What it shows
A strong paper bag can be folded from old newspaper, which cuts down use of plastic bags. Folding and gluing teach geometry too.
The science
Plastic bags last for hundreds of years in the soil, and animals can eat them by mistake. Paper rots in a few months. Folding two layers of paper makes the base strong, and a flat base lets the bag stand. A square base gives the bag strength to carry light items.
Materials
Cost: free. Many items come from home or from waste; spare parts such as LEDs, motors and wire are in the store.
- Four sheets of old newspaper (free)
- Glue stick or paste
- Scissors
- Two pieces of string or old ribbon
- A hole puncher or an adult to make holes
- A ruler
Safety
For this project: An adult must help with the hole punching and scissors.
Never use mains electricity: power models with cells, batteries or a low-voltage adapter. Sharp and hot tools, flames and lab chemicals need an adult or your teacher beside you. Keep magnets, button cells and small parts away from young children, and wash your hands after making.
Step by step
8 steps. Do them in order, and test each part before you go on to the next. Write what you notice in a notebook as you go.
Fold one newspaper sheet in half and glue the long side to make a tube.
Fold the bottom edge up by 5 cm and open it out into a square shape.
Fold the corners of the square base into the middle like an envelope.
Glue the base flat and press it with a book for ten minutes.
Open the bag and fold the top edge down by 3 cm for strength.
Ask an adult to punch two holes on each side near the top.
Thread the string through the holes and knot it to make the handles.
Decorate with crayons and test it with a light load, like a book.
What you should see
A paper bag that stands on its own and carries a book or a small gift.
Viva questions
A teacher or a judge will ask how it works. Try to answer each question before you open it, then compare.
01Why is plastic bad for the environment?
It does not rot and can harm animals.
02What does the bag do better than a plastic one?
It rots away and can be reused.
03Why fold the top down?
It makes the edge stronger.
04Name another way to avoid plastic bags.
Carry a cloth bag.
Take it further
Make bags in three sizes and test the weight each can carry.
Change one thing, measure what happens, and add a table or chart of your readings: that is what turns a model into your own investigation.
Free ebooks for this project
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