A Tactile
Geometric Experience
 

SOARING
at
LSU

SOAR
Summer
Workshop
2000 
Grade Level: 4 - 12
Author's Name: Linda S. Bonnette
Activity Subject: Geometry
LA State Standards: G-4-E, G-6-E, G-2-M, G-4-M and Art: CE-1VA-E6, CE-1VA-M6
Summary of Exercise: Students will construct a three dimensional geometrical model known as the Sonobe Unit. Students will follow along while the teacher demonstrates using SOAR Set-Up 3 (1X Stand and View). This construction will promote geometric concepts and communication in verbal, visual, tactile, and written formats. The students will use their math journals to write a description of the Sonobe Unit and illustrate each fold. Students may then construct more elaborate units and/or teach another student or class how to fold the Sonobe Unit.
Materials: SOAR, TV, VCR, videotape, recycled telephone book paper, gift wrap paper, or old magazines cut into 6 or 8 inch squares (6 sheets per student) to practice before using good origami paper, popsicle sticks (to "crisply crease" each fold), Origami paper (various colors), and waxed paper 
Procedure: Setup the SOAR with the 1X lens using the stand on a flat surface. Teacher uses a 6 or 8 inch square of paper (recycled, waxed, or origami) to demonstrate each fold of the Sonobe Unit. The "Alphabet" of origami should be demonstrated before students start work on the Sonobe Unit. The teacher should be asking questions regarding geometric terms revealed with each fold of the paper. These may include terms such as: parallel, perpendicular, congruent, right angle, triangle, square, rectangle, etc.

Now it is time to fold the Sonobe Unit. Each student should have 6 pieces of paper cut into perfect 6 or 8 inch squares. The first step is the valley, fold the square in half. Open and then fold each half in half. Open the paper and now you should see four equal rectangles. Next, fold the bottom right corner into a right triangle to the first crease. Rotate the paper 180 degrees and once again fold the bottom right corner as before. Now, valley fold the bottom of the sheet crisply creasing it at the first fold line. Rotate 180 degrees and repeat. Next, fold the lower left-hand corner all the way to the top of the paper. Lift your new triangle and tuck it in under the top half of paper. Rotate and repeat. You now have a parallelogram. One side of the parallelogram has an "X" forming pockets that each unit will fit into after all have been folded. Flip the parallelogram over and fold each point over so that you have two new triangles and the paper is now a square. Repeat with all sheets and then assemble.

To assemble - " let the paper talk to you" and be patient. Slip the tip of one unit into the pocket of a second. Take a third unit and slip it into the opposite pocket on the first unit. Repeat until all units have a pocket in which to slip a point. The inside of the box should not have any loose points. See SOAR images below.
References:
  • Anno, M. (l991). Anno's Math Games 3. New York. Philomel Books.
  • Clements, D.H. and Battista, M.T. (1992). "Geometry and Spatial Reasoning".  Handbook of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company. 
  • Franco, B. and Shimizu-Yost, J. (1991). Using Tomoko Fuse's Unit Origami in the Classroom. Berkeley, CA. Key Curriculum Press.
  • Fuse, T. (1990). Unit Origami. Tokyo and New York: Japan Publications, Inc.
Websites:
Photos and Drawings:

 
Step 1-Fold in half Step 2-Fold each half in half Step 3-Fold corner to first crease.
Step 4-Rotate and repeat. Step 5-Fold along first crease towards the middle. Step 6-Fold a triangle to the top of figure.
Step 7-Rotate and repeat. Step 8-Open parallelogram and tuck new triangles under. Step 9-Tucking triangle under.
Step 10-Flip parallelogram over and fold points across forming a square. Step 11-Continue folding until you have complete six units and then assemble. Assemble: Slide point of one unit into pocket of second unit.
Assemble: Repeat Assemble: Sliding one unit into the pocket of another. Assemble: Let the paper speak to you.
Continue assembly. Remember that the inside of the box is completely void of "tails". Continue with assembly.
Slide final point into last pocket. Complete box. All point in a pocket and the inside void of any "tails". Examples of other boxes. Upper left is made of recycled telephone book pages.