Make 3-D Mathematical Models Using Paper Plates

Mention paper plate projects to my kids and they’re likely to scoff.

Looking for a curriculum your kids will like? An online homeschool curriculum can open new doors by creating an interactive learning experience that brings concepts to life. Homeschooling should be fun. With Time4Learning, it can be!

That’s because well-intended adults cheerfully made them suffer through paper plate crafts when they were small. (It wasn’t their eco-frenzied mother, really.) You probably made such crafts in your childhood, too. Decorate two paper plates with crayons, staple them together with dry beans in the middle and you’ve got a rattle!

But they’re intrigued by the complexity of Bradford Hansen-Smith’s paper plate designs.  By folding and joining spheres, Hansen-Smith generates a whole range of designs that reveal the beauty of geometry.

If you’re on the lookout for challenging and interesting enrichment ideas, get folding. We found Hansen-Smith’s books (available via his site) at the local library. And the video, cheesy background music and all, is a delight.