Papermaking Grade Level: 5-12th grades Objectives: 1. Youth create handmade paper. 2. Youth collect fibrous materials to explore plant characteristics. 3. Youth demonstrate the importance of recycling. 4. Youth use the Internet to research traditional and modern technologies, history, and science of papermaking. 5. Youth work with others to link project to community.

NYS Learning Standards: Math, Science, and Technology • Students access, generate, process, and transfer information using technologies. • Students apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use and evaluate products.

National Science Standards: Content - Grades 5-12 Science as Inquiry • Ability to do scientific inquiry (5-12)

Physical Science • Properties and changes of properties in matter (5-12)

Science & Technology • Understanding about science and technology (5-12)

Science in Personal & Social Perspectives • Science and technology in society (5-8) • Natural Resources (9-12)

History and Nature of Science • Science as a human endeavor (5-12) • History of science (5-8) • Historical perspective (9-12)

History “Invented” in China in 104 AD, papermaking was a wellkept secret until 700 AD, when Arabs captured an entire village of Chinese papermakers. While the Chinese seem to have developed the first “modern" paper making process, the early Egyptians had developed a non-woven material that they used to write and draw on made from the papyrus reed. The Mayans also independently "invented" paper but later than the Chinese. The first paper mill in the US was established in Philadelphia in 1690. By the early 1800s, papermaking became a major industry in New York. In the 1970s, several specialty mills opened to produce handmade paper for artists. These “new traditions” continue today, with both mills and artists researching ancient techniques, new technology, and different plant fibers.

Science Paper is a non-woven textile, a web in which the plant fibers cross and interlock in random ways. They mat together because of friction, pressure, or adhesives. Plant fibers for papermaking are truly infinite! The challenge is extracting those fibers. Bast fibers come from the inner bark between the outer bark and the plant core. Grass fibers that are difficult to tear, such as rushes, sedges, and corn stalks, make the best paper. Likewise, strong Leaf fibers come from sturdy leaves. Other fibers include seed fibers, fruits, vegetables, and recycled paper. The table below gives examples of common papermaking fibers. Bast Willow stems/ branches Okra stems Blackberry canes Hollyhock stems Milkweed stems

Grass

Leaf

Cornstalks/ Pineapple husks tops Sedges Gladiolus Straw Artichoke Rushes Leek Bamboo Iris

Other Citrus or banana peels Melon rinds Pumpkin shells Broccoli stalks Onion skins

Vocabulary

Technology

Abaca (Manila Hemp) – Musa textiles, a member of the banana family whose stalk fibers are used to make paper. Cotton Linter – short fibers that cling to cottonseeds after the first ginning. Available in flat sheets for papermaking. Mold and Deckle – frames used to hold the pulp and shape the paper. Non-woven – textile web of fibers in a random arrangement.

Mold and deckle are used to create wet paper sheets. The mold is a framed screen on which the sheet is formed, while the deckle is the frame that holds the pulp on top of the mold, and determines the shape, size and thickness of the paper. This technique is considered to be a western style. Other approaches include the Japanese sugeta and the deckle box found throughout Nepal and Tibet.

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TOOLS: Build a Mold and Deckle Time Required:

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15 minutes (assemble purchased frames)

Materials: • • • • • • •

2 flat, wooden picture or art frames Metal tacks Hammer Scissors Fine mesh nylon screening Duct tape Option: if the wood is hard, you might prefer a stapler gun to metal tacks. If using a stapler gun, wear protective eyewear.

Notes: •

The mold and deckle dictate the size, shape, and thickness of your paper so choose your frames accordingly

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Wooden picture or art frames that snap together can be purchased at arts/crafts stores.

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You may prefer to make a mold and deckle from old picture frames, embroidery hoops, or other materials you have on hand.

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Try different shaped frames just for fun!

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For a quick, inexpensive solution, cut a metal screen and apply duct tape to the edges. Use this mold alone, without a deckle.

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Provide one or two extra molds for every four students.

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It is worth using a small amount of extra screen to extend over the edges so that the staples don’t pull out as easily.

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Cover the nails or staples with duct tape all the way around to save my hands.

Instructions: Purchased Frames

1. Snap together the picture/art frames. Set aside one frame for the deckle. 2. Measure the length and width of the other frame. With scissors, cut a piece of screen with those dimensions. 3. Tack the screen to the frame, placing tacks at 2-inch intervals or closer if needed to keep the screen secure and taut. Gently tap tacks with a hammer being careful not to crack the frame. This is the mold. 4. The deckle (frame only) fits over the mold (with screen). The side of the mold with the screen and the tacks should be face up touching the deckle.

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TECHNIQUE: Make Paper Time Required: 2 hours - preparing plant materials 30-45 minutes – making paper

Materials: • • • • • • • • • • • •

Blender (dedicated to papermaking) Water and a container Mold & deckle Plastic tub to hold mold and deckle Spoon Sponges Plastic tablecloth Tray, board, or smooth surface for drying Cotton linter or abaca sheets Recycled paper (colored and white) Plant materials Large enamel or stainless steel pot

Optional: glitter, flower petals, spices, tea leaves, seeds, confetti, lavendar, perfumes, threads, etc.

