Kites
Source Institutions
-
Twin Cities Public Television
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This activity (on page 2 of the PDF) is a full inquiry investigation into how a kite’s shape affects its performance. Groups of learners will select or construct kites of different shapes. Then, learners develop a set of aerial stunts to test each kite, evaluating how each performs, and eventually graphing their collected data. Relates to linked video, DragonflyTV: Kites.
- 30 to 45 minutes
- 1 to 2 hours
- Over $20 per group of students
- Ages 8 - 14
- Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per group of students)
- Delta kites (meaning, kind of “bat”-shaped) of three different aspect ratios (relationship of width to height).
- Optional: materials to make simple diamond kites with a range of widths and heights (nylon, dowels, heavy tape, and string)
- Optional: digital anemometer, as wind speed can affect kite performance.
Subjects
- Earth and Space Science
- Earth Structure
- Atmosphere
- Earth Structure
- Engineering and Technology
- Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering
- Transportation Engineering
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Data Analysis and Probability
- Data Analysis
- Data Collection
- Data Representation
- Geometry
- Solid Geometry
- Problem Solving
- Representation
- Data Analysis and Probability
- Physical Sciences
- Motion and Forces
- Momentum and Velocity
- Motion and Forces
- The Nature of Science
- The Scientific Process
- About Inquiry
- Asking Questions
- Conducting Investigations
- Gathering Data
- Formulating Explanations
- Communicating Results
- The Scientific Process
- The Nature of Technology
- The Design Process
- Invention and Innovation
- Problem Solving
- The Design Process
Informal Categories
- Arts and Crafts
- Model Building
- Outdoor Activity
- Physical Activity
- Toys
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- be mobile
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Involves teamwork and communication skills
- Links STEM to other topics of interest such as arts and humanities
- Involves hands-on or lab activities
Culture, ethnicity, and gender
Girls
- Explicity developed for this group
- Highlights STEM opportunities for this group
- Identifies role models or mentors in STEM fields from this group
- Uses inclusive images of people from this group
Other
Components that are part of this resource:
This resource is part of:
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
Source Collection:
- DragonflyTV
Rights:
- All Rights Reserved, Twin Cities Public Television, Inc., ©2005
Funding Source:
- National Science Foundation, 436260
