Submitted by Jennifer Nilsson - teacher, St. Paul School, Laval Quebec

Objectives:

• For the students to use all of the shapes that they know in order to decorate their kites.
• To have the students use different art techniques in one art project.
• Also good for improving cutting skills.

What You Need:

• white drawing paper - (you may wish to pre-trace a kite shape on the paper)
• construction paper
• string
• paper scraps (eg. wallpaper)
• streamers
• glue
• scissors
• stapler
• waxed crayons
• water colour paints
• paint brushes

What You Do:

1. Read a book about shapes or talk about the different shapes that are found in the classroom.

2. Draw as many different shapes inside the kite shape on the white paper with crayons.

3. Make sure that the shapes are coloured in.

4. Paint over the shapes with water colour paints ( use many different colours of paint)

5. Let dry, cut out the kite shape.

6. This will be the first of the kite.

7. The second side is made out of construction paper.

8. Glue the white paper to the construction paper and cut out the kite shape one last time.

9. Cut out different shapes from the paper scraps and glue them to the construction paper side.

10. When all of this is done, it is time to make the kite's tail

11. A piece of string and different coloured pieces of streamer secured by a staple to the kite's bottom ( tie a knot for extra security)

12. Punch a hole at the top and hang from the ceiling.

13. The kites look so pretty twirling around.

Recommended Products:

Color-Me Kites (pk/12) Your group can decorate these white nylon kites with fabric markers, fabric paint or acrylic paint, then take to the sky! Durable fiberglass spars won't break if a kite hits the ground -- or a nearby tree. Includes 12 kites (6 each of 2 styles) and kite string. Diamond kite measures 11-3/4"W x 11-3/4"L with a 57" tail, and glider style measures 23"W x 10-3/4"L with four 35-1/8" tails.

Kites Collage Kit (pk/12) 12 high flying projects! Includes kites on double-sided color paper and peel-and-stick shapes. Activity guide included. Approx 9" x 18".

Recommended Books:

The Great Kite Book
by Norman Schmidt
Here are the instructions needed to build 19 different animal kites--from hawks to butterflies to peacocks to zebras

Funstation; Kites
by Susan Wardle
This new Funstation introduces kids to beautiful kites from around the world and through the ages, with tips on kite flying, kite making, and recommendations on general safety. The kit features one traditional crossbow kite, one kite handle, flying line and attachments, templates for tails and kite shapes, and stickers.