Objective: Students will be able to explain how folding paper increases its strength for paper engineering when given a hands-on activity.

Material: - Paper - Ruler - Pen or Pencil - Scissors

Vocabulary: - FOLDING: the act of creating sharp creases to make a flat sheet of paper into a three-dimensional shape - STRENGTH: the ability of an object to resist breaking or bending under pressure - PAPER ENGINEERING: the art and technology of creating large three-dimensional paper structures - PRESSURE: the force that is applied to an object by another object

Activity: 1. Ask students to define the given vocabulary words. 2. Explain that paper folding increases the strength of the paper by spreading the pressure of a force over a larger surface area. 3. Distribute materials to the class and explain that they will be creating paper structures to explore this concept. Have the students cut a strip of paper that measures 4 cm wide and 40 cm long. 4. Using the ruler and pencil, have the students mark off 4 cm increments along the length of the paper, creating 10 sections. 5. Demonstrate different folding techniques (accordion folds, zig zag folds, etc). 6. Have the students fold the paper and then apply pressure (e.g. pushing on the end of the paper strip) to the folded paper. 7. Ask the students to make observations on the strength of the paper strip before and after folding. 8. Discuss how the folded paper strip had a higher resistance to pressure than the paper strip before being folded. 9. As a bonus activity, have the students make origami figures from the paper strip and then test the strength of the figures.

Conclusion: Discuss with the class the importance of folding paper for paper engineering and the strength it can add.