I want to share a small portion of the many many many lessons we teach to the kids. This year we are making kites with the kids and tying it into an Earth Science lesson about Wind!
We had an amazing donor ask what type of comprehensive craft we would like with all of the kids. I've been thinking about kites for a couple of years but was not sure how we could pull it off as so many supplies that we take for granted here...are not so easy to find in Rwanda. This amazing women took on the challenge and came up with a simple version of making a kite and sent all of the supplies to us! They are packed and waiting to board the plane ... we leave in just a couple of days!
Next, I reached out to one of my friends who knows a lot about Science and she shared a great Weather Lesson...I put the two together and added a song about Kites, to work on their English and the result is a multifaceted lesson. Just cross fingers we have some wind that day!
· 10:00am – 11:45am: Kite Making with Weather Lesson.
o 10:00am – 10:45am: Kite Making
§ Sit in Volunteer Groups.
§ We will explain what a kite is and how to use it. Show sample of kite, pass it around.
· Explain that in some places around the world there are huge festivals and competitions for kites and people get really creative with the type of kites they fly. The kite we are making today, while simple, is still fun! These are the types of kites we used to fly as kids ourselves!
§ Using the kite making supplies help the kids make and decorate their kites.
§ Make sure they are not too heavy or they will not fly.
§ While they are making their kites, teach them the chorus from the song, “Let’s go Fly a Kite.”
· Let's go fly a kite. Up to the highest height! Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring. Up through the atmosphere. Up where the air is clear. Oh, let's go fly a kite!
o Explain the words in the song so they know what they are saying…singing is a great way to learn new words in English!
o 10:45am – 11:45am: Go Fly a Kite!
§ Find an open space outside and fly the kites. Make sure they hold onto the string!
§ Take care to not let them get tangled.
§ Have fun and PRAISE their efforts!
o 11:45am – 12:30pm: Earth Science: Weather Lesson
§ Come back inside. Sit in Vol groups, in circles.
§ Ask, “What is weather?” Encourage to answer in English. Ask them about the weather today. What about in a few months? What will the weather be like? (It is a NOUN: The state of the atmosphere at a given time and place; temperature, moisture and wind. Weather changes from day to day and over the seasons.)
§ Ask, “What is Wind?” (NOUN: Moving air, especially a natural and perceptible movement of air parallel to or along the ground.)
§ Ask what made our kites fly? WIND! Ask them to describe how the string felt in their hands as the wind was moving the kite.
· Discuss Wind: We can’t see air or wind, but we can see things that the wind is moving: particles of dirt or sand, leaves on the trees, the clouds moving across the sky and the flag waving.
· Discuss: How is wind made: The air moves because it has been warmed by the sun. Wind is caused by the uneven heating of the air by the sun. As the sun heats the air, it expands and rises. Air from cooler areas then rushes in to replace the heated air. Cold air is denser and has higher pressure; warm air is less dense and has lower pressure. Air flows from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.
· How do we know when air is moving? Discuss how we use our senses to determine if the air is moving. Can we see the air moving? What can we observe that tells us that the air is moving? Discuss dust particles, moving grass, flags, etc. Is it windy outside today? How do you know that? (Kites!) What are some common things you see being blown by the wind? Why do you think some objects move farther than others?
§ Make 3 or 4 fans out of paper and grab some different objects of different weights.
· Do a drop test while kids are fanning the objects to see how far the wind will carry them.
· Grab two more objects (1 very light and 1 heavy) and ask them to predict how far the wind (from the fans) will take them.
o Ask them why they made this prediction. Why do some objects go further than others? Who made the correct prediction? Ask them to explain to you why the kites had to be lightweight, now that they have done the drop test.
o Praise them!
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Thanks for all the support!
We cannot do this without you!
April - for the Hope Shines Team
