Tikipunga High School

Year 10

Māori kites

View student artwork

Context

The students construct a kite in response to examples of customary Māori kites and carving, and examples of masks from other ethnic cultures around the world.

Learning sequence

The students research a selected resource; make a drawing of it annotated with construction and contextual information.

The students undertake three 10 cm x 10 cm practical technical experiments, exploring lashing, weaving and hot glue techniques with a variety of materials including: cane, chicken wire, twine, and natural fibres. They create at least four design options, each annotated with construction and symbolic information, on an A3 page.

The students draw the central face element for their mask design, based on geometric shape and ideas gathered from Māori carving, sun images, and ethnic masks from around the world.

They use clay to construct the central mask feature, exploring, moulding and carving. Pieces are dried for firing at a later stage when they will be painted and fixed to the constructed kite.

Students construct an A2-size kite in the following sequence: Cane structure > wire mesh > lashings > weaving > gluing > painting (optional).

Students paint the fired clay face and fix it to the kite body. The addition of varnish, paint, and decorative elements is completed during this final stage.

The images show planning, research, a mask and a finished kite.