George

SUPE
SUPER SIMPLE ORIGAMI SIMPLR
ORIG E

ORIGAMI INSECTS
Learn the art of paper folding with Origami Insects . AM I
Start by practicing basic origami folds. Then you can make
a lucky ladybug, a breezy butterfly, and more. The crafts in
this book are easy and super fun! Each project includes colorful

ORIGAMI
photos and step-by-step instructions. So grab a pile of paper and
start folding! Then check out the rest of the Super Simple Origami
series for more paper-folding fun.

Books in This Series:

Origami Birds Easy & Fun Paper-Folding Projects
Origami Dinosaurs Easy & Fun Paper-Folding Projects
Origami Farm Animals Easy & Fun Paper-Folding Projects
Origami Insects Easy & Fun Paper-Folding Projects
Origami Pets Easy & Fun Paper-Folding Projects
INSECTS
Easy & Fun Paper-Folding Projects
Origami Zoo Animals Easy & Fun Paper-Folding Projects Anna George

AD-5884_SS_Origami_COVERS_R1.indd 6 9/13/16 9:34 AM

 SUPE
SIMPLR
ORIG E
AM I

ORIGAMI
INSECTS
Easy & Fun Paper-Folding Projects
Anna George
Consulting Editor, Diane Craig, M.A./Reading Specialist
abdopublishing.com
Published by Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO, PO Box 398166, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55439.
Copyright © 2017 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. International copyrights reserved in all countries.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
Super SandCastle™ is a trademark and logo of Abdo Publishing.
Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota
102016
012017

Editor: Liz Salzmann

Content Developer: Nancy Tuminelly
Cover and Interior Design and Production: Mighty Media, Inc.
Photo Credits: iStockphoto; Mighty Media, Inc.; Shutterstock
Special Thanks to Kazuko Collins
The following manufacturers/names appearing in this book are trademarks: Elmer’s® Glue-All®
Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: George, Anna, author.
Title: Origami insects: easy & fun paper-folding projects / by Anna George.
Other titles: Easy & fun paper-folding projects | Easy and fun paper-folding projects
Description: Minneapolis, MN : Abdo Publishing, 2017. | Series: Super simple origami
Identifiers: LCCN 2016944711 | ISBN 9781680784497 (lib. bdg.) |
ISBN 9781680798029 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Insects in art--Juvenile literature. | Origami--Juvenile literature.
Paper work--Juvenile literature. | Handicraft--Juvenile literature.
Classification: DDC 736/.982--dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016944711
Super SandCastle™ books are created by a team of professional educators, reading specialists, and
content developers around five essential components—phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, text
comprehension, and fluency—to assist young readers as they develop reading skills and strategies and
increase their general knowledge. All books are written, reviewed, and leveled for guided reading and
early reading intervention programs for use in shared, guided, and independent reading and writing
activities to support a balanced approach to literacy instruction.
CONTENTS
4 Ama zing Origami Insects
6 Basic Folds
7 Origami Symbols
8 Special Folds
10 Bases
12 Materials
13 Tips and Tricks
14 Silly Cicada
16 Frisky Fly
18 Cra zy Caterpillar
22 Lucky Ladybug
24 Beetle Buddy
28 Breezy Butterfly
32 Glossary
4
AMAZING ORIGAMI

insects
Origami is the art of folding paper. In Japanese, the word ori means “to fold” and gami
means “paper.” People in Japan and all around the world enjoy origami.
Do you have a favorite insect? Is it a beetle? Or maybe a butterfly? This book will show
you how to make those insects and more! These super simple origami projects are great for
beginners. You will learn about:
different types of paper folds
symbols used in origami diagrams
types of paper that will work for origami
You’ll be amazed at what you can make with just one sheet of paper!

5
 Basic Folds
MOUNTAIN FOLD VALLEY FOLD
Fold behind to create a mountain. Fold in front to create a valley.

CREASE
Fold and unfold to make a crease.

6
ORIGAMI SYMBOLS
The symbols below show the most commonn actions used in origami.

Valley fold
old

Mountain
taiin fold

Creasee

Fold and
ndd unfold

Fold toward
ow
ward the front side

Fold toward
ow
ward the back side

Turn over
veer

Rotatee

Pull or pu
push
ush

7
 Special Folds
INSIDE REVERSE FOLD
This fold is often used to make the head or feet of an animal.
It may seem hard at first. After you practice it will become easier.
Here are instructions to make this fold.

1 2 3
Fold a square piece of Crease it firmly. Mountain fold the
paper into a triangle. Valley Unfold. crease. Unfold.
fold one of the points.

