"Do you have any more paper? We want to do origami!" These words are repeated in my fourth-grade classroom over and over, during the students' brief breaks from rigorous academic work.
My fourth-grade students are an extremely diverse group, in terms of ethnic background, socioeconomic status, native language, and special education needs.
They all come together at our small elementary school in New York City. My class has a high proportion of special-needs kids who struggle with reading, writing, and math, as well as social and behavioral issues.
My Project
Initially due to the interest of one student, my class has become obsessed with origami! When K. began to quietly make origami cranes, camels, and everything in between, other students quickly took notice. They asked him for help and made special requests. K. was more than willing to share his expertise and several other students became proficient, sharing their own skills in turn.
Kids who otherwise rarely interact have been making origami together, teaching and learning, and inventing new designs. One striking aspect of this kid-generated activity has been the prominence of students with special academic needs teaching kids who may be more successful academically. It has been so rewarding watching this happen and seeing kids succeed in a self-chosen challenging project.
Now all we need is more paper!
We've been using the everyday loose-leaf and scrap paper available in our classroom, but supplies are running low. I would really like to be able to offer real origami paper to my students so they can create even more beautiful products. With little time devoted to arts education nowadays, I hope to encourage them as much as possible in this endeavor.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Sicherman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
