Many years ago, when my boys were about 8 and 10 years old, they were a part of a program to increase the number of kids of color in the hard sciences, called MESA (Math, Engineering, & Science Achievement). It was an after-school and summer program. The summer program was held at the local university. I wanted Ben and Frankie to be comfortable in a college setting, and to understand that it was expected that they would continue their education beyond high school. I wanted them to see there was nothing to fear. It just a bigger, more specialized place to learn.
Anyway, I would volunteer with the summer program, and it was the director who encouraged me to take the test that would allow me to become a substitute teacher. With that, he could pay me for the work I was doing. I owe that man a debt of gratitude.
This program was hands-on and all about making complicated concepts real and easier to understand. One of the favorite things the kids made were tetrahedron kites, out of straws and tissue paper. Making these were a wonderful example of the marriage of math, science and engineering, all tied up - literally - in one project.
I've thought about this time a lot lately for two reasons. One, it is exceptionally windy here on most days. And two, the kids in this community have absolutely nothing to do. My heart goes out to them. I was raised in a community like this, but I escaped through reading. My Mom always made sure there were books and magazines for me to read where I "traveled" the world through literature.
Although it is never OK to paint with a broad brush, but typically, this is not a reading culture. I saw one of our bus attendants, the ladies who ride the buses with the students and then stay at school all day to help monitor the halls, reading a book, and it caused me to stop and take a second look. There is a campaign in the state called "Abu Dhabi Reads" to try and change this.
My apartment building is one of two that houses about twenty families. All are ex-pats from other Arab countries, except me. They're mostly young families, with little kids. There's a big toy for climbing for toddlers and pre-schoolers, but nothing else for the school-aged kids to play with. It's fascinating to see some of the games they make up though. What they lack in resources, they've made up for in ingenuity.
That brings us back to the kites.
I made one and took to school to show the teachers and encouraged them to allow this term to be one of hands-on learning. They didn't bite. So, I decided on the next windy day when I was at home, to fly it myself. Forrest had a great suggestion of making more than one, so some of the kids could try it too. I'm convinced after flying them or seeing them fly, they'll want to learn how to make them. They're cheap to produce, and I found everything needed to make them locally. I haven't tested them yet because the winds have been uncharacteristically calm since my kite production began.
Here's a picture of them below.
I've left some string attached to tied on to the roll of string that will be used to fly them. Below is a video of how to make them.
I've tweaked this a bit by using the pattern that I found below. Also, I tie three straws together instead of all five like it's demo'd in the video. I think it's easier that way.
Here's to a successful kite campaign.
I'll keep you posted.
Cheers.
Anyway, I would volunteer with the summer program, and it was the director who encouraged me to take the test that would allow me to become a substitute teacher. With that, he could pay me for the work I was doing. I owe that man a debt of gratitude.
This program was hands-on and all about making complicated concepts real and easier to understand. One of the favorite things the kids made were tetrahedron kites, out of straws and tissue paper. Making these were a wonderful example of the marriage of math, science and engineering, all tied up - literally - in one project.
I've thought about this time a lot lately for two reasons. One, it is exceptionally windy here on most days. And two, the kids in this community have absolutely nothing to do. My heart goes out to them. I was raised in a community like this, but I escaped through reading. My Mom always made sure there were books and magazines for me to read where I "traveled" the world through literature.
Although it is never OK to paint with a broad brush, but typically, this is not a reading culture. I saw one of our bus attendants, the ladies who ride the buses with the students and then stay at school all day to help monitor the halls, reading a book, and it caused me to stop and take a second look. There is a campaign in the state called "Abu Dhabi Reads" to try and change this.
My apartment building is one of two that houses about twenty families. All are ex-pats from other Arab countries, except me. They're mostly young families, with little kids. There's a big toy for climbing for toddlers and pre-schoolers, but nothing else for the school-aged kids to play with. It's fascinating to see some of the games they make up though. What they lack in resources, they've made up for in ingenuity.
That brings us back to the kites.
I made one and took to school to show the teachers and encouraged them to allow this term to be one of hands-on learning. They didn't bite. So, I decided on the next windy day when I was at home, to fly it myself. Forrest had a great suggestion of making more than one, so some of the kids could try it too. I'm convinced after flying them or seeing them fly, they'll want to learn how to make them. They're cheap to produce, and I found everything needed to make them locally. I haven't tested them yet because the winds have been uncharacteristically calm since my kite production began.
Here's a picture of them below.
I've left some string attached to tied on to the roll of string that will be used to fly them. Below is a video of how to make them.
I've tweaked this a bit by using the pattern that I found below. Also, I tie three straws together instead of all five like it's demo'd in the video. I think it's easier that way.
Here's to a successful kite campaign.
I'll keep you posted.
Cheers.
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