One of my students made paper for her three-dimensional history project a year or so ago, and I thought it would make a neat project for the whole class. So, after we finished the chapter on Asian cultures, we delved into paper making. Here's how we "made" paper.
1. We cut and tore paper and newspaper into small bits. (Back then they would've used plant pulp, but I didn't have any plant pulp.)
2. We put the paper bits into a blender and added water.
3. I gave each student an embroidery hoop with a piece of screen placed tightly in between the hoops. (I collected the hoops from thrift stores and purchased the screen from a hardware store.)
4. We poured the blended mixture onto the screen, and they flattened it over a bowl, allowing the excess water to run into the bowl. (The thinner the paper the better.)
.5. The students experimented with different shapes including their initials. After several days of drying on the screen, they were ready to put into their journals.
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