Paper Supply Sources: x x



Tips: • • • •

RECYCLE – Save fruit and vegetable peels; old paper, etc. Ask students to work in pairs — the mold and deckle can be tricky. Supply one blender per six students. Cover tables with plastic tablecloths to help contain the paper scraps.

Instructions: Use Recycled Paper Make the Pulp: 1. Gather and sort white and colored paper. Rip paper into 1-inch pieces (or shred in paper shredder) and soak in water for 15 minutes. 2. Add 2 cups of shredded paper (choose your colors!) and add water one cup at a time (approx. 3-4 cups) and blend until a thick pulp is formed. Pulp should resemble applesauce or lumpy oatmeal.

Make the Paper: 1. Fill a plastic tub about one-third full of water. (More water = thinner paper; less water = thicker paper. Experiment with water-to-pulp ratio!) 2. Pour the pulp into the water. Add whole items such as thread, leaves, or glitter. Stir vigorously. 3. Lower the mold and deckle into the water at a 45degree angle and pull toward yourself, shifting it smoothly to allow the pulp to rise and settle into a layer, like panning for gold. 4. Slowly lift the mold and deckle out of the water while holding it flat and lifting straight up, allowing the excess water to drain into the tub. 5. Remove the deckle after much of the water has drained and place a second mold, screen side down, on top of the first so you have a screen/paper/ screen "sandwich". 6. With the help of your partner, place your hands flat inside of the frame that is on the back side of the mold, turn the mold so your hands are in a vertical (prayer) position and squeeze out the excess water over the tub..If the mold is too small to place your whole hand inside, use two sponges and press with your fingertips. Now separate the molds and place the one the paper sticks to with the paper side down on the surface you are using for drying. 7. Sponge from the back side to release the paper. Sponge as directed directly onto a flat drying surface. Old cookie sheets work great, but the best method for a group in a school or room they can return to the next day is to sponge the sheets onto a sunny window or glass door.ȱ Slowly lift the mold, making certain that the paper is not stuck to the screen. If the paper sticks to the mold, press along the edge of the screen to loosen. 8. Allow paper to dry (24 hours is best). To prevent the edges from curling, weight with a book or other flat, heavy object. CAUTION! 9. Pour the pulp through one of the molds, screen-side down to collect it. Use leftover pulp as papier mache to make small containers by molding it over a plastic yogurt container.

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Paper Uses:

Instructions: Use Plant Materials You Collect

Use your paper to make: • Book Cover • Bookmark • Box • Envelope • Mounting Materials • Greeting card • Stationery

Collect fibrous plants: • Willow, okra, berry, hollyhock, and milweed stems. • Cornhusks, sedges, straw, rushes, and bamboo. • Pineapple, gladiolus, artichoke, leek, and iris leaves. • Citrus or banana peels, melon rinds, pumpkin shells, brocoli stalks, onion skins, beets, carrots, • Anything fibrous from your yard or garden.

Paper “Clips” A Paper Boat? Did you know that paper boats were once made in Troy, NY, and that Cornell University rowed one to victory at the Centennial Regatta in 1876? Paper Giants The US and Canada are the world’s largest producers of paper and paper products. Therapeutic Paper? In 1857, New Yorker Joseph C. Gayetty produced the first US- packaged bathroom tissue, called therapeutic paper. Fifty sheets sold for 50¢. In 1890, the Scott Paper Company sold the first tissue on a roll, specifically for use as toilet paper. A Bad Wrap! About 50 percent of the world’s paper is used in packaging. Paper Money In 1690, the Massachusetts Bay Colony issued the first paper money in the colonies that would become the USA. Save a Tree! Each ton of recycled paper can save approximately 17 trees. Paper Inventors Were wasps and hornets the first papermakers? Check out their nests!

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Watch your step! Please limit plant gathering to common plants in abundance. Be careful to NOT disturb sensitive ecosystems, and of course, do NOT trespass. If you are unsure where to look, or don’t have land readily available, collect materials from your kitchen, such as banana and orange peels, and corn husks. If you harvest outdoors, doing so at the end of the growing season yields the most papermaking fiber. Prepare fiber: 1. Cut plant parts into small pieces and place in a large enamel or stainless steel cooking pot. Fill the pot 1/3 full if using dried fiber; ½ full if using fresh materials. 2. Add water to cover the plant materials. 3. Dissolve ½ cup of washing soda into 1 cup hot water. Stir into pot. 4. Cover pot and bring fibers to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occassionally, until material resembles cooked celery, soft but still in tact (usually 2-5 hours). Remove from heat and cool. 5. Place fibers in a cheesecloth, mesh bag, or strainer. OUTDOORS, with a garden hose, rinse the fibers and squeeze out the water. Repeat until the water is clear. This removes the noncellulose material. Make the Pulp: 1. Rip recycled paper, cotton linter, or abaca sheets into 1-inch pieces and soak in water for 15 minutes. 2. Place 1 cup of the soaked items into the blender with a teaspoon of cornstarch and about 2 cups water. Blend for 30 seconds. 3. Add 1 cup of the prepared plant fiber and blend for 10-20 seconds. Make certain not to leave clumps but too much agitation can weaken the fiber. Make Paper: 1. Follow steps 1-9 from previous page.

