Building Our Kite By: Xaviana

I could drone on and on and on about every single step that my
 team and I took to building our kite, but then I would probably put you to
 sleep. Building this kite had A LOT of up and downs and sometimes sideways,
but we got our kite completed.

        At first we were thinking on building a box kite and we were really
 excited. We had gotten out all the supplies that we needed and started to
 build the rectangle part of the box kite. It was working out fine until we
 started to build the connecting rectangle. We had started to build it, but
 as we were putting the duct tape, it had gotten to heavy to stand up by
 itself, so we broke that frame and thought of a new idea.

        As a team, we decided that we were going to build the frame inside
 the plastic bag instead of building the frame by itself. We had the dowels
and stuck them into the plastic bag to see where we needed to cut. By then, My teammates and I were livid that this wasn't working out as we had
 planned it to. But, we continued and after we had the plastic bag and saw
 where we needed to put the dowel, it seemed to be working out fine. Finally,
day one of building the kite was over and we were at the beginning.

        Day 2 was a little smoother, but It was still pretty tough. The
 second day we had put the box kite to the side and began to work on the
 diamond or eddy kite. The first thing we did was tape the frame together with scotch tape because It is not to heavy. Then, we put zip ties to keep
 It secure up in the air. After finishing the frame we put on the cover or
 sail and we used a clear plastic bag for that. We had a big rectangular
 plastic bag that we taped to the frame. With the corners of that, we folded
 It onto the kite so that it was in a diamond shape.

             Next, we created the tail with nylon paper, rubber bands, and
zip ties.

  After this we created triangle pieces to give it a cute effect. I really enjoyed building this part of the kite because we got to get creative.
    Our final step was to decorate the sail or cover. We made a sun
with a beach setting. All in all,we had a really great time building
the kite!

Summer Vibes is Set to Go! By:Briana

My group and I took our kite to the next level. Instead of following a list of instructions on how to build a diamond kite, we made our own steps. We had A LOT of setbacks along the way but, we figure out a way to solve them. We incorporated materials that you wouldn't really use for kites but, we wanted our kite to be creative and that what we did.

We didn't have spars or sails that were brought from the store. We made our own. But, we did have dowels which did helped us to build the structure of our

diamond kite. We used two long dowels to build the structure of the kite and we added a plastic bag over the two dowels to help us build our cover which I will get Into later. To connect the dowels to the plastic bag, my team members suggest that we use rubber bands and zip lines to tighten the grip on the plastic bag and the two dowels. We had to tighten It really good so when the kite goes flying In the air, It won't come apart. We used the rubber bands to tie It together then my group and I used the zip lines to give It the extra grip for the kite.

Everyone knows that you need string for the tail of your kite right? Well, my group and I didn't have string to use or to borrow. We had to make our own sail with the materials that we already had. And guess what? We found something more creative to use as a tail. Nylon paper! You might ask how we did It. That was the same question we were asking ourselves. But we figured out a way. We used 6-8 sheets of nylon paper and tied all the sheets together with rubber bands and zip lines to make the tail of our kite. For a backup plan in case something happens to our tail, we found a few pieces of string left over and tied that to the front of our sail.

Now since we build the structure of our kite, It was time to decorate our kite! Since our theme was summer, my group and I decided to decorate the cover of the kite with palm trees and the ocean. We used some puffy paint to give it some color. And when my group and I was done, the kite had look fantastic in my opinion. I think my group work pretty hard and in return, we got great results.

Steps and Materials By:Xaviana and Alexandra

Who is going to bring what materials?

Xaivana: Tissue paper, plastic recycle bags, measuring tape,boxes

Alexandra:Feathers, straws, glue gun, nylon, garbage bags,boxes

Steps that we are going to take:

1)Use straws to make the frame

2)Attach everything(with the glue gun)

3)Make the boxes

4)Attach the boxes to the frame

5)Make the design on the kite

Which days we will work on what:

Day 1)Use straws to make the frame

          Attach everything together

           Make the boxes

Day 2)Attach the boxes to the frame

          Make the design on the kite

Kite Flying By: Briana

When flying a kite you have to have good weather conditions. You don't want to go out flying a kite when It's raining outside. You want to make sure that your kite will be able to fly and stay up when going outside.

