1. Fold a piece of paper (12" X 18") or other size, in half hamburger style (short way). Open and then fold in half hotdog style (long way). Do not use the top section of the paper. This will be folded down to cover the back of the pop-up page later.

2. To make a box you are going to cut two parallel lines from the folded edge to the middle of the paper (see example at right). You can also create irregular boxes by cutting one line short and another one long. Remember you cannot go beyond the dotted line into the top section.

3. Take the piece and fold straight back on the dotted lines (see example on right). Fold the piece back and forth from the front to the back on the same line. This makes a good crease and I tell my students to make it "loosey-goosey". Then put the piece back flat.

4. Open the paper. Fold the top section down to cover the back of the pop-up page. The paper will magically talk to you and tell you which way it wants to fold down. Put a thumb at the top and a thumb at the bottom of the page. Then fold the page closed and press. You may need to help the form pop out but it should pop out automatically. You have now created a simple box.

You can make cuts into the box anywhere there is a fold. You would want to do this to create a seat for a chair/couch or maybe the bed of a pickup truck or even a bay window. See the example on the right of how this might look. In the example you would cut two long parallel lines and then two shorter parallel lines inside of those lines. Fold on the dotted lines back and forth, open and fold down the back page, and pop out to create a box within a box.

When you cut your lines for the boxes you could also cut slanting or uneven lines to create old buildings or crumbling cities. Cut the lines, fold each building back and forth to make a good crease. Open the paper and fold down the back page. Put a thumb at the top and a thumb at the bottom of the page and fold the page closed. Press. Decorate the buildings with broken windows, doors, etc. Maybe Godzilla attacked the city!!! Cut out Godzilla from another piece of paper and glue him to one of the buildings so that he folds flat into the page.