Brainstorm kite design ideas. Make sketches and write
narratives about special features and how they help the kite
fly.
Web Quest. (see resource list)
Blueprint your kite. Revisit your brainstorm ideas and refine
them using knowledge from your Web Quest and the Design Resource
links (see resource list). Include a detailed
drawing that is to scale and shows important measurements and angles.
Also include a
narrative description of special features.
Experiment with KiteModeler to determine if your blueprint is
stable and estimate aerodynamic vectors (see resource list).
Design a kite test (see resource list).
Build the kite. Make two models (one can be miniaturized) or
one that is easy to change, depending on test results. The
Construction
Resource List has some recommended supplies (see
resource list).
Test your kite and refine it accordingly. Don't forget to also
refine your blueprints!
Fly your kite! Measure the lift and drag vectors, as well as
height, using trigonometry (see resource list)!