I think the weather conditions should be windy and sunny. I think so because wind will make your kite fly. And the more the better. You want the weather to be sunny obviously because you don't want your kite getting destroyed in the rain don't we? Some people might prefer cloudy weather but from experience, sunny and windy conditions might be best.

Volume and the Area By: Briana

Did you know that building a kite deals with science and especially mathematics? Well, when building a kite there are four concepts to It: altitude, area, conversion, and measurement. Today I will be talking about measurements.

Find the measurements of an kite Is just like finding the measurements of any other object. In math we learned how to find the volume and area of shapes.

When finding the area of a diamond kite you only have to multiply the lengths of the kite and, then divide It by two.

When finding the perimeter of a diamond kite, you have to add both of the sides together then multiply it by two. Since there are two sides, you have to multiply It by two.

Lift Vs. Gravity By: Briana

Kites have three main forces: lift, gravity, and drag. Today I will be talking about two of the three concepts: Lift vs. Gravity

Lift is the upward force created by wind pressure on the face of the kite.

Gravity is the downward force on the kite which works against lift.

A kite cannot fly without either one of these forces. For a kite to fly gracefully, these forces need to be balance together.

Different Styles for Different Kites By:Briana

Everyone knows that there are different style of a kite. But many people do not know the kind of styles. Everyone is use to the diamond kite (the easiest kite out there) but have you ever head of an box kite? Eddy kite? Or even an fighter kite?

Flat Kites- Flat kites are the most common kites In the world. According to www.flatkites.com, It states that "some bars build a geometric area overdrawn by fabric or paper, which builds the name giving flat form.'' Diamond kites are usually referred to a flat kite because the structure is usually flat.

Bowed Kites- Bowed kites have the structure of an bow which gives them the name of a bow kite. The structure of the bow gives them more stability when the tail is not necessary.

Cellular Kites-  Cellular kites usually have greater flight stability because of their multi-surface design. They perform well in windy conditions and have fascinating three dimensional flying structures.

Multi-Line Kites- Also known as a sport kite or even a stunt kite, is a kite that is use to be controlled into the air. It got their name "multi-line'' when kite flying had develop into a sport.

Fighter Kites-  Are kites that are used for the sport "kite fighting." They are small and unstable, and one line is for controlled while an other line is use to cut down other kites. Also known an ''abrasive line."

Figure Kites- Figure kites are kites that are use to represent animals, people, or objects.

Soft Kites-  Soft kites are kites with no shape or figure. They depend on the force of the wind and not the kite.

Stacks and Train Kites-  Kite trains have many kites one a single line. Sometimes up to one hundred or more. These kind of kites show entertainment to crowds all over the world.

Math and Science By: Xaviana

Math and science are both part of building a kite. The altitude of a kite Is important for when you are flying It. The first step Is to measure all of the angles. Then, you will need to take two angular measurements above the horizon plus the more far apart they are the more accurate they will be. You will also need to know the measurement of the two points where you measured all of your angles. After you have gathered this information, you have all that you need to figuring out the altitude of your kite!

Science Physics or Kite Physics By: Xaviana

It's simple physics! I don't think any type of physics is simple. I will be talking about dihedral a type of physics in a kite. Dihedral Is the angle of stability for the kite and this also includes a curved wing. Think If we didn't have dihedral for the kite. The kite wouldn't fly and It definitely would fall apart up In the air. Have you ever looked up at an airplane and seen the way It tilts at a certain angle? Well, It's the same thing with the kite. Putting the dihedral angle on both wings is crucial. When you put both wings back, the air will push back equally on them so that It will fly smoothly and balanced in the air.

Diamonds, Boxes, Sleds By: Xaviana

 Before I began studying kites I honestly thought that the diamond kite was the only kite EVER! But that's actually not the case. There are a different variety of kites, but I will talking about the diamond, winged box, delta, sled, and the box. I am going to start off with the winged box kite.

