If you are learning about Ancient Chinese culture and warfare, you can make the lesson more exciting by constructing a set of Chinese plate armor. You can make Chinese plate armor using a few basic materials that can be found around the house or purchased from a craft store, such as paper plates. You can also to wear the Ancient Chinese armor for other events as well, such as for Halloween or for a theatrical play.
Lay 24 paper plates upside down onto the ground, and spray paint them using metallic spray paint. Select bronze-colored spray paint so that the finished Chinese armor will resemble real Ancient Chinese armor. Allow the paint to dry for 15 minutes.
Lay 12 of the painted paper plates upside down in four rows of three plates.
Overlap each plate by 1 inch in the first row, and staple them together where they overlap. Repeat this process with each row.
Overlap each stapled row by 1 inch, starting by laying down the first row and overlapping each additional row as you lay them down. Staple the rows together where they overlap. This completes the front of the Chinese plate armor.
Repeat the process to create the back of the Chinese plate armor, just as you did the front of the plate armor.
Cut eight pieces of twine with scissors to measure 12 inches long each.
Lay the front and the back pieces of Chinese plate armor on the ground with the painted sides down. Lay two pieces of twine vertically at the top corners of the front side, and lay two more pieces of twine vertically at the top corners of the back side. Staple the pieces of twine in place.
Lay two pieces of twine horizontally on either side of the front of the armor, placing the twine pieces in the middle of each side. Lay two pieces of twine horizontally on either side of the back of the armor, placing the twine pieces in the middle of each side. Staple the pieces of twine in place.
Place the two sides of paper plate armor together with the painted sides facing out. Tie the twine pieces together where they meet. Then, put on the Chinese paper plate armor by slipping the armor over your head.
