My son and I watched mathematician Dr. Katie Steckles cut a square with just one cut. This is an idea that dates back to 1721 in Japan: The Fold and Cut Theorem. My son was fascinated by the one cut idea so we decided to try it out ourselves.
We started with the 1 cut square.
Fold paper in half.
Crease the paper you just folded in half.
Fold into a triangle shape.
Cut a straight cut from the corner.
Ta da! One cut square!
After watching her video, we decided to figure out the Betsy Ross star. It took my son three attempts to get it down so here it is in hyperlapse vide0.
I saw this Star Wars cut art on Childhoodist Instagram. My son loved it so this is our final cut paper STEM art project. These Star Wars cut paper snowflake designs are from Anthony Herrera Designs.
They are not so easy to do and require a cutting board and an Xacto knife. He gave up on it saying that it was too hard but it might be fun for someone older.
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My books:
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Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación
- ⭐ Starred review from Kirkus
- ⭐ Starred review from Publishers Weekly
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal
- Kirkus: The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026
Free and downloadable guide:
Barbed Wire Between Us Teacher’s Guide
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Gold Award
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
The Traveling Taco:
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Silver Award
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
- ALSC Notable Children’s Book
- 2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
- Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
- 2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
- Recommended Reading for the Social Justice Literature Award 2025 (International Literacy Association)
- Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel Book Award Nominee 2026-27
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
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Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
- Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bank Street College’s The Best Children’s Books of the Year
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Wow–that is very cool, Mia! Will have to try it out!
Hi Maria,
My son likes these kind of STEM puzzles and he really enjoyed it. I can’t believe there is theorum behind it though that makes sense.
Those are some intricate snowflakes. What an art! I used to love making them as a child.
Hi Pat,
My son gave up on the Star Wars snowflakes. They are pretty hard to cut out even if you use an Xacto knife and cutting pad. They look so amazing though!
What a great STEM activity!
Hi MaryAnne,
It was really fun to cut the perfect star shape with just one cut!
Great bonding moment with your kids.
Thanks so much Jane! It was a fun project and, more importantly, quick, easy and uses stuff you already have around the house!!! (which is what I need!)
This is amazing! Like magic. And I love, love that all you need is a piece of paper and some scissors.
Hi Sarah,
I like those kind of projects best; I need the stuff required to be lying around the house or it is a determent for me.
Just tried out the origami paper folding star and loved it! Generally we like trying out crafts with simple requirements and get our ideas from Activity Village or Jumpstart Crafts. Through this post, we also found the fold and cut you tube video, which is fantastic!
Thanks for the wonderful posts!
Hi James,
It’s like magic, isn’t it? We were delighted with it as well! My son likes these kind of mathy-art projects.