Kite Plans-Delirious Delusion Custom Kites

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Flying High with Kites
A Webquest for 10th grade Geometry

INTRODUCTION

3. . . 2. . . .1. . . Lift-off! Here we go! Hold on tight. You are about to take a flight with your very own kite designed and built by none other than YOU!
The next couple of days, you and a partner will not only build a kite, but also research kite history, find kite plans, build that kite, draw a scale drawing, decorate your kite, and of course TEST your kite outside! A paper and class presentation are also involved in this project. This won't be easy, but fun is guaranteed! Don't forget to remember your geometry skills while building your kite and especially while drawing your scale drawing.
Have no fear, your grade does not depend on if your kite makes it up off the ground!!! (But a significant part of your grade for this term comes from this project!)

TASK
As a result of this project you will not only be an expert kite builder, but you will have some real world geometry experience! During this project you should keep in mind what we have learned about different geometric shapes, polyhedrons, angles, lines, and scale drawings.
You and a partner will find and research a particular kite plan and then construct that kite following your plan. You and your partner will be expected to present to the class your kite type, the geometry that is involved in your kite, and at least one fun fact you found while researching for your kite! Be prepared for questions from your classmates!
In addition a scale drawing must be turned in. Be creative and try this on a computer using Geometers Sketchpad. (Hand drawings are acceptable but will not receive as many points.)
A group paper will also need to be constructed! This is a math paper, not an english essay. Make sure your paper involves mathematical ideas. The paper criteria is listed below.

PROCESS

Choose one other person in this class whom you can work well with and if need be could get together outside of class time to complete this project.

Before getting started, read Adventure with Physics and Kites to review the physics of building a kite! Your knowledge of this article must be reflected in your paper and presentation as well as your building of the kite.

Here's a couple of helpful hints to remember while searching for the perfect plan:

                      Equilateral Triangular Kites do not seem to fly well. (They are hard to balance)
                  Your kite must have some geometry ideas involved. To see more about this click here.
                  You are on a limited time schedule, don't build an airplane!
                  You must work together!!!

Now that you know about kites and their physical properties search the following links:

Kite Plans
More Kite Plans
Homemade Kite plans
All about Kites
Go and Fly a Kite!
What NASA has to say
Search Multiple Kite Web sites
Or search on your own using Google or Yahoo!

From the above web sites choose a kite to construct and research!!

THE FOLLOWING ARE GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING YOUR KITE

1. Geometry must be involved in the following ways:

Your kite should have at least two sets of either congruent figures or similar figures.

You should have at least two types of angles used in your kite. (With the exception of a box kite).

Your kite should have lines that you can explain where they are at, i.e. parallel lines, perpendicular lines, or skew lines.

You should be able to calculate the surface area of your kite.

             2. You have one week to complete your kite. You will have approximately 4 hours of class
                  time to work on this project.
            3.   Your ultimate goal is to get your kite to fly!!! That is incorporate what you know about
                  physics and be careful with your measurements and construction, you want to be as
                  precise as possible.

Once your kite is complete, draw a scale drawing of your kite. You may draw by hand, but if you use Geometers SketchPad you will receive a better grade. (Geometers SketchPad is located in the computer labs, you will have lab time during the week). This must be turned in before you are allowed to fly your kite!

Make a class presentation about your kite. This should also be done prior to flying your kite (in case of mishaps). Click here to learn more about your presentation.

PAPER!!! You should write a brief paper describing the process of researching, building, and flying your kite! Guidelines for the paper can be viewed by clicking here.

FLYING YOUR KITE!!! After everything is done (with the exception of the paper) we will take a day to fly our kites. However, prior to flying your kite click on the picture below. Once again knowledge of this article needs to be reflected in your paper.

EVALUATION

Beginning
1 Developing
2 Accomplished
3 Exemplary
4 SCORE

Building of Kite Kite construction attempted yet no plans followed. Kite constructed and plans followed, yet kite is not balanced and has significant construction flaws. Kite is well constructed with plans followed, has minor construction flaws. Kite is constructed properly according to plans, is balanced and has no construction flaws.

