Explain that kites have been used in Asian cultures for centuries. Show pictures of Asian kites. Tell the children that the Chinese are the first to mention kites in their legends, but Japan and Thailand also have legends dealing with kites.
Show pictures of kites being used to celebrate Chinese New Year and Japan's Cherry Blossom Festival. Explain that kites are an important part of each of these festivals.
Show a picture of Benjamin Franklin with a kite. Explain that kites have been used for scientific research -- in Franklin's case, to show that electricity is present during storms.
Give each child a sheet of copy paper. Explain that you are going to make a bumblebee kite. Have students color the sheet yellow with black stripes. Help them fold the sheet in half, keeping the colored side out.
Place the sheet of paper on a flat surface with the crease horizontal and facing the bottom of the work space. Make one mark on the crease 2.5 inches in from the right edge. This is "Mark A." Make another mark on the crease 3.5 inches in from the right edge. This is "Mark B."
Pull each of the right corners down to touch "Mark A" and staple. Punch a hole at "Mark B." Tie thread to the hole and let students fly their kites.
Allow students to make their own "kite snacks" by cutting kite shapes out of pieces of processed cheese and adding cooked spaghetti for string. Serve with milk, carrot sticks and apple slices.