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The Drachen Foundation is committed to providing educational resources and programs for busy teachers, enabling them to bring kites-kite design, kite flying, kite cultures-into the classroom. Kites can be a remarkably efficient teaching tool, allowing teachers to integrate many subjects-science and technology, reading, writing, social studies, visual arts, math-within a single lesson or sequence of lessons. Please go here for additional discussion of the value of kites in the classroom. The Drachen Foundation is developing kites for classroom use that are:
Kites are linked to readings and resources keyed for Primary (P=grades K-2), Intermediate (I=grades 3-5/6), and Middle (M=grades 6-8), school students. Note: Grade designations specify the minimum age for constructing a particular kite. Older students can profitably make kites listed for younger students; younger students may be able to make kites listed for older students with adult help. Kites below are organized in two groupings: kite types (flat, bowed, and box) and cultural kites. Readings are designed to give students a scientific, biographical, or cultural context for kite activities. They can be accessed directly from the list or through the "Resources and Prompts for Lesson Planning" provided for each basic kite. Please check back for new resources and detailed lesson plans for specific curricula. First to be posted will be visual arts plans to be taught with the kites listed under Kite Types. Development of these lessons is supported by the Washington State Arts Commission. The Drachen Foundation welcomes inquiries from teachers interested in developing lesson plans using its kites. Link here for guidelines. Kite Types: Flat, Bowed, Box All basic kites in this grouping, except the Bell Tetrahedral, are made of bond paper, for flying in light wind. Only tape and simple overhand knots are required to construct each kite. All are available in 10-pack kits, complete with spars, line, and winder, at $1 per kite. Some can be downloaded for free; link here. The Bell Tetrahedral requires glue rather than tape; it comes in a kit, complete with spars, connectors, line, and winder, to construct a 4-cell tetra for $3.50 ($3.00 per kit for ten or more kits). Supplementary kites in this grouping are larger and are made of Tyvek® for greater durability. Only tape and simple overhand knots are required to construct each kite. All are available in individual kits, complete with spars, line and winder, at $5-$6 per kite, or at a reduced cost per kite in 10-pack kits. Note: kites in the Kite Types grouping integrate well with science modules from FOSS, STC, and Delta.
Student Readings: informational/expository non-fiction. Suggestions for pairing readings with specific kites are included in Resources and Prompts for Lesson Planning.
Resources and Prompts for Lesson Planning: grade-level expectations addressed in science, math, social studies, visual arts, and language arts, plus discussion questions and bibliography.
About Kites: classroom posters Cultural Kites
Student Readings: informational/expository non-fiction. Suggestions for pairing readings with specific kites are included in Resources and Prompts for Lesson Planning.
Resources and Prompts for Lesson Planning: grade-level expectations addressed in social studies, language arts, visual arts, science and math.
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Brasington Bird (flat; P)
Kono Box (box; I) 
Kono Korean Fighter (I)