Making Recycled Paper
(Activity discussed on page 14)

Introduction:

The word "paper" comes from the latin word "papyrus" named after the Egyptian reed from which paper is first made. Today, most paper is made from trees. In this activity you will make paper from recycled newspaper.

 

Materials:

Large square pan about three inches deep

3 cups of water

Large section of newspaper

Rolling pin

Add-ins:

Glitter

Dried flower petals

Confetti

Procedure:

Tear one or two pages of newspaper into small pieces of one inch or less.

 

Put the paper pieces into a large bowl and add three cups water. Keep adding paper, tearing it and squeezing it, until the mixture looks like thick oatmeal.

 

With the pan turned upside down, place about 1 cup of the blended pulp over the bottom of the pan. Spread it with your fingers evenly across the entire area.

 

Lay several sheets of newspaper over the pulp, then carefully turn the pan over. Remove the pan. Your pulp is now sitting on the newspaper. Spinkle in some "add-ins" if you'd like.

 

Close the newspaper over the pulp. Using the rolling pin, roll over the newspaper to blot out the extra water.

 

Uncover and let the new "paper" dry completely. When it is thoroughly dry, peel your new "recycled paper" away from the newspaper. It can now be cut to any size and used to make a variety of things. How about a "thank you" note or a nice note to a relative?

Did You Know?
Cotton lint from the dryers of diaper services is used to make recycled paper.

Information provided by The Forest Foundation.