira Yoshizawa published his book Atarashi Origami Geijutsu (New Origami Art), introducing individuals around the world to the evolving art of origami.
  • In Europe, paper-folding is thought to have evolved from napkin-folding in the 17th century. Like Japanese origami, napkin – folding features techniques that resulted in an array of abstract and figurative forms.
  • The Spanish then developed paper folding into an artistic practice called papiroflexia or pajarita.
  • By the entry of the 1800s, young children in Europe and Japan were learning paper folding.

MODERN ORIGAMI

  • Friedrich Fröbel designed paper binding, weaving, folding, and cutting as teaching aids for child development during the early 19th century.
  • The father of modern color theory and minimalistic art, Josef Albers, taught origami and paper folding in the 1920s and 1930s at Bauhaus Design School.
  • His methods involving sheets of round paper that were folded into spirals and curved shapes, have influenced modern origami artists like Kunihiko Kasahara.
  • One of Origami techniques developed is ‘wet-folding,’ the practice of dampening the paper during folding to allow the finished product to hold shape better.

THE ART OF PAPER FOLDING

  • Making paper origami may require few resources and take mere minutes to execute. However, more complex designs, can take hours to complete.
  • Depending on their styles, creating origami may be easy or difficult. As identified by Britannica.com, there are certain types of origami:
    • Realistic: It exhibits the main features of an object, often resulting in complex designs with many steps.
    • Minimal: Creations that capture the essence of the subject with minimal folds and with an emphasis on simplicity.
    • Modular: Multiple geometric “units” made from multiple sheets of paper whose flaps and pockets tuck into each other to form polygons or polyhedra.
    • Composite: Multiple sheets of paper are used, and each sheet is folded differently to realize a different part of the subject.
    • Practical: Models that have a real-life application.
    • Pureland: A composition system using only square paper and “mountain” and “valley” folds.
    • Tessellations: A geometric folding technique in which the image is created by the pattern of folded edges across the paper.
    • Wet folding: A technique in which the paper contains a water-soluble glue and is dampened slightly before folding. The dampness permits the paper to be folded into soft curves, which then harden in durability as the paper dries.

THE MOST POPULAR ORIGAMI

  • Japanese crane is one of the most famous origami designs in Japan.
  • Legend says that anyone who folds one thousand paper cranes will have their heart’s desire come true.
  • The origami crane (折鶴 orizuru in Japanese) also became the symbol of peace because of a young Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki.

Origami Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Origami across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Origami worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Origami, also called paper folding, which is the art of folding objects out of paper. The word origami originated from Japanese oru, meaning “to fold” and kami, meaning “paper.”

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • The Crane
  • Kochou and Hototogisu
  • Origami Shapes
  • Animal Origami
  • Flower Origami
  • Holiday Origami
  • Modular Origami
  • The 3D Swan
  • Moving Origami
  • Kirigami
  • Let’s do Fabric!
  • My Origami Project
  • Idea Overflow

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Link will appear as Origami Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, May 21, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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