DiamondFold:AccordionVariation
Thislessonplanoutlinestheaccordionvariationofadiamondfoldbook.Thisbookformhasa
linearformandeasilysupportsteachinglinearcontentlikethenumberline,historicaltimelines,
andplotlinesofbooks.Therearemanyothervariationsofdiamondfoldbooksthatcanbemade
dependingonhowyougluetogetheryourfoldedpapersquaresandhowmanysquaresyouglue
together.
Grades/AgeGroup:K-12
ApproximateTimeRequired:
Prep:30-45minutes
Teaching:10minutes
MakingtheBook:20-60minutesorlongerdependingonageandthedepthofinformation
studentswriteinthebook
MaterialsNeeded:
5piecesof8½in.squaretext-weightpaper
2piecesof4¼in.squarecover-weightpaper
PrepInstructions:
1. Cuttext-weightpaperto8½in.squares:5perperson.Youcancutdown8½X11in.
copypaper,oruseorigamipaperwhichisalreadysquare.
2. Cutcover-weightpaperto4¼in.squares:2perperson.Youcanusecardstock,
tagboard,oranyrecycledmatorcardboard.Thesewillbeusedforthecovers.
TeachingOverview:
Materialsneeded:
1. Pre-cutpaper
2. Gluesticks
3. Writinganddrawingmaterials
Procedure:
1. Eachstudentgets5piecesof8½in.squaretext-weightpaper.
2. The8½in.piecesareallfoldedinthesamemannerasoutlinedinsteps3-6:
3. Foldpaperinhalfbothways,withthetwofoldsonthesameside.Thetwofoldsyou
justmadewillbothpopup,makingwhatlookslikeamountain(seediagramon
followingpage).
4. Foldinhalfdiagonallyontheoppositesideofthetwofoldsmadeintheprevious
step.Thefirsttwofoldsyoumadeinstep3willnowlooklikeavalley.
5. Openfoldsyoujustmadesoitstandsasamountainfoldontop.Applypressurewith
fingertotheverycentertopopthepaper(seediagramonfollowingpage).
6. Gatherthesquareandcloseit.Therewillbeaclosedpoint,andanopenpointon
eachfoldedsquare.
7. Putglueontheoutsideofoneofthefoldedsquares.Thenpressittotheoutsideof
anotherofyourfoldedsquaressothattheclosedpointalignswiththeopenendof
thefoldedsquare.Continueuntilallfoldedsquaresaregluedinastackalternating
sothatallopenendsarealignedwithclosedpointsandviceversa.Thengluecovers
tothefrontandbackofthebook.Whenopen,thebookwillunfoldlikeand
accordion.
DiamondFoldAccordionVariation–LectureOverview:
KeyPoints:
1. Bookscancomeinmanyformsthatcanpresentinformationindifferentways.
2. Studentsarecreatingabookthatstoresinformationinlinearformat.
LearningObjectives:
1. Studentswillincreasetheirdexterityskillsbyfoldingandgluingaccurately.
2. Studentswilllearncontentknowledgethroughbookmaking.
ExamplesofCommonCoreapplications:
Math:
• 5thgrademath.Objective:Understandtheplacevaluesystem.
Performoperationswithmulti-digitwholenumbersandwithdecimalsto
hundredths.Application:Havestudentsmakeabookthatshowshow
decimalswork.
• Kindergartenmath.Objective:Knownumbernamesandthecount
sequence.Application:Havestudentsmakeabookthatcountsfromone
totenbydrawingnumbers,writingoutthenameofnumbersand
drawingobjectstocorrespondwiththenumberwritten(Onecat,two
dogs,threebirdsect.).
Science:
• 9-12gradeearthscience.Objective:Describeboththebigbangtheoryof
universeformationandthenebulartheoryofsolarsystemformationand
evidencesupportingthem.Application:Oneachnewsectionofthebook
havestudentsdrawandwriteinformationaboutthestagesofthebig
bangandtheformationofthesolarsystem.
• 2ndgradescience.Objective:SecondGrade:Identifybasicneedsofliving
things(plantsandanimals)andtheirabilitiestomeettheirneeds.
Application:Havestudentsmakethisbookanddrawandwriteabout
whatanimalsandplantsneedtolive.
LanguageArts:
• 6thgradelanguagearts.Objective:Determinecentralideasorthemesofa
textandanalyzetheirdevelopment;summarizethekeysupporting
detailsandideas.Application:Havestudentswritequotesfromthetext
oneachpageofthebooktoshowsupportforcentralideasorthemes
withinatext
• 8thgradelanguagearts:Objective:Explainhowanauthordevelopsthe
pointofviewofthenarratororspeakerinatext.Application:Have
studentsreadanovel,shortstory,orpoemthatistoldfrommultiple
pointsofview.Onthedifferentpanelsofstudent’saccordionbookhave
studentsdrawpicturesofthedifferentcharactersandwriteinformation
abouthowtheauthordevelopstheirpointofview.
SocialStudies:
• 9-12UtahStudies.Objective:Studentswillunderstandthediverseways
peoplemakealivinginUtah.Application:Havestudentsinterview
communitymembersabouthowtheymakealiving.Haveeachstudent
makeonepageoftheaccordionbookwithapictureofthepersonthey
interviewedandinformationfromtheinterview.Combineallofthepages
tomakeaclassbook.
• 6thgradesocialstudies.Objective:Studentswillunderstandthe
transformationofculturesduringtheMiddleAgesandtheRenaissance
andtheimpactofthistransformationonmoderntimes.Application:Have
studentsresearchanaspectoftheMiddleAgesorRenaissance.Have
themfilltheiraccordionbookwithdrawingsandinformationabouttheir
researchtopic.