First Grade Origami Neighborhoods

After working on their collaborative three dimensional neighborhoods made from milk cartons and scrap papers, first graders are now creating their own individual neighborhoods to take home using origami houses.

To make origami houses, fold an origami square paper in half to make a small card or book. Make sure to crease the fold really well using fingernails and applying pressure to the fold line.

Fold paper in half again to make a smaller card or book. Open fold to previous step. You will now have a rectangle with a vertical fold line in the middle.

Next, fold left and right ends of paper to middle fold line made in previous step. Make sure that the ends DO NOT overlap, but instead lay side by side in the middle.

Place index finger inside side flap to open flap.

Place pincher fingers inside the crease (at top of paper on left flap) and pull the corner down until flap opens and corner touches the middle line of flap on left side. Flatten to make the triangle shape for peak of roof.

Repeat with right side.

Add extras to the house both on the inside and outside, such as windows, doors, shingles, bricks, rocks, plants, etc. using pencil and colored pencils.

Students will glue their origami houses to a large 12 inch x 18 inch sheet of drawing paper and add additional details such as streets, sidewalks, mailboxes, etc.