Do you want to make learning more fun for your middle school students? Apart from age-appropriate games for kids and educational games, origami activities are a great option! Simply give students some paper and ask them to craft different objects. Artistic skill is the gateway to a new education world that improves math and cognitive abilities as well as problem-solving abilities. Check out these free teaching resources, affiliate links, and educational websites to conduct origami activities in middle school!
1. Khan Academy
Khan Academy aims to provide a world-class education for free, so you will find a wide variety of teaching resources and coding videos on the platform. It is also a great resource for history. Elementary school students will enjoy learning fractions through origami, easily demonstrated by folding perfectly cut paper squares.
Learn More: Khan Academy
2. Science Fair
Sometimes, it’s as easy as taking middle school children to the science fair, where they can witness the most amazing inventions and creations of kids their own age. It’s better than skimming through the table of contents of books as fairs have grand creations as well as some “oregametry”.
Learn More: Triad Moms On Main
3. The Spruce Crafts
There are dozens of educational websites on the world wide web, and The Spruce Crafts is among the best in providing creative activities for students! Who knows? Students may just discover a creative career through these seven easy origami projects for kids.
Learn More: The Spruce Crafts
4. Gamaverse
Online games aren’t necessarily all bad. As long as you moderate gadget time, some interactive games are great for 5th-grade students and lower. One of my favorite links is Gamaverse, which has a game design that teaches kids how to make origami. It’s both fun and analytical!
Learn More: Gamaverse
5. Origami.me
One of the online resources solely dedicated to the Japanese art of paper folding is Origami.me. Educational websites such as this one are a great way for children of any grade level to develop their love for art, mathematical activities, and maybe even the periodic table.
Learn More: Origami.me
6. Online Origami Instructions
You can also use origami online lessons to get elementary school students interested in origami. Through Online Origami Instructions, kids will learn how to follow written and verbal instructions on making various types of origami products.
Learn More: Origami-Instructions.com
7. National Geographic
National Geographic has always been a great source of high-quality lessons and earth science wonders. Lo and behold it’s also a fantastic source of origami lessons for elementary-level students.
8. Kids Web Japan
Origami comes from the Japanese words “oru”, meaning to fold, and “kami”, which means paper. Kids Web Japan is one of the educational websites that intersperse culture with fun activities.
Learn More: Web Japan
9. Art for Kids Hub
Cranes and frogs are two of the most widely made animal origami. However, one can make an accordion snake, fox, dolphin, and many more animals through Art for Kids Hub lessons. Download printable worksheets and turn origami lessons into fun educational games or math games since the craft is part art and part math.
Learn More: Art for Kids Hub
10. Easy Paper Origami
The Easy Paper Origami educational videos will surely inspire kids to get creative and crafty, helping them make ships, tanks, and planes. It can also elicit a level of competitiveness, depending on your activity ideas. Do you want to see who could make paper planes fly the highest?
Learn More: Easy Paper Origami
11. Neil Lin Origami Tutorials
One way to get kids’ attention is to be relatable. Connect with learners by introducing them to Neil Lin, the origami influencer. This site is a great source of elementary-level free resources and origami tutorials.
Learn More: Neil Lin Origami Tutorial
12. Paper Crafts
Facebook offers excellent interactive learning opportunities through its live-stream tutorials. More than 3.3 million people follow Paper Crafts Facebook Page because it helps them develop artistic skills using paper. Get the kids involved in interactive resources where they can ask questions through online chats or live chat about anything related to origami.
Learn More: Facebook
13. Mathigon
Math is a major part of origami, and Mathigon ups the ante in terms of math games in this paper-crafting activity. Make this part of your lesson plan because it allows older elementary-level students to be more analytical in making beautiful 3D origami.
Learn More: Mathigon
14. CMU CS Academy
Here’s one of the best educational coding websites that provide free graphics-based homeschool science curricula. The CMU CS Academy, through its Python-based online lessons, is a way to tackle origami’s digital or graphic aspects.
Learn More: CMU CS Academy
15. ABC Mouse
As they say, you need to start them young, and ABC Mouse is the perfect source of age-appropriate games and lessons for children aged 2-8. It makes for a great introduction to art and math; the two most important components of origami.
Learn More: ABCmouse
16. Adventure Academy
Origami starts with a blank canvas. Then you make art through your artistic skill and knowledge of fractions and geometry. Introduce your students to Adventure Academy, one of the best educational websites for middle school kids between the ages of 8 and 13.
Learn More: Adventure Academy
17. ACS Inquiry in Action Chemistry for Life
One of the best online science resources is ACS Inquiry In Action Chemistry for Life, which provides a free lesson plan to encourage students to be more interested in science in everyday life. Science is also an important part of origami as it tackles physics concepts.
Learn More: ACS
18. Beast Academy Free
Students who have mastered origami will have varied career options because of the many subjects covered in this art form. It opens learning paths to fractions, physics, and critical thinking skills. With Beast Academy, free homeschooling programs are available to develop students’ problem-solving skills for school and life.
Learn More: Beast Academy
19. Blog Posts or Blog Articles
You should not underestimate the information in blog posts just because they are not subject to journalism standards. Many origami blog articles or kids’ activity blog articles are helpful in allowing children to develop their craftsmanship while also advancing their abilities in math, science, and analysis.
Learn More: FeedSpot
20. Happy Folding
One of my favorite links brings me back to the origin of origami as Happy Folding is definitely a happy place for those who have become avid origami creators. The site features diagrams and videos on how to do the craft; some of which are in Japanese, allowing students to get familiar with a foreign language.
Learn More: Happy Folding
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