In everyday life, lots of 3-dimensional objects are made by folding up a 2-dimensional net made of paper, plastic, or metal.
Lots of creators on YouTube make 3D models from 2D styrene (plastic) sheets.
Sublight Drive Crafts – How to Scratchbuild a Spaceship from Styrene (30:45 – final build is at 29:30)
Origami is a Japanese art that uses a single sheet of paper to create elaborate 3-dimensional shapes.
Great Big Story – See a NASA Physicist’s Incredible Origami (3:00)
Wired – 11 Levels of Origami: Easy to Complex (16:10)
Similar techniques are used in the design of paper airplanes.
Wired – How This Guy Folds and Flies World Record Paper Airplanes (11:03)
Worksheets
Project – Paper Packaging Part 1 – Choose Your Topic
Project Solutions – Paper Packaging Part 1 – Choose Your Topic