This Is a winged box kite because In the middle It has boxes and on the side there are wings coming out of It. Another reason is that the winged box kites were created by Lawrence Hargrave and are still used today. 

 This Is a diamond kite 

 because It Is in the shape of a diamond and this Is probably one of the easiest kites to make.                                                                        

    What makes up a delta kite is     very complicated. To build a delta kite you need to know geometry and technically math altogether. Delta kites look like a paper airplane that you build out of paper. This kite will probably stay in the air longer because It has an airplanes dynamics.

 Sled kites are known for there similarity to an upside down sled. These kites are the fourth most popular kites in the world! The way these kite work Is the wind pushes the center of the kite and then pushes the rectangular piece making the kite look rounded and pushing up to the sky.

The last kite that I will talk about is the box kite. This kite is similar to the winged box kite but instead this kite doesn't have any "wings". The box kite was used in the military to see the enemy form a high advantage point. Also, these kites are sometimes made to go 2000 feet in the air!
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Getting to learn the parts of an kite By: Xaivana

When you look at a kite all you really notice Is the design and maybe that long string that sticks out the bottom. But, have you ever wondered what other characteristics are there really to those beautiful things that fly In the sky? Well, I can tell you that there is A LOT. Here are a list of some of the many parts of kite:

1)Here is the part of a kite that you can see clearly. The bridle of the kite Is the line attached to the kite. This helps you to fly and to keeps the stability of the kite. Without this peice the kite wouldn't be a kite!

2)Keels not heels! The keels are the geometric shapes that get attached to the cover of the kite.They work hand In hand with the bridle of the kite to give extra stability and maintain control of the kite. The difference between the two Is that the bridle's only job is to keep the kite stable but the keels are also used for the decoration of the kite.

3)Imagine what your kite would be like without the lines of the kite. The lines are the things that keep the kite together. Some of the bridle lines are connected to the keels holes to keep It up and flying.

4)Ooh, Aah! The sail or the cover Is what makes the kite beautiful. This part Is responsible for getting the attention of people passing by. Without this part, the kite would just be lines and veins.

5)Have you ever gotten an x-ray and have seen your spine? That's sort of what the spars are. The spar Is the skeleton of the kite and they work with the lines to keep the sail up and looking beautiful. 

6)Without the tails or drogues of the kite your kite would fly of control instead of flying gracefully in the sky. This gives more control of the kite as the winds vary from slow to fast and maybe back to slow.

7)The tow point Is the part of the bridle In which the lines are attached. By this, the towing points can be changed.

8)The last but certainly not least Is the spreader. The spreader Is what makes your kite so wide and beautiful. This Is the horizontal spars that run across the entire kite to spread it out. 

Keels Not Heels By:Briana

  Do you ever wonder how all the parts of a kite works? Maybe how does the tail helps the kite. Or even what are the keels of the kite? A kite has many pieces that are use to help the kite function properly. These are all the parts of the kite and how each part helps the kite to function.

 Sail- The sail Is the decorated part of the kite which Is mostly on the front where everyone can see It.

Spars- The spars Is to hold the kite up and give It the support It needs and It also give's It shape.

Tail- The tail of the kite Is to help the kite fly gracefully Into the sky instead of the kite twisting and turning, the tail helps the flyer have more control on the kite.

Keels-  Are usually three or four sided geometric shapes that gives the kite greater stability and allowing the kite flyer to have better control over his/her kite.

Brindle-  A string or a line that Is attached to the covers, spars, or keels of the kite. They can be attach In different ways. Bridle line are usually connected together to give the kite more balance.

Tow Point- The tow point Is where the bridle line and flying lines connects. The tow point is probably one of the most important spot on any kite. It Is the place where the kite flyer can tell if the kite Is balanced.

Spine- The vertical spar that connects the nose (the tip of the kite) to the tail on the backside of the kite.

Fittings- To make the structure of a kite.