4 5
Unfold the paper. Place it so the Refold the
center crease is vertical. Valley center crease.
fold the bottom point.
8
 OUTSIDE REVERSE FOLD
This fold is often used to make the head of a bird or the feet of
an animal. It is just like the inside reverse fold except the corner
is folded on the outside.

1 2 3
Fold a square piece of Crease it firmly. Mountain fold the
paper into a triangle. Valley Unfold. crease. Unfold.
fold one of the points.

4 5
Unfold the paper and turn fold the
Refold
it over. Place it so the center r
center crease.
crease is vertical. Valley
fold the bottom point.
9
 BASES
These shapes are used as bases for many different
origami models. Practicing these will help you
improve your origami.

SQUARE BASE

1 2 3 4
Place the paper on the table Mountain fold the Valley fold one point Valley fold the other
with a straight edge at the right side to the left to the opposite two points together.
top. Mountain fold the top side. Unfold. point. Unfold. Unfold.
to the bottom. Unfold.

5 6 7
Pinch and lift two opposite Press the sides together. Flatten the paper
mountain folds. into a square.
10
 BIRD BASE

1 2 3
Start with a square base. Valley fold the top Valley fold the top
Place it with the open layer of the right point layer of the left point
point at the bottom. to the center crease. to the center crease.

4 5 6
Valley fold the top point Lift the top layer of the Turn the model over from
down. Unfold the last bottom point. Push the sides side to side. Repeat steps
three folds you made. together. Flatten the sides. 2 through 5.

11
 Materials
O L DE R
B ON E F

C RA F T S T
IC K

PAPER CREASING
G TOOLS EXTRAS
You can use almost The edge of a ruler, craft stick, or These are optional
any type of paper for bone folder can help you make good supplies used in this
origami. You can get creases and folds. book.
ook.
special origami paper • googly eyes
at craft stores or online.
• glue
You can also use copy SCISSORS
paper, magazine pages, You will need scissors if you are • markers
scrapbooking paper, starting with a sheet of paper that • ch
chenille
h stems
g wrap!
and even gift p! isn’t square. (See page 13.) • ta
tape
a

12
 TIPS TRICKS and

GET SQUARE
Many origami models use a square piece of pape
paper.
er.
It is easy to make a rectangular piece of paper square.
aper square.
1 Fold one short edge so it lines up with a long ed
edge.
dge.
Crease the fold.
2 Cut off the strip under the triangle. 2
3
3 Unfold the paper. Now you have a square!are!
1

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!

When folding origami models, it is important for the folds to
be as accurate as possible. Match up the edges and corners
when folding. Make firm creases. The more folds there are,
the more important it is to make them exact. So get out some
scrap paper and practice, practice, practice!

13
 SILLY
CICADA
• paper (square)
• googly eyes
• glue

2 3
Valley fold the Valley fold the right point
1 to the top point.
Place the paper on bottom point to
the table with one the top point.
point at the top..
Your cicada will
be the color of thee
facedown side.

4 6
5 Fold the top layer
Valley fold the left point Fold the top layer
to the top point. Now you of the left side
of the right side down at an angle.
have a square. down at an angle.
14
 9
Mountain fold both
7 8
sides so the points
Valley fold the top meet in the back.
Valley fold the bottom
layer of the point layer of the point.
slightly above the Leave a bit of the top
side points. layer showing.

10
Mountain fold 12
the two upper Glue on the
corners. 11 googly eyes.
Mountain fold
in half. Unfold.

15
 FRISKY
FLY
• paper (square)
• googly eyes
• glue

2 3
Valley fold the Valley fold the right point
bottom point to to the top point.
the top point.
4
Valley fold the left
1 point to the top
Place the paper point. Now you
on the table with have a square.
one point at the
top. Your fly will
be the color of the
facedown side.
5 6
Fold the top layer Fold the top layer
of the right side of the left side
down at an angle. down at an angle.
16
 8 9
7 Valley fold the Mountain fold both
Valley fold the top bottom layer of sides. The points
layer of the point so it the point. Leave should not quite meet
meets the folds. a bit of the front in the back.
layer showing.

10
Mountain fold
the two upper
corners.
11
Mountain fold in 12
half. Unfold. Glue on the
googly eyes.

17
 CRAZY
CATERPILLAR
• paper (2 colors)
l ) • googly l eyes
• scissors • glue

1
Cut two long strips of
each color of paper. 2
All four strips should Glue the 3
be the same size. same-colored Place the two strips on
strips together top of each other. Valley
to make two fold the upper left corner
longer strips. to the right side. This
triangle is the head.
18
 4
Valley fold the top
strip to the right.
The side should line
up with the bottom
of the head.

