The Fortune Teller Foldable

Do you remember those paper fortuneteller things that girls used to make when they were younger? You know the ones with the colors and the numbers written on them, and when your friend opened a certain flap it meant that she was destined to marry so and so, and have a mansion, and a "bazillion babies". Yeah, something like that. Anyway a thought occurred to me when I confiscated one of these instruments of gossip from a student in my class last year. What if I could take this thing that is already appealing to kids and use it to teach them something?
I know just like a teacher to zap the fun out of everything, but here goes.
I had my students write a question on each of the outside flaps. Once the question was answered, then the person holding the fortune spelled out the letters of the answer, while moving the fortune teller open and shut. (This can also be done with the words from the answer, if they are longer than one or two word phrases.) Once the answer is spelled out then the student can choose from the vocabulary words that are written on the inside of the fortune teller. They have to correctly define the word that they choose, or they do not get a point. The students can then open the fortune to see if the guesser had it right.

If the little animated gif that I made is hard to follow, then here are the step by step instructions:

These directions look complicated, but it is quite easy to make (just difficult to describe!).

• Start with a square piece of paper. (Use a standard sheet of paper. Take a bottom corner and diagonal fold it across to the opposite side of the page. Cut off the 2.5 inch strip at the top of the page to create an 8.5 x 8.5 sheet of paper)
• Fold the paper along the diagonal and crease. Then open it back up. Fold along the opposite diagonal and crease. Open it back up. Fold the paper in half along a straight edge and crease. Open it back up. Turn the paper 1/4 (90 degrees) and fold in half again, and crease. Open it back up. You should have a flat piece of paper with the creases forming a star in the center of the page.
• Take one corner and fold it in to the center of star. Repeat with each corner. When you are done, you will have a six inch square, with four open flaps on the top.
• Flip the piece of paper over. Take one corner and fold it in to the center of star. Repeat with each corner. Your square will now be about four inches on each side, with four flaps.
• Flip the paper over so that the top side has square flaps. Fold the paper in half along a straight edge and crease. Open it back up. Turn the paper 1/4 (90 degrees) and fold in half again, and crease. Open it back up.
• Put your thumb and index finger on your right hand under the two square flaps on the right hand side. Put your thumb and index finger on your left hand under the two square flaps on the left hand side. As you pinch your finger tips together, the fortune teller will take shape.
• At this point you can write questions, definitions, characters, vocabulary, math problems, science terms, etc. on the flaps and answers under the flip up pieces.
• To work the fortune teller, put your fingers back in the flaps. Pinch your thumb and index fingers together, then gently pull apart to open the center. Then bring the four fingers back together. Pinch together the two index fingers and the two thumbs. Gently pull apart to open the center.

This will work with any size square sheet of paper. These instructions use an 8.5 inch square so that other measurements can be used as guidelines in the instructions.

Diorama (Foldables Part 3)

Dioramas in the classroom can be a wonderful teaching tool. They are very cheap and easy to make. The students only need two sheets of regular (or construction paper), scissors, and glue (or staples if you want to be really cheap; staples also work a lot quicker because you do not have to wait for the glue to dry.)
When you think of a diorama you may be reminded of the old shadow boxes that you made when you were little. These shadow boxes were generally made from old shoe boxes, construction paper, and enough glue to keep Elmer's in business. However, the modern diorama is a very close cousin to the foldable. Here is how to make one.

To create a simple diorama, take a square piece of paper. (8 1/2" X 8 1/2" works well) Fold the paper diagonally, open it and fold it on the other diagonal. Then, cut on one fold to the center. Bring one of the flaps over the other flap and staple. This makes a little tent shaped space for your scene. Color the scene, add the setting, and then you can also have your students write a small paragraph about why they chose specific things.

Once the diorama is complete you can have the students combine four of the dioramas together, and they can be used to compare or contrast various ideas.

Foldables Part 2

Think about it! People learn though the use of their senses, so logically a better way to teach would be to involve as many senses as possible. In creating and using the foldable, many of the senses are involved from tactile to auditory.
Foldables can be used to teach vocabulary terms, concept mapping, and as study aides. However, the list is only limited by your imagination. Here are some ways that I have used foldables in my classroom.

Now for some usable ideas:

• Foldables for Vocabulary Terms-
• Have the students fold the paper in half by making the longer sides of the paper come together.
• The students can now write the new terms on the front side of the foldable.
• Using a pair of scissors the student can cut under each term to create term tabs.
• Once these tabs are flipped open, the student can write either the definition or a personal connection to the term.
• Because of the tab the students can actually quiz themselves, then open the tab to check their answer.
  
• I use this a lot at the beginning of a lesson.
  
• This method can be for any subject, from kindergarten through college.

• Foldable as Concept Maps-
• Have the students fold the top of the paper until it meets the middle.
• Then fold the bottom so that it also meets the middle of the paper.
• Basically the paper should now be folded in thirds with the two short sides touching.
• The students should now fold the paper in half so that the newly formed shorter sides are touching.
• Once you unfold the paper four squares should be present.
• The students can now label these squares as you see fit
• Whether you are teaching story elements, compare & contrast, outlining, or even just simply reviewing the chapter. You can use this foldable for all of these depending on what you have you kids write on the top.
• Story Elements
• Kids should write "Characters", "Plot", "Setting", and "Conclusion" in the four squares.
• They can write the key details on the back side of each square, these squares can be cut to allow each square to be opened independently
  

• Compare & Contrast
• Kids should write the things being compared in each of the four boxes
• They could then write how the items are different on the backside of the terms square.
• Once the foldable is opened similarities between the four terms can be written in the central box.
  
• This foldable can be used like a Venn Diagram, except up to four things can be compared.

• Outlining
• Kids could write the "Key Term" on the top of each square.
• The details can be written on the back side of the term.
• The children can write a summary of what they have outlined in the center of the opened foldable.
  

I will write about other ways to incorporate foldables into your lessons as the weeks progress. I guess this could be considered my first series.
Well, I hope that I have given you some useful ideas. Enjoy

Foldables

I recently attended a workshop on foldables. I thought, "My kids are not going to like folding paper, that's below their level". I could not have been more wrong. I have integrated foldables into my some of my lessons; and to my surprise, the students really enjoyed them.
There are types of foldables that you can do are practically limitless. They can make flip-books for vocabulary words, diaramas for comparing and contrasting, folding graphic organizers which can be used for multiple objectives.
I will soon be posting more on the uses of foldables, and shows some diagrams on how they are made. I'm currently working on the graphics that I plan to post.

Tell me some of your ideas, and how you have used foldables in your classrooms.