This year, we took part in the Kites Around the World Project that Mr. Salsich started a couple years ago. It is a global project that allows students from all over the world plan, measure, design, and construct a kite. Classes can then upload pictures and videos to the wiki to share with everyone else! Click the picture below to visit the wiki!

KitesAroundtheWorld

There were many different steps we took on our way to flying our sled kites. We started small, with a 6″ x 8″ rectangle to figure out how to accurately divide it into thirds and fourths. This helped us in marking off exactly where the wings would go.

kite

After figuring out the shape of the kite on a smaller rectangle, we needed to make our kite larger. We decided to multiply all of our numbers by 4 so we ended up with a 24″ x 32″ kite. After finding all of our measurements, students used yard sticks to mark off the kite. They then had an opportunity to decorate it. We completed the kites by taping on wooden dowels, adding ribbon, and tying on the string. If you’re interested in learning more about creating your own sled kite, Mr. Salsich’s students created a great video tutorial – How to Make a Sled Kite

Luckily, after the kites were completed, we ended up with a perfect afternoon to test them out! We checked the weather to find that winds were at about 12 mph. All we had left to do was to let out some string, get them up in the air and watch them fly! Watch our Animoto to see pictures and videos from the whole process, from design to flight!

 

*What was your favorite part about making a kite?*

 

*Could we have done anything different to make them fly better?*

 

*What did you learn from making the kites?*