i Fold

While origami is a Japanese word, the art of paper-folding –like so many aspects of Japanese culture- has it origins in China. China has a long and illustrious history in the art of paper folding.

A couple of weeks ago, in our unit on the Industrialization of American, we did an assembly line activity. I divided the class into two groups and each was going to use mass production to produce as many folded paper boats as possible. Each student would make one fold and then pass it on to a co-worker.

But before we could begin, half of my eighth-graders needed a refresher on how to fold a paper boat.

Wow.

I still have a lot to learn about my students here in Hong Kong.

-Jack