Overview

Students make their own angle-fold pop-ups and get them to work. Like parallel-folds, angle-folds may be symmetric or asymmetric.

Materials

For each student:

• Scissors, tape, rulers, ballpoint pen, and Post-it™
• Angle-fold Template
• Angle-Fold Computer Template, at least two (for Extension only)
• Science notebook
• Folder for saving pop-ups

Procedure

1. Using the Angle-fold Template: Show students how to assemble a single angle-fold pop-up using the template. They use it to find out how to create more or less movement.

• Outcome: The flag moves the most when it is attached along the fold line. The longer the flag, the more it will move.

2. Assemble it unfolded. To find out more about how an angle-fold pop-up works, students should next learn how to tape an unfolded triangle into the template. They predict what will happen and then try this at different angles from the gutter.

• Outcome: If the pop-up is taped in unfolded, it will make a fold when you close the book. The closer the pop-up is taped to the gutter, the taller it will stand when the book is open.
  

3. Asymmetric angle-folds. An angle-fold can be attached at different angles on either side of the gutter. See a video showing how to make an asymmetric angle-fold. Students predict what will happen when they close and the open the book.

• Outcome: The fold line in an asymmetric angle-fold will tilt toward the side that is furthest from the gutter.

Extension: See a video describing how to make and use the angle-fold pop-up computer

Troubleshooting

Click on the links below to see what to do in case...

• ... the pop-up piece stays in the book and won't pop up
• ... the pop-up comes apart when you open or close the book
  
• .. . the book won't respect the existing fold or page positions and makes new hinges
  

In addition to these problems, assembling an unfolded triangle can be tricky. Click below if ...

• ... the pop-up is hard to assemble
  

Angle-fold Template

Angle-fold Computer Template