Origami is a traditional Japanese art form of paper folding. One of the most popular origami shapes is the crane, which is believed to bring good luck. Sadako Sasaki, a victim of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima, famously folded cranes in hopes of recovery from her illness. Making Sadako paper cranes is a way to honor her memory and send a message of peace and hope.
Materials
To make Sadako paper cranes, you will need:
- A square piece of paper (origami paper or any square paper will work)
- A ruler or a bone folder (optional)
- A flat surface to work on
Instructions
Follow these simple steps to make your own Sadako paper crane:
- Take a square piece of paper and fold it in half diagonally. Crease the fold with a bone folder or your fingers.
- Unfold the paper and repeat the fold on the other diagonal. Crease the fold.
- Flip the paper over and fold it in half horizontally. Crease the fold.
- Next, fold the paper in half vertically. Crease the fold.
- Unfold the paper and flatten it into a square with the folded lines facing up. It should look like a triangle with a line in the middle.
- Bring the top flap of the paper down to the center line and crease the fold.
- Repeat step 6 with the bottom flap of the paper and crease the fold.
- Rotate the paper clockwise and bring the right flap to the center line. Crease the fold.
- Repeat step 8 with the left flap.
- Flip the paper over and fold the top point down to the middle line. Crease the fold.
- Repeat step 10 with the bottom point.
- Rotate the paper counterclockwise and fold the left point to the middle line. Crease the fold.
- Repeat step 12 with the right point.
- Take the top layer of the right point and fold it to the top. Crease the fold.
- Repeat step 14 with the left point.
- Flip the paper over and repeat steps 14 and 15 on the backside.
- Take the top layer of the right point and fold it to the bottom. Crease the fold.
- Repeat step 17 with the left point.
- Flip the paper over and repeat steps 17 and 18 on the backside.
- Take the top layer of the right point and fold it up. Crease the fold.
- Repeat step 20 with the left point.
- Flip the paper over and repeat steps 20 and 21 on the backside.
- Open the flaps of the paper gently to create the wings. Pull down the head gently to create the beak.
- Your Sadako paper crane is ready! You can customize it by adding eyes or coloring it with markers or watercolors.
Conclusion
Making Sadako paper cranes is a simple yet meaningful activity that connects us to the tragic history of Hiroshima and promotes the values of peace, hope, and resilience. This craft can be done individually or in groups, making it a perfect activity for schools, museums, or community centers. By folding a paper crane, we can remember the past, honor the present, and look forward to a better future.
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