How to Make a Tetrahedral Kite

By eHow Arts & Entertainment Editor

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A tetrahedral kite is a kite made of several diamond shaped parts. The kite is made by millions of elementary students each year to teach aerodynamics and other science lessons. Many enthusiasts also make this type of kite because it is easy to construct and easy to fly.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Sturdy string
Straws
Glue
Tissue paper

Step1

Prepare the work area and the supplies. Gather at least 60 straws per kite, 10 pieces of 36-inch string, 10 pieces of 16-inch string, 10 diamond shaped pieces of tissue paper and a ball of string to fly the finished kite.

Step2

String 3 straws together on the 36-inch string and tie a knot leaving one end 2-inches long and the other several inches long. The straws will make a triangle. Leave the leftover string on the triangle. The long end of the string should have enough room to string 2 more straws.

Step3

Thread the fourth and fifth straws onto the triangle. Pull the string up to the triangle making a second triangle with the 2 straws you have just strung. Tie a knot to secure the second triangle. You should now have a diamond shape with two triangles distinctly outlined.

Step4

Thread a straw on a 16-inch string. Tie one end of the string to the top of the diamond. Tie the other end of the 16-inch stringed straw onto the other top of the diamond. You now have a pyramid shaped straw structure.

Step5

Cut and glue the tissue paper to the pyramid. Cut 10 diamond shapes slightly larger than the 5 straw diamond from Step 3. Cover 2 entire sides of each pyramid with a piece of tissue paper. Wrap the edges around the straw and glue. Let dry.

Step6

Repeat Steps 2 through 5 nine more times. Tie the 10 pyramids together in a pyramid shape. There should be 6 pyramids on the lower level, 3 pyramids on the middle level and 1 pyramid on the top level. Make sure the tissue paper is all on the same side. This will catch the air and fly the kite.