Grade 4 Art And Craft Design, Mixed Media And Technology – Paper Craft: Tye And Dyed & Block Printed Expandable Folders Notes

Art and Craft — Design, Mixed Media and Technology

Subtopic: Paper Craft: Tye And Dyed & Block Printed Expandable Folders

Age: 9 years • Context: Kenya (use local patterns and recycled materials)

Learning Objectives

• Learn two simple surface techniques for paper: tie-and-dye effects and block printing.
• Make a working expandable folder (accordion pockets) to hold school papers.
• Use colours and patterns inspired by Kenyan fabrics (kitenge, shuka, bead designs).
• Practice cutting, folding, sticking and safe use of paints/colour.

Materials (use what you have at home)

• Thick paper or thin cardboard (old cereal box, manila folders, reused poster board)
• Water-based paints, food colouring or diluted fabric dye (safe, washable)
• Sugar, salt or cloth pegs for texture (optional)
• Small potatoes or cardboard pieces for block stamps OR foam sheets
• Scissors, glue (stick or white PVA), stapler (adult help), ruler, pencil
• Plastic tray or old newspapers to work on; water jar and cloth for cleaning
• Markers for drawing Kenyan patterns (beads, triangles, diamonds)

Safety Tips

• Use water-based paints only. Do not eat paint or dye. Wash hands after use.
• Cut with scissors carefully — ask an adult for help with sharp edges or stapling.
• Protect the table with newspaper and wear an old shirt.

Part 1 — Tie-and-Dyed Paper (simple, safe version)

We will make colourful spotted and ringed paper that looks like tie-dye.

1. Fold a piece of paper into quarters or twist small sections and hold with cloth pegs or small rubber bands.
2. Prepare diluted colours: mix a few drops of food colouring or water-based paint with water in cups.
3. Using a brush or dropper, drop colour onto folded paper — watch how it spreads. Try one colour at a time.
4. Add salt on wet paint or sprinkle sugar to create tiny dots and textures (leave to dry).
5. When dry, carefully remove pegs or bands and open the paper to see patterns.
6. Press dry between old newspaper and a heavy book to make it flat before using for the folder.

Part 2 — Block Printing (simple stamps)

Make stamps and print patterns like beads, diamonds, and lines.

1. Cut a small potato in half or cut shapes from thick cardboard. Draw a simple shape on the stamp face.
2. Carve or press out the areas you do not want printed (adult help for potato carving).
3. Pour paint on a flat tray, press the stamp into paint, and then press lightly onto paper.
4. Repeat to make rows of patterns. Change colours for fun. Use Kenyan bead patterns: dots in lines, triangles and diamonds.

Part 3 — Make an Expandable Folder (accordion pockets)

We will use our decorated paper to make the outside, and plain recycled paper/cardboard for pockets.

1. Cut two rectangles slightly larger than A4 paper (for example 23 cm × 32 cm) — these are the front and back covers. Use your tie-dyed paper for the outside.
2. Make the accordion pocket strip: cut a long strip of paper 8–10 cm high and as long as you want the folder to expand (for 3 pockets, make it about 60–80 cm long).
3. Fold the strip back and forth like an accordion (each fold 8–10 cm). Crease well with a ruler.
4. Glue or stick the last fold edge to the inside edge of the back cover. Glue the first fold edge to the inside edge of the front cover so the folder opens like a fan.
5. To make separators/pockets, glue smaller folded tabs inside each accordion pleat so papers stay in the pockets.
6. Decorate the front cover with block prints or markers. Add a paper label (e.g., “Maths”, “Science”, “Swahili”).
7. Optional: punch holes and add a ribbon or elastic to keep it closed.

Classroom Activity / Step-by-step lesson (45–60 minutes)

1. (5 min) Show samples of tie-dyed paper and block-printed patterns. Talk about Kenyan patterns children know.
2. (15 min) Tie-and-dye small papers and let them start to dry.
3. (15 min) While papers dry, make simple stamps and practise printing on scrap paper.
4. (10–20 min) Assemble an accordion pocket with dried decorated paper as covers.
5. (5 min) Display finished folders and share one thing each student liked about their design.

Vocabulary (short)

• Tie-and-dye — colouring by folding and holding parts to make patterns.
• Block printing — making a raised image on a block and pressing paint onto paper.
• Accordion fold — folded back-and-forth paper that expands like a fan.
• Pattern — repeated shapes, lines, or colours.

Assessment Ideas

• Can the child describe one pattern inspired by Kenyan cloth?
• Does the folder open and close and hold papers safely?
• Did the child try at least two colours and one block-print design?

Extension / Home Project

• Make a set of matching bookmarks using the same tie-dyed paper and stamps.
• Design a small story folder: name pockets by school subject and decorate each pocket with a matching symbol.