Making It: Programmes 16–26
Programme 19: Kites

Aims

After watching the programme and participating in the activities, pupils should be able to:

communicate design ideas in different ways, bearing in mind aesthetic qualities and the use and purpose for which the product is intended
measure, mark out, cut and shape materials
assemble, join and combine components and materials accurately
follow safe procedures
investigate and evaluate a product to appreciate how it works and how it is used
apply appropriate finishing techniques
carry out tests to improve a product design and make assignments using stiff and flexible sheet materials, and textiles.

The great thing about kite-making is that you can recycle waste materials to design your very own interactive toy. In the streets and back yards of Brazilian cities such as Rio, the kids don't have much – but they do have their imaginations.

The kids collect thin bamboo canes, bits of string and sheets of paper, or plastic bags. They tie two canes together to make a cross shape. They join the tips of the cross shape with string to make the skeleton of a kite. They lay the kite skeleton on paper and cut around it, leaving a wide margin. Using their fingers, they spread glue along the margin and then fold it over the string, pulling the paper tight. The kids make tails for their kites, stringing together strips of brightly coloured polythene, cut from old carrier bags.

Soon, the blue Brazilian sky is filled with the dancing shapes of the kites and the happy laughter of their owners.

Curriculum Relevance

Science – materials and their properties; forces and movement
Maths – measurement and symmetry

Background

It's not just the kids of Brazil who fly kites. In China and Japan, kites are often flown to celebrate religious festivals, birthdays or the New Year. Kite flying probably began in China, over 3,000 years ago. Traditionally, kites were flown to ensure a good harvest, or to scare away evil spirits.

Once you have mastered the basics of kite design, there is no end to the different kinds you can make. Animal and bird shapes are very popular. Some kites have been designed to carry musical instruments such as drums and flutes. There are even fighting kites with razor blades or tiny pieces of glass in their flying lines. The idea is to cut through the flying line of your opponent and send their kite crashing to the ground.

People have used kites to carry radio aerials, instruments to research the weather or ropes to help with the construction of bridges. Today, huge kites are used to pull surfboards across the sea. There's a programme in the Making It series called Tom Goes Kiteboarding. It has its own set of web notes, with even more about kites and kite-making.

Activities

Before you start, think about how to use the different equipment safely. Will you need to wear safety gear? Check with your teacher if you are not sure.

Make a Paper Kite

You will need: 2 pieces of A4 paper, 1 plastic drinking straw, a reel of strong thread, 1 paper clip, sticky tape, glue, scissors.

Fold one piece of paper in half:
Fold the top sheet down to make a blunt-nosed triangle. This will be one of the sails of your kite:
Turn the paper over and fold a matching blunt-nosed triangle. This will be the other sail of your kite:
Open out the sails. You should have a symmetrical, diamond-shaped kite, with a triangular keel on the back:
Tape a drinking straw across the sails to keep them open when the kite is flying:
Turn the kite over and slip a paper clip onto the keel:
Tie the thread to the paper clip. Your kite is ready to fly. (Have a look at the Flying Tips at the end of this section.)
Cut the other sheet of A4 paper into long thin streamers and glue them together to make a tail for your kite. Does the tail make the kite easier to fly?
Try moving the paper clip to different places on the keel. How does this affect the flight?

Make a Bin Bag Kite

You will need: 1 clean polythene bin bag and 1 brightly coloured polythene carrier bag; two garden canes; ball of thin string; strong gaffer tape (or parcel tape), ruler, marker pen, PVA glue, hacksaw, scissors.

Cut a long oblong of polythene from the bin bag.
With the hacksaw, cut the 2 canes to size. They should be long enough to reach from the top of the polythene sheet to the bottom.
Lay the 2 canes on the polythene sheet, so that the sheet is divided into three sections: a square section in the middle, with a long oblong on either side. Stick the canes to the sheet, using small strips of gaffer tape.
Make a mark on the edge of the polythene sheet, about 10cm from the top. Do the same on the opposite side.
Use the marks to draw out 2 triangles. Cut along the lines you have drawn.
Use squares of gaffer tape to strengthen the top 2 outside corners of your kite. This is where the string will be attached.
Make a hole through each of the two strengthened corners. Measure out a piece of string twice as long as your kite. Thread one end of the string through the first hole in the kite and tie it tightly. Tie the other end of the string to the remaining hole. This is the 'bridle' of the kite.
Tie a 'flying line' (a piece of string at least 5m long) to the centre of the bridle.
Cut the polythene carrier bag into small strips about 10cm by 2cm. You need at least 50 strips.
Take a piece of string about 1m long. Tie each polythene strip onto the string, until you have a long, brightly coloured tail for your kite.
Tape the tail in place at the bottom of the kite.
You could cut coloured polythene shapes from carrier bags and glue them onto your kite to decorate it.
Test your kite. (Have a look at the Flying Tips at the end of this section).

Make a Tube Kite

This kite needs a strong wind to get it airborne!

You will need: 1m length of thin garden cane or dowel; two sheets of thin card (30cm by 80cm); stapler; strong sticky tape; PVA glue; ball of thin string; scissors.

Roll 2 hollow tubes from the pieces of card. Use sticky tape to stop the tubes unrolling.
Put the garden cane inside the tubes. Staple one tube to each end of the garden cane. Use PVA glue as well, so that the tubes and the cane are firmly fixed.
Tie a string bridle (about 1m long) to either side of the cane between the two tubes.
Tie a flying line (at least 5m long) to the centre of the bridle.
Because this kite needs a very windy day to fly, it pulls very hard. Wear gloves, so the string doesn't burn your hands.

Flying Tips

Flying Your Kite

Safety Rules

Choose a wide open space away from houses, trees and overhead wires.
Use gloves if the wind is strong so you don't get 'rope burns' from your kite line.
Never fly a kite in stormy weather, as there is a danger of lightning striking it.
Never fly your kite close to airfields.

Tips on Getting Airborne

Hold the kite upright by the bottom corner and at arm's length.
Turn so that you have your back to the wind.
Let out a little line.
Launch the kite gently upwards and at the same time tug sharply on the line.
As the kite rises, unwind more line.
If your kite is very wobbly in the air, try adding a longer tail.

Links

This web page contains links to other websites that are neither controlled nor maintained by Channel 4 Television. Channel 4 Television is not responsible for the content of these sites and does not necessarily endorse the material on them.

All about kites:
http://www.kites.org/zoo/

http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/4569/

2 dead easy kite designs:
http://www.aloha.net/~bigwind/20kidskites.html

http://www.clem.freeserve.co.uk/

Or why not try a simple paper plane?
http://users.bigpond.net.au/mechtoys/plane.html

…or all kinds of different paper planes:
http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/paper.htm

Making It: Programmes 16–26 Programme 19: Kites