School Ideas

This page will include some easy school ideas that can be used to practice learning skills in the classroom.

Foldables/Alternatives to Worksheets

As a semi-retired Elementary teacher (no longer in the classroom but still in the Education field), I was always looking for an alternative to making copies.  Students easily get used to and bored of doing the same thing over and over so I looked for a way to teach them through the use of foldables/alternatives to worksheets.  In other words NO COPIES, NO DITTOS, just paper, scissors and colors.

First, I will start of with introducing the basic types of folds.

• Hamburger Fold - a piece of paper folded in half - portrait view
• Hotdog Fold - a piece of paper folded in half - landscape view
• Tri-Fold/Shutterfly Fold - a piece of paper in landscape view with two folds that meet at the center
• 2 or 4 Finger Fold -
• Matchbook Fold - a piece of paper that has
• Accordion Fold - start with the Hotdog fold and then fold in half and in half again
• Pop-Up Book Fold - start with the Hamburger fold and then cut two slits down the center of the piece of paper
• Shirt/Vest Fold - start with a tri-fold and then cut around the neck area and the under arms area
• Diorama Fold - 
• Small Book - 

Paper in Portrait View



Paper in Landscape View

How to do a Hamburger Fold
1.  Start with a paper in portrait view
2.  Bring down the top edge until it meets the bottom
3.  Crease down to make the fold

1.

2.

3.

How to do a Hotdog Fold
1.  Start with a paper in landscape view
2.  Bring the left side of the paper over to the right side until both sides meet
3.  Crease down to make the fold

How to do a Tri-fold/Shutterfly Fold
1.  Start with a paper in portrait view
2.  Bring down the top edge until it meets the bottom
3.  Crease down the fold
4.  Open the paper
5.  Bring down the top edge until it meets the center fold
5.  Crease down the fold
6.   Bring down the bottom edge until it meets the center fold
7.  Crease down the fold

**Tri-fold/Shutterfly fold can be done in landscape view also

How to do a 2 or 4 Finger Fold
1.  Start with a paper in portrait view or landscape view
2.  Bring down the top edge of the paper and using your four fingers (or 2 fingers) measure out the amount of your four fingers (or 2 fingers)
3.  Crease down the fold

How to do a Matchbook Fold
1.  Start with the Hamburger Fold
2.  Do the 2 or 4 Finger Fold
2.  Lift up the 2 or 4 Finger Fold, bring down the other edge of the paper to match the crease of the finger fold
3.  Crease down the fold
4.  Take your scissors and cut the Hamburger Fold crease ONLY

How to do an Accordion Fold
1.  Start with a paper in portrait view
2.  Bring down the top edge until it meets the bottom
3.  Crease down the fold

How to do a Pop-Up Book Fold
1.  Fold your paper in either Hamburger or Hotdog fold (depending on the activity)
2.  Find the center of your paper
3.  Using your scissors cut to create a 1 inch tab
4.  Open your book
5.  Use your finger to push "IN" the tab
6.  Close your book to create the crease
7.  The tab will be used to glue the pop up character

How to do a Shirt/Vest Fold
1.  Start with a paper in portrait view
2.  Bring down the top edge until it meets the bottom
3.  Crease down the fold


How to do a Diorama Fold
1.  Start with a paper in portrait view
2.  Bring down the top edge until it meets the bottom
3.  Crease down the fold

Hamburger Fold Ideas

• Beginning and End of the Story
• Compare and Contrast

Hotdog Fold Ideas

• Beginning and End of the Story
• Compare and Contrast
• Character Characteristics List

Tri-Fold/Shutterfly Fold Ideas

• Characters/Setting/Main Idea
• Beginning/Middle/End of a Story
• Compare and Contrast

Matchbook Fold Ideas

• Subjects
• Predicates
• Setting/Characters/Main Idea
•