Program: Origami Tsunami

Origami club has been a new initiative for us this year. The germ of it started about a year and a half ago when, on a whim, I put up detailed 3D directions for several simple origami models in our Teen Room, along with origami paper and a small display of books. We received some feedback in our suggestions box asking for more origami. Accordingly, we planned an origami program for the spring, which ended up overflowing with kids -- we had to turn people away. Several of the children and parents asked then if it would be a regular event, so after some online research, our Origami Tsunami club was born.

Origami Tsunami meets on the first Thursday of the month and follows the same format each month. I keep a running list of "members"; each new attendee receives their club folder on their first visit, while returning members are asked to bring their folders back. Some do, some don't, but they only get one folder for the year. I put materials out across the front of the room with signs listing how much of each they need to take. Generally we have the following out:

• Folders for new members with a Sharpie or two out for labeling them
• Plain copy paper, pre-three-hole-punched
• scrap paper cut into squares for practice folding
• black pens
• glue sticks
• origami paper in a variety of colors
• large or double-sided paper if a specific project requires it

The rest of the table space is for the ELMO where models and folds are demonstrated, and a book display our members devour after class and take home to practice.

We start class by learning a couple new folds and/or bases. The kids write the name of the fold on the top of a piece of paper, fold an example using the scrap paper, then glue the sample onto the paper. These papers go in their folders so they have a growing reference folder of models they have made. I also post my examples of each fold and base on the whiteboard so that we can refer to them as we're folding our projects. Today we learned the Preliminary Base, the Petal Fold and the Bird Base.

We were packed with kids today, about twenty, and we had an exciting meeting because I have started handing over the reins of the club to some of our more experienced teen and tween origami lovers. Last month, two kids volunteered to present this month, so at our meeting this time they presented the flying crane model and a jumping frog model. I based the folds and bases for the first part of class today on the models they demonstrated to me when they volunteered to teach. Both presented so well; I was really tickled with how seriously they took their presentation and how careful they were to make sure everyone was able to follow along. I didn't even need any of my fallback models! Moms were really excited about their boys having the opportunity to present to a crowd also, so it added some nice public speaking and direction-creating practice in a real-world setting. Value added! And we have a new member who asked to do a demonstration next month. I've been looking at ways to make the club more sustainable for all levels of folders -- this is a great step in that direction, I think.