This term we have been learning about Japan in our HSIE unit and Electricity within Science. We applied our learning from these two subjects by creating paper cranes with a series circuit running through them.

We have been studying the traditional clothing and leisure activities that Japan has to offer. We incorporated the Kimonos that Geishas wear into our paper cranes. Everyone has illustrated their own patterns based on various patterns of Kimonos around Japan. We began by drawing on our regular paper and then finalised our art on rice paper.

Our class found that “in Japan, the crane is a mystical creature and is believed to live for a thousand years. As a result, in the Japanese, Chinese and Korean culture, the crane represents good fortune and longevity”. We have also studied the book ‘Sadako and the thousand paper cranes’ which is where we got our main idea for our art.

After that, we constructed series circuits to light up the inside of the crane. Our circuit runs under the blue board. We tested the circuit several times prior to creating it within our art.

Finally, we attached the crane, blue foam board and circuit together to create a paper crane circuit which illuminates when in the dark.