How to Make a Medieval Weapon Out of Origami
Medieval weapons were numerous and varied, made from hard materials such as wood and metal, and created by every worldly civilization during the medieval period. However, making weapons from paper using the art of origami was, and is, a traditionally Japanese craft. Of course, these paper weapons would not cause more than a nasty paper cut if used in combat, but letting children play with Japanese Shurikens (metal pointed throwing stars or "ninja stars") in a classroom environment would be equally as inappropriate. Luckily, origami Shurikens provide an opportunity for young learners to have fun and glean some gruesome medieval history at the same time.
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Instructions
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Fold the first square of paper in half. Open, and fold one edge to the line made down the center. Fold the other edge to the center line. Fold the paper using the initial center crease, but the other way.
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Take one corner of the rectangle and fold it down to the adjacent edge of the rectangle. Do the opposite fold at the other end, on the same side, creating a parallelogram.
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Fold the second piece of paper as you folded the first, but make the last fold in the opposite direction. You should have two parallelograms that are mirror images of one another.
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Place the first piece of paper vertically, and find the mid-point. Fold down the top corner down and across the mid-point so as to create a triangle at the top. Do the same for the bottom of the paper. You should have what looks like two triangles with half their bases touching, facing away from on another. Repeat with the second piece of paper.
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Fold the errant edges of the triangles over on both pieces of paper so you end up with a parallelogram again, though much smaller than the first. Open these folds out again.
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Join the two pieces by holding them over each other at right angles to one another, and repeat the previous folds. Tuck the folds into the folds in the middle of the corresponding paper. This applies to both pieces of paper.
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Tips & Warnings
Use different colored pieces of paper to create an interesting effect.
The Shurikens will be tempting to throw once they are made. Do not throw them towards the eyes.