Continued
on the
next page.

6
Valley fold the
same strip over
the front.
5
Mountain fold
The strips in this project are the same strip
too long to fit on the page! around the back.
So the ends of the strips
aren't showing. Your strips
should look longer than the
ones pictured.
19
 9
7 When you get near the
Valley fold the end of the first strip,
second strip up. 8
Valley fold the first strip tuck the end under the
over. Continue to make second strip.
valley folds, switching
between the strips.

20
 11
When you get to the
end of the second strip,
valley fold it into a
point. This is the tail.

10
Continue
folding the
second strip
back and forth.
12
Gently pull on the ends of the
caterpillar to open it slightly.
Glue on the googly eyes.

21
 LUCKY
• red paper • glue
(square) • marker
• googly eyes

LADYBUG

2
1 Valley fold the 3
Place the paper on the bottom point up Valley fold in
table with one point at to the top point. half. Unfold.
the top. The side facing
down should be red.

4 5 6
Valley fold the right Valley fold the left Fold the right point
point almost to the point almost to into an inside reverse
center crease. the center crease. fold (see page 8).
22
 8
7 Mountain 9
Fold the left point fold the top Make an inside
into an inside center point. reverse fold on the
reverse fold. tip of each wing.

10
Draw the head. 11 12
Glue on the Draw spots
googly eyes. on the wings.
23
 BEETLE
BUDDY
• paper (square)
• googly eyes
• glue

1 3
Place the paper on the table Valley fold the
with a straight edge at the 2 right side to the
top. Your beetle will be the Valley fold the left side. Unfold.
color of the facedown side. bottom to the top.
Unfold.

24
 5
Valley fold the
left side to the
4 center crease.
Valley fold the
right side to the
center crease.

Continued
on the
next page.

6
Valley fold the top 7
down to the center Valley fold the
crease. Unfold. bottom up to the
center crease.
Unfold.
25
 9
Open the top corners. Pull
8 the corners apart. Valley
Mountain fold fold so the top edge meets
the top two the center crease.
corners. Unfold.

11
10 Valley fold the points
Press flat. so they stick up above
the top edge.
26
 13
Turn the model over
from side to side. Valley
12 fold sides to the edges
Turn the model over of the triangles.
from side to side. Valley
fold the bottom slightly
above the lower crease.

14 15
Make an inside Turn the model
reverse fold on each over from side to
bottom corner side. Glue on the
(see page 8). googly eyes.
27
 BREEZY
• paper (square) • scissorss
• chenille stem • tape

BUTTERFLY

2 3
Valley foldd bottom
1 point to ththe ttop Valley fold right
Place the paper on point. Unfold. point to left
the table with one point. Unfold.
point at the top.
Your butterfly will
be the color of the
facedown side.

5
Valley fold the
4 left edge to
Rotate the paper so a straight edge
is at the top. Valley fold the bottom the right edge.
edge to the top edge. Unfold. Unfold.
28
 6 7 8
Valley fold each Turn the paper over Completely unfold
point into the center. from side to side. the paper. Turn it
Valley fold each over from side to side.
point to the center.

Continued
on the
next page.

9
Valley fold the top and bottom
edges of the paper to the center. 10
Unfold. Valley fold the right and Open the top corners. Pull
left edges to the center. the corners apart. Valley
fold so the top edge meets
the center crease.
29
 11
Repeat with the 12
bottom corners. Mountain fold the
Press flat. top edge to the
bottom edge.

13
Valley fold the top layer of
the right point along the 14
center crease. Repeat with Valley fold the top
the left point. The points layer of the right edge
will meet below the bottom slightly. Repeat with
edge, creating a triangle. the left edge.
30
 16
Rotate the model to the
1
15 left so the fold is at the top.
Valley fold the Mountain fold a thin triangle
right point to the along the top left point.
left point. Crease well and unfold. This
will form the butterfly’s body.

17
Valley fold the top layer on
the crease from step 16. Turn
the model over from side to
side. Valley fold the other 19
layer the same way. Crease Cut two pieces of chenille
well. These are the wings. 18 stem. Curl them into antenna
stem
Separate the shapes. Tape the ends to the
wings at the back of the butterfly.
crease.
31
 GLOSSARY
accurate — exact or correct.
amaze — to surprise or fill with wonder.
crease — 1. a line made by folding something.
2. to make a sharp line in something by folding it.
diagram — a drawing that shows how something
works or how parts go together.
optional — something you can choose, but is not required.
reverse — backwards, in the opposite direction.
symbol — an object or picture that stands for or
represents something.

32