Line: The lines of a kite is the main lines between the kite and the rider. Choosing the right line for your kite is almost as importing as choosing the kite It self. If your line Is too small It may break, causing you to damage or lose your kite. If you have a line that Is too large, your kite may not responded correctly causing you to lose control of your kite, or your kite may not fly at all.

Spreader-  A kite has two spreaders. An upper spreader and a owner spreader. The upper spreader is the horizontal spar that keeps the distance between the leading edges on the top part of a kite. The lower spreader is the lower spars that keep the distance between the leading edges on the bottom part of the kite.

Summer Over Winter By: Joibel

Our theme for our kite Is summer because we could do a variety of things In the summer. Did you know that pools were invented back In the roman times 2000 years ago? Also, the best parts of the summer that everyone can agree on Is no school, not waking up early and, going on summer vacations! But back In the 19 century there was no summer vacation. Some people say that they love winter more than they love the summer because In the winter you could just put a coat and a sweater but in the summer even taking of your shirt It's still hot. 

Team Goals By Briana

When building a kite, you have to have specific goals to reach. My group members and I wrote down 
 specific goals to help us win the competitions we are competing In.  

1.  To cooperate together and communicate with each other

    I chose this rule because, If we don't cooperate together we won't get the work 
   done or even
   complete our kite by the deadline. I also chose Communication because
   when we are working together we can help each other when needed.

2. Put effort Into all of our assignments

 I chose this goal because, having good quality work Is very important. 
 And to have good quality work Is to put effort Into it. 
Such as completing assignments on time. Working cooperative with your team members, 
 and being patient when we are having set backs with our kite or assignments.

3. Being Creative

 I chose this rule because, being creative Is a part of building a kite. 
 No one wants to see the same idea 
 on every kite. 
 You have to be bold and express your idea Into many different ways as possible. 
 The theme of my kite is summer and we're all thinking to express the word and the idea of
 "summer" Into different ways. 
 Such as saying how summer Is celebrated in different countries or what do people outside of 
 New York do for summer. We are heading into that direction.

Methods By:Alexandra

  Setting up goals Is a great method If you want to solve them. I remember that my mom always told me that you have to set goals If you want to get somewhere. I never listened I always thought to my self what's the point in making goals If's It's not going to help me later In life. But now that im older, I can see the advantage In making goals.In class we are having a competition and I know myself that making goals Is going to be a great advantege for me and my team.

1) My group and I will win the most beautiful kite on June 24, we will because we are going to interperate the best designs and abstract work.We are going get creative and make designs that goes with our theme.

2) My group also has alot of potential in winning the best teamwork group on June 24 .We will complete that goal because we are gong to cooperate In a magnificet way.My team will not argue, we will show respect and great admiration for each others ideas and work. Together we will make a great team .

3) In addition to all of that my team will have the longest flying kit on June 24.We are going to dedicate ourselfs to make sure that everything functions correct as planned. My team is going to make a kite that will be able to fly long.

In conclusion to all of that my team, will have a great potental to make this kite the best kite ever.

What Does Summer Mean By:Alexandra

   Summer, what a beautiful time of the year. Do you remember those awesome moments when you used to go to the water park and the beach with your family. I know that I do. I chose summer because to me It symbolizes the great value of nature and the quality of spending time together with your friends and family and that there are a whole bunch of nice and peaceful activities to do. 

A Blast of The Past By:Xaviana

Comic Strip By: Briana H., Alexandra E.

  Woosh! The kite flies away into the daylight and the intricate colors make it look beautiful. Benjamin Franklin studied kites for many years and that led to people continuing his work for 150 years. This led to the airplane being developed. Not only did Benjamin Franklin make a change in kite history but so did Homan Walsh. 

    Have you ever looked up and seen the skydivers gliding through the air on their colorful para gliders gliding through the sky? Well, you can thank Homan Walsh. In 1874 there was a bridge spanning the great gorge and this would be a boost in the local economy. It was hard to get the first line across that would be able to build the bridge, so they finally came up with an idea to fly across to the other side. Homan Walsh he built a kite and released more and more string until finally the kite floated. The history of kites may be long but it is eventful and helped us today.

