Mrs. Wagaman’s Example Demonstration Speech

Topic: How to make an origami box.

Supplies needed for my speech:Picture slide showVideo clip of how to do the last stepPaper in for in-class demonstrationA paper cutter Examples of finished products

I. INTRODUCTION: A. Growing up, I remember watching my dad do origami when we were out at a restaurant.

He would take the wrapper off of the napkin and fold it into a crane. (Show picture here). Origami has also been a tradition in my family, as my great-grandmother Irene would make German stars to put on her Christmas tree. She and her husband were farmers and didn’t have lot of money, so she would always handmake her ornaments. One of her stars is still the first ornament that goes on my family’s Christmas tree. (Show picture here). She taught my dad how to make them, and then he taught my sister and I. After learning how to make the star and crane, I looked into how to make other kinds origami. One thing that I learned how to make is an origami box.

B. (Transition) It is quite simple and I will show you how to make one today.

II. Origami HistoryA. Not only does origami have a rich history in my family, it has a rich history that is based out

of Japan. My information today comes from PBS. B. Origami comes from the Japanese words oru (to fold) and kami (paper).C. Paper was first invented in China around 105 A.D., and was brought to Japan by monks in

the sixth century. Handmade paper was a luxury item only available to a few, and paper folding in ancient Japan was strictly for ceremonial purposes, often religious in nature.

D. By the 17th and 18th century, it became more popular as recreation with the advent in paper making technologies

E. In the 20th century, Akira Yoshizawa helped to create a system of folding patterns employing a set of symbols, arrows and diagrams.

III. Origami TipsA. To make an origami box, you will need a perfectly square piece of paper. I will be using a 8

inch by 8 inch square. B. The type of paper used is very important. They do make special origami paper, but plain

computer paper also works well, as does construction paper. Beware though that construction paper tears very easily.

C. It is very important to note that when doing origami you need to be precise. The folds that you make need to be perfect in order for the origami to work out.

IV. How to make an Origami BoxA. To make an origami box, you will need a perfectly square piece of paper. I will be using a 8

inch by 8 inch square.

B. It is very important to note that when doing origami you need to be precise. The folds that you make need to be perfect in order for the origami to work out.

C. Begin by folding the piece of paper in half. If using a piece of paper with color, start with the colored side face down. (Show picture here).

D. Then open it up and fold it half the other way. (Show picture here).E. Then fold each of the corners together. (Show picture here).F. Using the folded lines as guides, fold the four corners of the paper into the center. (Show

picture here).G. Open up two opposing flaps. (Show picture here).H. Fold the bottom half of the paper to the crease in the middle. Do the same to the top of

the paper. (Show pictures here).I. Fold the top ‘triangle’ down to the crease. Repeat on the other side. (Show picture here).J. Fold down to the center line on each side. (Show picture here).K. Open the paper all the way back. (Show picture here).L. This is the trickiest step. Invert the corners to make the wall of the box. See the video

demonstration. M. Crease all the edges to make the box secure. You have just made an origami box!

V. ConclusionA. This box can serve many purposes. It can be a box that you store things in – if you note on

my desk, I have an origami box that I keep paperclips in. If you make two boxes – one just slightly smaller than the other, then you can make a gift box.

B. Origami has not only a long a beautiful history, it is something that is also meaningful and special to me and my family as well. I’ll leave you today with another bit of origami that I did – origami cherry blossoms that my dad and I made for my wedding this summer. Between the two of us we made about 400 blossoms and used them in the centerpieces and on the cake.

C. Hopefully you have learned today a little bit more than you knew about origami and how to make a useful little origami box.