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E-book available by William Van Zyl (available on all major e-book platforms).
KOBO:
Published in 2020 (edited in 2025)
Table of Contents
Summary and Overview – Lesson & Resources:
This resource helps teach about Māori Kites and kite making. It prompts the learner to explore kites from around the world in a global context. Integrated curriculum components and subjects are included (e.g. Maths, Science, English, Social Sciences, Design and Visual Communication, and more). Sustainability and Global Citizenship are included as an additional layer to the lesson on Kites.
Possibilities for Primary and Secondary schools (could also be included in some tertiary courses)
There are many exciting possibilities for kites and kite-making.
LISTEN TO STORIES ABOUT KITES: Stories from around the world.
INTEGRATED CURRICULUM: Maths – areas – shape/form – calculations and more.
Science: Aerodynamics & ‘flying things.’
Social Sciences: Explore the different types of kites from a global perspective. Investigate the timeline of kite development over the ages.
Literacy: Creative Writing – tell a Kite Story with pictures (include some freehand sketches and artwork).
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP: Explore the different types of kites in different cultures worldwide. Consider the choice of materials. Use locally sourced materials—specific country or region.
SUSTAINABILITY: Creating kites from organic materials or recycled materials.
PRACTICAL COMPONENT/STUDENT ACTIVITY: Making of kites.
GREAT LESSON IDEA TO INCLUDE THE NEW DIGITAL CURRICULUM (NEW ZEALAND – 2025)
Situation: You have heaps of scrap paper that you want to recycle. You are passionate about technology (electronics and computer programming) and love including sound and LED lights in your projects.
Design brief: Make handmade paper from scrap paper (recycled) for a kite of your choice. Choose organic materials for the kite frame (e.g. bamboo – can bend). Include a 3-volt coin-type battery to power a simple electrical circuit for your kite. If you are skilled with basic tools and know how to use a soldering iron, create a simple circuit for the kite. The LED lights could light up in the sky when it is overcast and late afternoon, as it gets darker. For fun, you could include a buzzer (sound). You have to include a simple switch. If you are a nerd, why not include a basic microprocessor in the kite design? Go to the micro:bit BBC website and see how the ‘puzzle-type interface’ works—a simple drag and drop interface – learning how to code. See Picaxe and Arduino Uno programming. Easy!
Possibilities: Design and make paper to cover your kite (handmade paper). Include artwork on the finished handmade paper (e.g., Maori theme – koro/tattoo). Think about where LED lights could look great on your kite. Maybe create a Matariki theme, or something else? You could tell a story with your artwork! Do you know aeroplanes and boats have specific colour lights to mark the tail and the left and right sides of the ship or plane? This LED lighting idea could be included if you want to fly your kite in low-light conditions (dusk or dawn).
Māori Kite – ink pen and pencil sketch. Credit: W Van Zyl (March 2018)
Close up of Maori Kite – ink pen and pencil sketch. Credit: W Van Zyl (March 2018)
Related videos:
Contents of the eBook (headings/chapters).
*Summary and Overview Lesson & Resource:
Page 8 Integrated learning unit for Junior and Senior school students.
Page 10 Areas for integration: 10 Development of lesson: Possibilities for Primary and Secondary Schools (could also be included in some tertiary courses)
Page 13 Keeping Kites Flying – Tales from Te Papa (YouTube)
Page 14 Teaching resource: ‘Keeping Kites Flying’ (Tales From Te Papa) 14 http://talesresource.tepapa.govt.nz/resource/115.html 14 More videos on Māori Kites and kite making.
Page 15 Leaf kites, the oldest way to make kites in the world – Sulawesi, Indonesia. 15 Images of Traditional Māori kites and other kites: 15 ACTIVITIES: KITE MAKING..
Page 16 Kite making (Manu aute) 16 Intended outcome(s) 16 Suggested approach. 16 Level 1 (NZQA Curriculum Levels) 16 Level 4 (NZQA Curriculum Levels) 16 Further activities. 16 DIFFERENT TYPES OF KITES: Starting with Māori kites.
Page 17 Sketches of Māori Kites from the Te Papa Museum (New Zealand)
Page 18 THE FOLLOWING SECTION IS TAKEN FROM THE teara.govt.nz WEBSITE:
Page 24 Māori kites. 24 What were they made of?. 25 Types of Māori kites.
Page 25 Kite flying from the 1840s. 25 REFERENCE: 25 VISIT THIS GREAT WEBSITE TO SEE EXCELLENT PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF MĀORI KITE MAKING. IT ALSO INCLUDES MANY FREE LESSONS FOR EDUCATORS, PARENTS & CAREGIVERS.
Page 26 Matariki: All about kites. 26 What is Matariki?. 26 Star light, star bright
Page 27: Eyes to the sky. 27 Matariki myth. 27 Celebrations and remembrance. 27.
Page 32 NOTES TO TEACHERS, PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS..
Page 35 GREAT LESSON IDEAS TO INCLUDE THE NEW DIGITAL CURRICULUM (NEW ZEALAND – 2018)
Page 36 IF THIS BRIEF INTERESTS THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT, GO TO FIVE HOUSE PUBLISHING: 36 FLYING KITES AT NIGHT TIME (LED LIGHTING) 37 FOR INSPIRATION: LED KITES WITH FIREWORKS!
Page 41 ABOUT THE TEACHER AND AUTHOR:
Page 43 More eBooks you could be interested in:
Page 45: Copyright
Copyright © 2018 (edited in 2025) by William Van Zyl
Māori Kites and Kite Making. Free resources with lesson ideas.
All rights reserved. This eBook/article or any portion
thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner
without the publisher’s permission, except for using brief quotations in a book review.
Published by Five House Publishing (New Zealand)
First Publishing, 2018 (edited in 2025)
More eBooks and articles are available at https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author at http://williamvanzyl.com/
