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The Paper Crane

Language: English

A mysterious man enters a restaurant and pays for his dinner with a paper crane that magically comes alive and dances. Surrounded by lush gardens of Gasho of Japan in Central Valley, New York, LeVar dons a kimono and steps into the enchanting world of Japan, exploring the artistry of a Japanese vegetable carver and the art of origami. He takes a side trip to see how paper can be made out of old blue jeans, then joins Soh Daiko, an energetic and colorful group of Japanese drummers and dancers, as they perform the celebratory “festival of the drums.”

Here are activities to do after watching this episode:

Paper Capers

You child can make many things from cutting and folding paper. Here are a couple ideas to try.

Things That Stand

  1. Fold a piece of paper in half.
  2. Draw a design against the folded edge.
  3. Cut through both layers of the paper, but DO NOT cut off all of the folded edge.
  4. Decorate both sides.

Things That Fly

  1. Cut a strip of thin paper that is 11 inches long and 1½ inches wide.
  2. Cut a slit on each side that is about two inches from the edge and halfway through the width:
  3. Fold the strip in half and crease.
  4. Decorate each side of your strip to look like a fish.
  5. Now slide one slot into the other.
  6. Toss your fish in the air and see it twirl as it flies downward.


  

Paper Dolls

You will need:

  • sheet of paper 4” x 11”
  • scissors
  • pencil
  • markers
  • catalogs
  • glue

Directions:

  1. Fold the paper lengthwise in fourths. Use the pencil to draw the shape of a figure on the top fold of paper.
  2. Use scissors to cut out the figure, keeping folded edges intact in several places on the drawing.
  3. Open the paper for a row of dolls.
  4. Cut pictures from catalogs to add faces and clothing to each paper doll.

Check out some of these books on your
next trip to the library:

  • How My Parents Learned To Eat by Ina R. Friedman
  • “Paper” Through the Ages by Shaaron Cosner
  • Perfect Crane by Anne Laurin
  • Easy Origami by Dokuohtei Nakano

READING RAINBOW has a resource library that includes teacher guide materials as well as reading programs for use in the public libraries. You can download these resources from GPN at:
www.gpnresources.com

If you would like more information about READING RAINBOW or if you would like to learn more about other educational products please visit the GPN web site.

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