How to Make a Three Square Unfolding Book

You need three squares of the same size. And each one is to be folded in the same way. This fold is called the preliminary base in origami. So, let's tackle that base first.



You fold your square in half and then in half again from the other direction.





Open the square. Then turn your paper over so that the previous folds are now mountain folds. Then fold the square diagonally one time.



This is what your paper now looks like -- a horizontal fold, a vertical fold, and one diagonal fold.So the folds now divide your paper into two small squares and four triangles.



Next comes the tricky part. You are doing to place the two squares on top of each other and tuck the triangles into the center between them. I've drawn red stars on the corners that need to meet.









If you'd like a printable diagram, click here for a PDF. Or if you'd like to see another series of photos, visit these Origami Instructions.

So, to check your base, when you open the corner, this is what you see--two pointy tips.



And under that, another square.

After you've created three of the bases, you're ready to affix them together to make the entire minibook.

Although I usually use cardstock for all of our minibooks, I find that 80-100 g paper is great for this project (that is, thinner than cardstock). Because of all the folds, cardstock is too bulky.



Unfold the squares and notice the diagonal fold. Of course, the folds are the same for each square, but depending on how you hold the paper, the fold can be sticking up -- a mountain fold-- or the fold can be poking down -- a valley fold.



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This is how you line them up. Place one square with the (diagonal) valley fold up in the center of your work area.



Then put the other two squares, mountain fold up on top of the first square, overlapping as shown in the photo below.



Glue the overlapping squares, matching them very precisely for the best opening and closing action.







Grasp the far most upper corner and bring it down, folding the squares just as the individual bases were folded before.











You're done! Now go fill it up with fun pictures and writing.

For a tutorial video about how to make this book, visit Science Notebooking, a blog written by an elementary public school teacher who uses minibooks in her students' science notebooks.