No paper? No problem!

Recycle old newspapers to make a supply of unlined paper for your classroom

To my surprise, year after year, the majority of my students come to class without basic supplies. A "Science Time Out" is needed so I can talk to students about why it's important to come to class with things like paper, a pencil and their books.

Despite the best efforts of my students and myself, however, "paper shortages" still occur. Instead of handing out paper, I do a lesson about how to make paper. This lesson has a recycling component that's especially appropriate, since the increasing population creates a great need for harvesting trees to make paper.

How to make paper

Materials:

newspaper

metal coat hanger

pantyhose (any color)

electric blender

white glue

large cake pan (or equivalent)

bucket

heavy-duty wire cutter

masking tape

safety goggles

Procedures:

1 Tear two full pages of newspaper into 2.5 cm (one inch) strips

2 Tear those strips into squares that are about 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm (1'' x 1'').

3 Put all the squares of paper into a bucket and add one gallon of water. Allow the paper enough time to soften and loosen its fibers while soaking approximately two hours.

4 While the paper is soaking, cut the hook section off of the metal coat hanger. Bend the hanger into a square and tape the ends together. The size of the square will be approximately 18 cm x 18 cm (8'' x 8'').

5 Cut out a section of the pantyhose that will be large enough to fit over the square you've made from the coat hanger. Place the pantyhose over the square and stretch it tight. (You'll need to stretch and tie off the corners of the pantyhose to create a tight screen.) To make more than one sheet of paper, you'll need to make several of these screens.

6 Pour the mixture of paper squares and water into the electric blender and blend for a minimum of three minutes. After blending, examine the goop. It should look like a gray milkshake.

7 Continue blending until all that remains are fine particles.

8 Pour the mixture into a large flat pan and mix it with your hands. Add three tablespoons of white glue and stir with your hands for a few minutes. NOTE: If this mixture is too thick, add more water. A thick mixture will make paper similar to an egg carton.

9 Slide the wire screen into the pan and carefully push the screen to the bottom. Move the mixture around the top of the screen to make sure the pulp isn't trapped underneath.

10 Very slowly (count to 60 seconds), gently and evenly, pull the screen up through the mixture with both hands. Allow the water to drain through the screen.

11 Allow the screen to dry overnight or longer. (I place my screens on a sunny window sill to speed the drying process.)

12 When the paper is dry, carefully peel it away from the screen. Trim the edges if you desire.

Recycled paper is perfect for making greeting cards and signs. It can also be used to complete homework!

Extensions:

* To whiten the paper, add 1/2 cup of bleach in Step 8, stir with a spoon for a few minutes and set aside to lighten for at least one hour.

* To make your paper flatter, press it with a rolling pin before it dries.

* You can also make screens from old picture frames and window screens.

For further reading

* History of Paper: www.paperonline.org/history/history_frame.html

* Recycling Paper: www.infostuff.com/kids/index.html

* Nature Smart: Awesome Projects to Make With Mother Nature's Help by Gwen Diehn, Terry Krautwurst and Joe Rhatigan. (Main Street, 2003, ISBN: 1-402-70515-8.)

* The Paper Maker's Companion: The Ultimate Guide to Making and Using Handmade Paper by Helen Hiebert. (Storey Books, 2000, ISBN: 1-580-17200-8.)

John Cowens teaches science at Fleming Middle School in Grants Pass, OR, and is a Teaching Editor of Teaching K-8. E-mail: snewoc@yahoo.com

Copyright Early Years, Inc. Aug/Sep 2003
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