Create-A-Kite Independent Study

Submitted by: Ginnie Jeschelnig from Shore Middle School in Mentor, Ohio
Title: Create-A-Kite Independent Study Project

Grade Level: Middle School

 

Project criteria:

1. The kite surface must be an original design (no copyrighted materials).

2. Designs should have a theme, color scheme & focal point.

3. The kite should be 22" x 16" x 1" (56 x 41 x 3 cm) or larger.

4. Designs may begin with either a constructed base; or by adapting an old existing kite by altering or adding materials to it. (On an existing kite, any commercial printed design must be completely covered/hidden.)

5. String is not necessary as the kites will be displayed indoors only and not flown. Evaluation will be based upon the creativity and craftsmanship of the entry as well as the student’s planning & progress over the 8-week independent study period. Prizes will be awarded during the evening exhibition for the best kites from each grade level. How to begin? The public library is a great place to start.

 

Due Dates and Assessment:

This project was assigned and then an informational parent letter was mailed home. Parents were expected to sign and return the letter along with the student's proposed sketch, description, and list of materials used. The letter was due back two weeks later.

 

Two weeks later a progress report was sent home for parent signature and a photo of the work was requested but not required. The report was due two weeks after it was sent home. A second progress report was mailed home another two weeks later.

The kite was due finished to school two weeks after the final progress report was returned. In all, the project took two months to complete at home. After the kites were returned for a grade, we had an art show with the kites called "Art Aloft. Prizes were awarded for the best entries at each grade level.

 

Some possible themes:

Self-portrait, humor, nature/environment, great artists, cultural heritage, birds/fish/insects/ animals/living creatures, food, politics, flowers/plants, coat of arms, space/future/ aliens, phobias, monsters or dragons, literature, seasons, music, symbols, optical illusions, and color. Subject matter must be school appropriate.

 

Materials:

Lightweight materials could include:

• Drawing Paper

• Fabric

• Tissue paper

• Paper Mache

• Found objects

• Recycled materials

• Collages/assemblages

• Painted, stamped, markered or drawn segments

• Dowel Rods or Armature Wire

• Plastic sheeting

• Crepe Paper

• Yarn Assortment

• String

• Styrofoam, etc.

The Internet has many free instruction sites like these:

• 25 Kites that Fly
  

• Make Your Own Kite!
  

• World Kite Museum - This page is an exhibit of kites through history.
  

• Beginner's Guide to Kites

Check this video out to inspire you:

 

 

And this one is in HD:

 

Shore's student art show, "Art Aloft" was attended by hundreds of guests from our school and community. Last year, the featured display was homemade kites. All of the fine art students were responsible for creating a kite with an original surface design and were expected to attend the art show to participate in the exhibition.   Resources Kites for Everyone: How to Make and Fly Them - Thorough, expert guide with easy-to-follow illustrated instructions for creating more than 50 awesome, airborne objects — everything from simple bag kites to Vietnamese, Snake, Dutch, Dragon, Bullet, Delta, and Flowform flyers. The author also covers windsocks and toy parachutes. "It's like having a veteran kitemaker in the classroom." — Science and Children. The Ultimate Kite Book - Boasting more than two hundred full-color illustrations, a visual catalogue of the world's classic kites explains how to fly everything from box kites to parachutes and includes a section on kite building. Building Kites: Flying High With Math - Learning soars as students use mathematical applications to build, fly, and estimate altitudes of four different types of polyhedral kites. Engage students in exploring scales, tangent function, and estimation as they complete each project assignment which includes illustrated instructions and detailed options and project parameters for students to follow. A historical background on kites shows the real-life connection between math and other disciplines.