Incorporation of geometric concepts Kite includes at least one of the geometric elements listed above. Kite includes two of the three grouped elements. The two groups included are complete. Kite includes all three groped elements, yet does not have one of the groups complete. Kite includes at least five of the above listed elements and all three groups. Review elements here.

Scale Drawing of Kite Drawing is not to scale and has significant flaws. Drawing is either hand drawn with minor flaws
~or~
Computer generated yet has significant flaws. Drawing is neatly hand drawn and correct
~or~
Drawing is computer generated with minor flaws Drawing was produced using a computer program (Geometer's Sketch Pad) and is correct.

Research and Process Paper
A total of 35 points is possible for your paper. See the Paper Outline for more details. Paper receives a score of 23 or fewer on the 35 point scale. Paper scores between 24 and 27 points on the 35 point scale. Paper scores between 28 and 30 points on the 35 point scale. Paper receives at least a score of 31 or better on the 35 point scale.

Class Presentation
This is for a total of 30 possible points, see the Presentation Guidelines for more details. Presentation receives 20 or fewer points from the possible 30 points. Presentation receives between 21 and 23 points from the possible 30 points. Presentation receives between 24 points and 26 points from the possible 30 points. Presentation receives at least 27 or more points from the possible 30 points.

(Extra Credit Points)
Flight time of Kite Kite flies briefly (at least 20 seconds) Kite flies for at least 21 seconds but not more than 60 seconds. Kite flies for at least 60 seconds but not more than 120 seconds. Kite sustains flight for more than 2 minutes!

CONCLUSION

After you have completed this project you will have had a real life application of geometry and math! I hope that you see how geometry relates to our everyday world in places we don't think it exist it does! In addition, you should better understand the concepts behind kites and why they fly. I hope you have an enjoyable geometry experience as a result of flying high with kites!

CREDITS
This idea was developed from observation of Mr. Jerry Moretz's Geometry Class at Watauga High School while they were discussing kites.
In addition, we would like to thanks Mr. John Spagnolia for his technical help.
All of our graphics were found using Google image search or clip art from the Microsoft Office Suite.
The web pages used are plentifully; all that we used are linked above in the process unit.

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	SCORE
Building of Kite	Kite construction attempted yet no plans followed.	Kite constructed and plans followed, yet kite is not balanced and has significant construction flaws.	Kite is well constructed with plans followed, has minor construction flaws.	Kite is constructed properly according to plans, is balanced and has no construction flaws.
Incorporation of geometric concepts	Kite includes at least one of the geometric elements listed above.	Kite includes two of the three grouped elements. The two groups included are complete.	Kite includes all three groped elements, yet does not have one of the groups complete.	Kite includes at least five of the above listed elements and all three groups. Review elements here.
Scale Drawing of Kite	Drawing is not to scale and has significant flaws.	Drawing is either hand drawn with minor flaws ~or~ Computer generated yet has significant flaws.	Drawing is neatly hand drawn and correct ~or~ Drawing is computer generated with minor flaws	Drawing was produced using a computer program (Geometer's Sketch Pad) and is correct.
Research and Process Paper A total of 35 points is possible for your paper. See the Paper Outline for more details.	Paper receives a score of 23 or fewer on the 35 point scale.	Paper scores between 24 and 27 points on the 35 point scale.	Paper scores between 28 and 30 points on the 35 point scale.	Paper receives at least a score of 31 or better on the 35 point scale.
Class Presentation This is for a total of 30 possible points, see the Presentation Guidelines for more details.	Presentation receives 20 or fewer points from the possible 30 points.	Presentation receives between 21 and 23 points from the possible 30 points.	Presentation receives between 24 points and 26 points from the possible 30 points.	Presentation receives at least 27 or more points from the possible 30 points.
(Extra Credit Points) Flight time of Kite	Kite flies briefly (at least 20 seconds)	Kite flies for at least 21 seconds but not more than 60 seconds.	Kite flies for at least 60 seconds but not more than 120 seconds.	Kite sustains flight for more than 2 minutes!