I am a 3rd grade teacher in Connecticut. For the past 3 years my class has made kites in the spring as part of our math curriculum. I started using kites as a way to teach measurement and symmetry, but have since expanded it to applying division and fractions. The students love the chance to use math to make something functional. And, of course, It's great fun to get outside to fly them!
Last year I wanted to add cultural exchange and reading and writing into the unit, so I set up a website where classes around the world could share their experiences and cultural traditions around kites. In the end seven schools from four continents participated. Here is a link to last year's site.
This year I hope to build on last year’s project. I will use a wiki to host the project, as it is much easier for multiple participants to add and edit content on a wiki. Also, the wiki has some great resources and ideas for how to use kites in education. Here is a link to the wiki, although it is only in the beginning stage.
The main goals of this project are:
1. For students from around the world to learn about themselves and others by sharing kite traditions.
2. For students to use digital media to share their experiences of building and/or flying kites.
The wiki contains several further ideas of ways to meet these goals, but really it could be worked into your curriculum however you see fit. And video conferencing is certainly a possibility. I would love to have many participants from around the globe. If you are interested or have any questions please respond.
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Schools from India, Pakistan, Hawaii, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, Belize, China and several from the US have joined the project. More are welcome! I'm also working on connections with kite makers in Japan, Brazil, and Jamaica. I will be starting the unit at the end of march, but you can do it at any time that fits.
I wanted to make the objectives a little clearer so here is some more info:
There are several different ways to participate in this global kite project. The main goals are: 1. Sharing the local kite traditions of your country.
2. Using math (or a local expert) to design and make kites that fly.
3. Use writing or digital media to share your learning.
You can focus on just one of these, or do both.
If you choose to focus on the first one, here are some guiding questions to consider: • Are kites flown at special times of the year, or for special occasions?
• Where do most people fly kites (the beach, parks, roof-tops…)?
• What are most kites made out of?
• Are there different styles of kites in your country? What makes them different?
• What is the word you use for kites? Are there different names for different types?
If you focus on the second goal, many math concepts can be worked into making kites; measurement, shapes, symmetry, addition (for getting the perimeter), area, division (for finding the intersections and equal sections of the kite), etc.
The “Kite Resources” page on the wiki should have some specific ideas along with simple plans for making effective kites.
If you have a local expert assist with making kites, perhaps the students could write down the steps they followed, like a “how-to” guide for others.
I hope these ideas are helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.
Melvina K > Jonah SalsichFebruary 17, 2010 at 5:47pm
Hi Jonah,
Thanks for posting the update. We are hoping to start our Kite projects soon. Thanks also for your ideas and resources. I'll keep you posted.
Aloha from Hawaii!
I teach Japanese language and culture to middle school students at a school in Honolulu, Hawaii. I just read and viewed your kite website and would love to collaborate with you and your students.
Our school has an annual Kite Day in the spring. "Kite Day" was an old school tradition that our school has started up again. My students have also created kites in collaboration with the art students. We would love to participate and share with you our experiences on your kite wiki.
Thank you also for sharing the wonderful photos and kite resources!
Hope to hear from you!
Melvina Kurashige
Jonah Salsich > Melvina KJanuary 10, 2010 at 11:30am
Hello Melvina,
How exciting to have participants from Hawaii! I can't wait to learn about your kite day and see the kites that the students create. When is your "Kite Day"?
We usually make our kites around April, but schools are adding content to the wiki whenever it works for their curriculum. A school from India is working on the project now, as they have large kite festivals on Jan. 14, and a school from Pakistan will be adding content in February for their Basant festival. I think it will be a great learning opportunity for all!
If you have any questions about the project or the wiki, just contact me.
Jonah
Melvina K > Jonah SalsichJanuary 10, 2010 at 12:34pm
Hi Jonah,
I'm so happy to hear back from you! Our "Kite Day" is scheduled for April 29. It is an entire school event. Our school had a tradition of having a Kite Day event in the past...We brought back the event in celebrating our school's 100th year anniversary two years ago!
I have some pictures of the past "Kite Day" events if you are interested....
We will soon start our Kite production with the Art classes. I will be sure to add content to the wiki as soon as we start our project. I'm so excited!
