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Kite Activities Design and Fly Your Own Kite Click here Origami Make a miniature paper kite Click here to download* Word Searches Benjamin Franklin Word Search Click here Wright Brothers Word Search Click here Match Game : Kites Around the World Match the name for kite to the language of origin Click here to download* *Downloads are in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print. This software is provided free of charge and you may download the latest version by clicking on the ‘Get Acrobat Reader’ button.
Gee Whiz Kite Fun Facts • Kites are named after the kite bird, which is a member of the hawk family. • In some countries, kiting is also part of religious or seasonal observances, or is the focus of traditional festivals. • Signature kites and festivals have, over centuries, become important cultural components in peoples' definition of who they are. • Hawaiians used kites to claim pieces of land. The kites would be released in the air and ownership would be taken wherever the kite fell. • The ancient Chinese believed that kites could ward off evil spirits and served as good luck. • The largest kite in the world is flown each year in Hoshubana, Japan. • In 1749, two Scottish scientists, Alexander Wilson and Thomas Melville, fastened thermometers to kites in order to record the temperature of the air at high altitudes. This was the first recorded attempt to obtain scientific data using kites. • On April 4, 1975 Kazuhiko Asaba of Kamakura, Japan flew 1,050 kites on a single line, a world record. Source: The Drachen Foundation Kite Links American Kitefliers Association www.aka.kite.org Drachen
Foundation History of Kiting Kites have existed for several thousands years, contributing to culture, warfare, arts, and scientific and technological innovation. Their impact on modern life, while not popularly known, is extensive. The kite is said to have originated in China, and possibly independently in Malaysia, at least some 2,000 years ago. The earliest kites were used in battle. For example, kites were used to determine the distance to be tunneled under a wall to break a city’s siege, to scare away enemy troops, or to call for allies. In addition to battle applications, kites were also used to fish and as magical devices to keep evil spirits at bay. By the time kites reached Europe in the 13th century, they had developed an elaborate history in other parts of the world. In Europe, however, they were considered appropriate only for children. Only later did kites became important in the development of meteorology and aviation. The first European kites were dragon or pennant shaped, based on military banners carried by Roman forces. By the 18th
century, scientists, including William Shaw Napier, began to use
kites to study meteorology, sending kites into the sky to measure
and collect temperature readings and information on other atmospheric
conditions. Benjamin Franklin used a kite to conduct his famous
experiment, proving that lightning is made of a “fluid”
electrical matter in 1752. Sir George Cayley devoted himself to
the science of flight. Today, kites are used in meteorology and aerial photography, providing a relatively inexpensive and practical tool for gathering information about the natural world. Additionally, kites are used for traditional and non-traditional recreational purposes. Sport kiting, kite-surfing, kite-boarding, kite-buggying, kite-sailing and kite-skiing are all popular kite sports. The kite has
provided humanity with much more than just a fun family day at
the park. Kites have helped ancient anglers to provide food for
their families; made the difference between life and death in
battle; provided spiritual well-being and served religious purposes;
advanced the study of physics; and served as the catalyst for
the evolution of modern aeronautics. |
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