RESEARCH: History, Science, and Technology While making paper from plant materials, you may have wondered: • what plant materials other cultures use to make paper? •

what additional plant materials are available to you?

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how paper is made in mills?

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which museums hold collections on paper and papermaking technology?

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how to make paper that is thinner, smoother, or transparent?

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how to incorporate scents and color in your paper?

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what other products are called “nonwoven” textiles?

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who are America’s most famous papermakers?

Log online to find answers to your questions and to discover other interesting topics related to papermaking. For example, you could research the contribution of paper mills to the state or national economy. How many different companies have operated paper mills in NY? How many exist today? Were they always built along rivers? What about environmental issues? How do large paper manufacturers dispose of waste and treat factory effluent? Another interesting issue is hemp production. Farmers in 30 countries grow hemp for industrial purposes such as making paper. American farmers are not allowed to grow this crop because hemp and marijuana are different varieties of the same species Cannabis sativa, which is classified as a controlled substance. Study the arguments for and against reintroducing hemp into US agriculture. Find out the etymology of our words “paper” and “bibliography”. They come from the Greek words (through Latin etymology) that refer to the food and textile forms of the papyrus reed!

Keywords Related to Paper Making PLANTS

SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY

TEXTILES (Non-woven)

Abaca (Manila Hemp), Musa textilis Bast fibers Grasses Wood pulp

Alkali Deckle Fourdrinier Machine Nagashi-zuki Pulp Sugeta

Dard Hunter Non-woven textiles Paper Stationery Tyvek

Couching Decortication Mold Paper Mill Retting

References: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

American Museum of Papermaking, Hiebert, Helen. Papermaking with Plants. Lockie, Ellaraine. The PaperMaker: Handmade Paper from Produce. Lockie, Ellaraine. The Gourmet Paper Maker. Preservation Education and Awareness, University of California, Papermaking, 6. Reimer, Mary and Reimer-E--, Heidi. 300 Papermaking Recipes. 7. Toale, Bernard. The Art of Papermaking. 8. USDA. Industrial Hemp in the United States: Status and market Potential. 2000. 5

EXPANDING THE ACTIVITY: Fieldtrips: On the Paper Trail

Grow Plants for Papermaking

Visiting paper mills, stores, museums, and artists can tie papermaking to the students’ lives. Below are some New York locations, but you might find others in your area.

Your choice of plants for making paper is HUGE! You can collect grasses and fibrous plants along the roadside. Recycle inedible parts of fruits and vegetables from your kitchen. Grab some straw or hay from the barn. Purchase discounted “end-of-season” plants from your local nursery or garden store. Grow vegetables, flowers, grasses, and bast plants in your garden. For convenience, try these online resources for ordering seeds:

x

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SUNY-ESF—Department of Paper Science and Engineering 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 315-470-6501 http://www.esf.edu/pse/ View papermaking equipment and try making sheets of paper. Tours are free and tailored for age and interests. International Paper Company Ticonderoga, NY 518-585-5300 http://www.ippaper.com/about_mills_ ny_tic.html Tours begin in the woodlot and end in the finishing room. Tours must be arranged in advance and are only for youth 12 and older.

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Dieu Donne Papermill 433 Broome Street, New York, NY 212-226-0573 http://www.dieudonne.org/ Artist studio dedicated to creating art through handmade paper. Call for group tours.

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Farmer’s Museum Cooperstown, NY 888-547-1405 http://www.farmersmuseum.org/ Samples of early paper and paper staining manufactory. Reduced rate for school group admissions. Special youth workshops often available on request.

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Burpee: http://www.burpee.com/ Thompson and Morgan: http://seeds.thompsonmorgan.com/us/en/index Local Harvest: http://www.localharvest.org/store/seeds.jsp Make a “Watermark” Make a "watermark" for one of the molds by embroidering a small heart onto the screen. As the students get more sophisticated about making their own paper, show them how paper money uses watermarks to foil counter fitters and encourage them to identify their paper in this manner.

Crossword Puzzle Answers (puzzle on next page) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Japan China Cotton Linter Non-woven Alkaline Substance Straw Philadelphia Musa textilis Bast Georgia

Papermaking Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS

DOWN

4. Paper is a ________ textile.

1. Country where the sugeta is used.

6. A common fibrous material used in New York as bedding or insulation.

2. Country where papermaking was invented.

7. City where the first paper mill was established in the US.

3. Short fibers that cling to cottonseeds after the first ginning.

8. The scientific name of Abaca.

5. Material added to fibers to dissolve non-cellulose materials.

9. Type of strong fibers found in the stems of woody plants. 10. State where the Robert C. Williams American Museum of Papermaking is located.

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