The Plan By:Xaviana

Planning, scheduling, and organization Is a crucial item to have when you are working on a task. My team and I have hand selected our goals that we are aiming for when we complete our kite. We are going for most beautiful kite, longest flying kite, and best teamwork. These goals were chosen because we wanted to challenge ourselves and see which goals we could complete.

1)We will win the most beautiful kite challenge on June 24th because my team and I will incorporate abstract colors and our product designer(a.k.a artist of the group) has agreed to work on our kite until It Is the most beautiful of all in the universe.

2)We will win the longest flying kite award on June 24th because our chief engineer will make sure all dynamics of the kite are up to par and will put the finishing touches on it. We will win this award!

3)My team and I will win the best teamwork challenge on June 24th because we will work together and communicate well. Also, when someone has a question we will help each other politely without getting frustrated.

SUMMER! By:Xaviana

Written By: Xaviana B.

  Our official theme for our kite is Summer. Do you remember those days in Summer when you would go swimming or even go camping? We chose Summer not only because we love it, but because there are many traditions like the Forth of July. Did you know that the Summer Olympics were the biggest event in the late 1800's? Gallons of ice cream are sold in the boiling days(5.5 gallons to be literal). I think we can all thank Horrace Mann for inventing sweet, sweet Summer vacation. Some common traditions of Summer is playing in the park or taking a midnight stroll. Overall, Everyone has that certain excitement that can only be caused by the knowing that a special season is nearing(Summer).

Alexandra, Future Cosmetologist

  Her name is Alexandra and she is a very active and hyper person. Her birth date is on June 22. In her very wonderful life this girl cares so much about her family and friends. Alexandra has a couple of hobbies and a main job that she have to complete in my life. She is only a student but she has high expectations such as going to college . Her hobbies include dancing and she's a dancer in Brooklyn and she also love to do hair . In the future, she wants to be working on cosmotology to do hair for the famous people ,she also wants become famous in her own special way. She love's what she do and  she also love's her family. They are very important to her and supports her in what ever she does.

The Mind Girl, Xaviana

Being born and raised In New York had It's pro's and cons for Xaviana. Whenever there were cold and dreary days she would sit and write for hours on end. Growing up, she loved to read, write, and play games that involved mind skills. Whether It was crossword puzzles or building something, It was what she loved to do. You'll notice these character traits reflecting on her blog as she updates regularly. Her blog will intrigue you and you will not be disappointed with the results that you get. If you are a person who loves to learn new things, this blog will be perfect for you. All in all, Xaviana hopes to have you continue on her blog!

The Story of Joibel #3

 "BREAKING NEWS!" An inspiring basketball player from Brooklyn, New York named Joibel Is a young basketball player. He is only five feet tall and consider one of the best player's In his neighborhood at the age of 13. 

   His dream high school is Christ the King where basketball star lamar Odom graduated. Joibel wants to succeed in high school because he wants to be able to get accepted to a high rank college and hopefully join the NBA. When Joibel goes to high school, he wants to be knowned for his skills such as basketball.  

    He wants to get accepted St. Johns University located In Queens, New York. There In the St.Johns basketball team he wants to make a difference, such as winning a championship for them. Then his dream Is to make It to the NBA and make It on the team Brooklyn Nets

Writer In Progress, Briana

   Raised in Brooklyn, New York, Briana wasn't use to outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, or even kite flying for that matter. When your in such a big city such as the Big Apple, these activities weren't available to you as much.

   Instead of going outside and playing In the park, she would rather stay inside and read for hours and hours. Briana was what you called a book worm and considered a teacher's pet. She wasn't the loud type but rather the quite and shy person who will rather hide In the shadows then come out into the light. 

   A quiet girl from New York, you wouldn't know what to expect from her. Her parents always taught her that education comes first and to treat It seriously. Her dreams and success will help her through the cold hard streets of New York and make It to the top.