I also tried emailing Mr. Toki, the Japanese kite master. I'm hoping he will respond and our students will be able to have a web chat with him. Maybe we could have a web chat with our two schools?
I would love to see some pictures of past kite days!
Last year we had a great video chat with Mikio Toki - he was very flexible about talking to us at 9:30 pm his time and was full of enthusiasm and "showed" us around his workshop. As you probably know, he is a kite master and also an extremely talented painter so his kites are amazing works of art. I think many of my students would count that as their favorite video chat.
I would love to have a web chat with our schools as well!
Jonah
Melvina K > Jonah SalsichJanuary 13, 2010 at 11:56pm
I'll attach some photos from last year's Kite Day.
I'm also so happy that Mikio Toki replied back and said that he could make the skype video chat. We're so excited!
Thank you so much for sharing his website and resources. I agree, his kites are amazng!
Replies
Schools from India, Pakistan, Hawaii, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, Belize, China and several from the US have joined the project. More are welcome! I'm also working on connections with kite makers in Japan, Brazil, and Jamaica. I will be starting the unit at the end of march, but you can do it at any time that fits.
I wanted to make the objectives a little clearer so here is some more info:
There are several different ways to participate in this global kite project. The main goals are:
1. Sharing the local kite traditions of your country.
2. Using math (or a local expert) to design and make kites that fly.
3. Use writing or digital media to share your learning.
You can focus on just one of these, or do both.
If you choose to focus on the first one, here are some guiding questions to consider:
• Are kites flown at special times of the year, or for special occasions?
• Where do most people fly kites (the beach, parks, roof-tops…)?
• What are most kites made out of?
• Are there different styles of kites in your country? What makes them different?
• What is the word you use for kites? Are there different names for different types?
If you focus on the second goal, many math concepts can be worked into making kites; measurement, shapes, symmetry, addition (for getting the perimeter), area, division (for finding the intersections and equal sections of the kite), etc.
The “Kite Resources” page on the wiki should have some specific ideas along with simple plans for making effective kites.
If you have a local expert assist with making kites, perhaps the students could write down the steps they followed, like a “how-to” guide for others.
I hope these ideas are helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.
Thanks for posting the update. We are hoping to start our Kite projects soon. Thanks also for your ideas and resources. I'll keep you posted.
melvina
I teach Japanese language and culture to middle school students at a school in Honolulu, Hawaii. I just read and viewed your kite website and would love to collaborate with you and your students.
Our school has an annual Kite Day in the spring. "Kite Day" was an old school tradition that our school has started up again. My students have also created kites in collaboration with the art students. We would love to participate and share with you our experiences on your kite wiki.
Thank you also for sharing the wonderful photos and kite resources!
Hope to hear from you!
Melvina Kurashige
How exciting to have participants from Hawaii! I can't wait to learn about your kite day and see the kites that the students create. When is your "Kite Day"?
We usually make our kites around April, but schools are adding content to the wiki whenever it works for their curriculum. A school from India is working on the project now, as they have large kite festivals on Jan. 14, and a school from Pakistan will be adding content in February for their Basant festival. I think it will be a great learning opportunity for all!
If you have any questions about the project or the wiki, just contact me.
Jonah
I'm so happy to hear back from you! Our "Kite Day" is scheduled for April 29. It is an entire school event. Our school had a tradition of having a Kite Day event in the past...We brought back the event in celebrating our school's 100th year anniversary two years ago!
I have some pictures of the past "Kite Day" events if you are interested....
We will soon start our Kite production with the Art classes. I will be sure to add content to the wiki as soon as we start our project. I'm so excited!
I also tried emailing Mr. Toki, the Japanese kite master. I'm hoping he will respond and our students will be able to have a web chat with him. Maybe we could have a web chat with our two schools?
I'm looking forward to this project!
Melvina
Last year we had a great video chat with Mikio Toki - he was very flexible about talking to us at 9:30 pm his time and was full of enthusiasm and "showed" us around his workshop. As you probably know, he is a kite master and also an extremely talented painter so his kites are amazing works of art. I think many of my students would count that as their favorite video chat.
I would love to have a web chat with our schools as well!
Jonah
I'm also so happy that Mikio Toki replied back and said that he could make the skype video chat. We're so excited!
Thank you so much for sharing his website and resources. I agree, his kites are amazng!
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