Dopero Kite by Luke and Amadalla

As part of our Kite-making Unit in Mr. Skinner's Project Future class at Escalante Middle School, we have created these instructions to describe how to make a paper Dopero Kite.

Step 1: Materials

Materials:

• 2- 20''x 30'' sheets of tissue paper- colors of your choice
• Scissors
• Binder Clips
• Meter stick
• String
• 4- 1/8''x 50 '' Bamboo spars
• Pencil
• Elmer's glue all

Step 2: Folding the Kite

1. Fold one sheet of tissue paper in half so you're left with a 15'' x 20'' sheet.

Step 3: Creating the Outline of the Kite

1. Make a mark 15 inches up on the folded edge.
2. Measure 4 inches away from the mark you just made.
3. Make another mark 9 inches up on the folded edge.
4. Measure 12.5 inches away from the 9 inch mark.
5. Make a mark 12.5 inches away from the left corner on the base of the sheet.
6. Connect the two marks that are 12.5 inches away from the folded edge.
7. Connect a diagonal line from the 4 inch mark to the top of the line you just made.
8. You should be left with the shape shown above.
9. Attach binder clips along the edges of the folded sheet to hold it in place.

Step 4: Cutting the Kite

1. Cut a long the outside edges of the pencil lines.
2. Remove the binder clips carefully and unfold the sheet.
3. This is the top sail of your kite. Set aside.

Step 5: Creating the Bottom Sail of the Kite.

1. Fold the second sheet of tissue paper as you did with the first sheet of paper.
2. Make a mark 10'' up along the folded edge.
3. Make another mark 4'' out from the top of the 10'' line.
4. Make a mark 12.5 '' away from the folded edge on the base of the sheet.
5. Connect the 12.5'' make and the 4'' mark with a diagonal line.
6. You should be left with the shape shown above.
7. Attach the binder clips along the edges of the folded sheet to keep tissue paper in place.

Step 6: Cutting the Bottom Sail

1. Carefully cut along the outside edges of the pencil lines.
2. Remove the binder clips and unfold the sheet of tissue paper.
3. This is the bottom sail of your Dopero kite.
4. Keep scraps for decoration.

Step 7: Creating the Kite.

1. Layout the bottom and top half of the Dopero as shown in the image, there should be a 5'' gap between the bottom and the top.
2. Place the meter stick so the corners align as shown
3. Make a line of glue along the outside edge of the meter stick and remove the meter stick.
4. Place a bamboo spar along the glue line, making sure there is at least 1 inch hanging off the end of the sail.
5. Hold down firmly for 1-2 minutes while glue drys.
6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 on the other side of the kite as shown.
7. Align the meter stick from corner to corner on the top half of the kite, perpendicular to the two vertical spines.
8. Repeat steps 3- 5.
9. Align the meter stick on the top of the bottom half of the kite.
10. Repeat steps 3-5.
11. Cut off excess bamboo spars, leaving an inch on each side.

Step 8: Reinforcements

1. Cut out 8 squares of of the scrap pieces, (4 of each color).
2. Outline the squares in glue and place them in the positions shown above.
3. In some places you will have to fold the square over the outside edge.
4. In two places you will have to cut a slit in the middle of the square and fold the two edges over.

Step 9: Attaching the Sails With String

1. Add tape to the front and backside of the bottom corners of the top sail for reinforcement.
2. Create a small hole in the taped area for string to fit through. You can either use hole punchers or the blade of a pair of scissors.
3. Measure two pieces of string approximately 8" .
4. Loop one piece of string through the hole you just made and tie it. Then, tie the other end of the string to the spar directly below the hole.
5. Repeat step 4 on the other side of the kite.
6. Cut off the excess string.

Step 10: Decorations

1. Flip the kite over. so the spars and reinforcements are faced down.
2. Cut desired shapes out of left over scraps.
3. Decorate your kite as you please.
4. Glue decorations on.

Step 11: Flexing the Spars

1. Flip the kite over so the spars are facing up.
2. Cut a piece of string that is the length of the width of the kite.
3. Tie a loop on one end of the string as shown and put it around one of the spars as shown.
4. Bend the spar by pulling the string to the other end of the kite,and tie it to the other spar.
5. Be careful not to snap the spar.
6. You may need help bending and tying the string to the spar.
7. Repeat steps 2-6 on the bottom half of the kite.
8. Un-flex the spar by removing the loop on the end of the kite.
9. You'll only need to flex the spars when you're flying the kite.

Step 12: Bridling the Kite

1. Flip your kite over.
2. Create four lengths of string that area bout half the length of your kite.
3. Tie the string to the places shown above.
4. Tie the top two pieces of string together and the bottom two pieces together.
5. Use an additional 5'' piece of string to tie all the strings together, as well as tying a loop.
6. When you're ready to fly your kite; tie your roll of string to the loop you just made.

Step 13: Congratulations! You Have Finished Your Dopero Kite!

Go fly it!!!!!