Using Origami to Teach Math.

Origami is so much easier to include in classes since people have created apps that show step by step how to fold different animals, and objects. In the past, I've given students my iPad with an app on it, the paper and let them loose. There is usually one student who takes the lead and instructs everyone else step by step until the item is completed. 

Origami in and of itself teaches the following skills.

1.  When making a fish, or other origami item, a student has to follow directions in the proper order to get the final product.

2. The directions involve manipulation of paper spatially  because the final product is three dimensional and if the paper is not folded properly,  with regard to its spatial position, it may not come out correctly.

3. Many of the origami figures begin the same way but it is the way it is finished that determines the final product.  So the origami offers variations from one basic set of instructions, much like many mathematical procedures are based off a set of instructions which can be applied to different situations with a bit of adjustment.

4. Origami is made by following a set of directions which forms the basis of communications.  If the directions are not communicated well, the student might not be able to finish it properly.  The young lady who took the lead in my class communicated the directions to everyone else so they'd get the correct finished product.

5. It is also student centered, requires cooperation as students work together to follow directions, and its a form of applied mathematics.

Origami is one of those fun activities where you can divide the students into several groups.  Each group is giving one figure to learn to create so later in the class, students go to other groups to teach others to create the same figure.  This allows students to practice communications and vocabulary because its easy to incorporate geometric vocabulary into the activity in addition to general vocabulary.

Furthermore, you can have students create directions for the origami figure they learned so others can attempt to follow these directions.  The directions should include both words and diagrams.  This gives them a chance to work on communications.

Other things you can do is have students identify types of angles, types of triangles, or geometric shapes they see as they are folding their creation.  This helps them see geometry is a part of origami and their knowledge is transferable.

So if you want to incorporate origami into your mathematics course, you now have the justification to use it.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.