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This lesson on papermaking was perfect for my classroom. I teach that trees yield paper, but that is so abstract of a concept for children. The children accept that fact, but proof is worth so much more. Furthermore, for most aspects of daily living the children are very far removed from the actual source of objects and food. To them, everything comes from the store, end of story. How it got to the store and the possibility of an original source is a very hard concept to grasp.

There are very little opportunities to demonstrate point-of-origin. This lesson gives the chance to show the source, especially if the experiment with grass works. (I hope no one has an allergy to grass!) I would like to have a few more activities to show origin and product. Any ideas to demonstrate the process of source to usable product are now being accepted! Peanuts ground to peanut butter does not work, NO NUTS ALLOWED and a cow is too big for the classroom.

On a personal note, I think I would enjoy making floral and herbal papers as a hobby. HOw can I get more time for such fun endeavors? Do they call it retirement?  I have a much deeper respect and appreciation for the people years ago who had to make paper by hand to meet their needs, I am particularly thinking of the forefathers and the Declaration of Independence.  They probably had machines by then, but nevertheless I am sure it was quite a laborious process.