Preface:
Thewarmbreezetickledthefacesofthethird-gradersastheylookedupatthesky,eagertoflytheirkites.Theexcitementwaspalpableastheyranaround,untanglingstringsandadjustingtails.Theteachersmiledasshewatchedherstudents,knowingthatthisactivitywouldteachthemaboutpatience,perseverance,andthebeautyofsimplejoys.
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ThefirstkitetotakeflightbelongedtoaboynamedTom,whohadchosenacolorfuldragondesign.Heheldontothestringtightly,feelingittugasthekitesoaredhigherandhigher.Hisclassmatescheeredhimon,marvelingathowthedragonseemedtodanceinthesky.
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NotfarfromTom,agirlnamedLilywashavingsometroublegettingherkiteofftheground.Shehadchosenabutterflydesignandhadspentalongtimedecoratingitwithglitterandstickers.However,thewindwasn'tstrongenoughtoliftitup,andshegrewfrustrated.
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SeeingLilystruggling,aboynamedJackcameovertoofferhishelp.Hehadflownmanykitesbeforeandknewjustwhattodo.HeuntangledthestringandshowedLilyhowtoholdthekiteatanangletocatchthebreeze.Soonenough,Lily'sbutterflywasflutteringintheair,andshesmiledgratefullyatJack.
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Asmoreandmorekitestooktothesky,thechildrenbegantoexperimentwithdifferenttricksandmaneuvers.Somespuntheirkitesincirclesorloopedthemaroundeachother.Othersmadetheirkitesswoopupanddownlikerollercoasters.
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Oneboy,namedBen,hadbroughtakitethatwasshapedlikeabirdwithoutstretchedwings.Hehadreadonlineaboutatechniquecalled"kitefighting,"wheretwopeoplewouldtrytoknockeachother'skitesoutofthesky.BenchallengedhisfriendSarahtoamatch,andtheybegantoflytheirkitesinazigzagpattern,tryingtoentangletheirstrings.
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Sarah'skitewasshapedlikeadiamondandwasmuchsmallerthanBen's.However,shehadasecretweapon-atailmadeoflongribbonsthatflutteredinthewind.AsBentriedtoattackherkitehead-on,Sarahmadequickturnsanddodges,causinghertailtowraparoundBen'sstringandcutit.Withatriumphantshout,SarahwatchedasBen'sbirdkitetumbledtotheground.
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Despitetheoccasionalmishap,flyingkiteswasajoyfulexperienceforeveryone.Thechildrenlaughedandshoutedastheyranaround,takingturnslaunchingtheircreationsintotheair.Theytookbreakstosiponcoldlemonadeandnibbleoncookies,relishinginthewarmthofthesunandthecompanyoftheirfriends.
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OnegirlnamedEmilyhadbroughtakitethatwasshapedlikeaheart.Sheheldontothestringtightlyasitrosehigherandhigher,feelingasenseoffreedomandwonder.Sheclosedhereyesandimaginedthatshewassoaringthroughthecloudslikeabird.
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AnotherboynamedAlexhadchosenakitethatwasshapedlikeaUFO.Hehadspenthourspaintingitwithglow-in-the-darkpaintsothatitwouldlightupatnight.Hecouldn'twaittocomebackafterdarkandseehiskiteilluminatethesky.
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Astheafternoonbegantoturnintoevening,thechildrenstartedtopackuptheirkitesandwinddown.Theythankedtheirteacherforthefundayandpromisedtocomebackagainsoon.Astheywalkedhome,theycouldn'tstoptalkingabouttheirfavoritepartsoftheadventureandhowmuchtheyhadlearned.
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Tomsaidthathelovedhowitfelttocontrolsomethingsodelicateandpowerfulatthesametime.Lilysaidthatshewasamazedbyhowmuchshehadtoworktogetherbutterflyofftheground,buthowproudshefeltwhenitfinallyflew.JacksaidthatheenjoyedhelpingLilyandfelthappytoseehersmile.
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Benadmittedthathewasabitdisappointedthathehadlostthekitefightingmatch,butthathehadlearnedavaluablelessonaboutstrategyandcreativity.SarahsaidthatshehadneverfeltsoaliveaswhenshewasdodgingBen'sattacksandwatchinghertaildoitswork.
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Emilysaidthatflyingherheartkitehadmadeherappreciatethebeautyofnatureandthepowerofimagination.AlexsaidthatcreatinghisglowingUFOkitehadmadehimrealizehowmuchhelovedartandscience.Eachchildhadauniqueexperience,butallsharedinthewonderofflyingkites.
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Thenextdayatschool,thechildrenwerefullofenergyandenthusiasm.Theycouldn'twaittotelltheirclassmatesabouttheirkite-flyingadventuresandshowofftheirdesigns.Theywrotestoriesanddrewpicturesoftheirkites,usingwordslike"majestic,""thrilling,"and"magical"todescribethem.
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Duringrecess,someofthechildrenwenttothefieldtoflykitesagain.Thistime,theyinvitedsomeoftheirfriendswhohadn'tbeentherethedaybefore.Theytaughtthemhowtoholdthestringsandadjustthetails,passingontheknowledgetheyhadgained.
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Theteacherwatchedasherstudentspassedthejoyofflyingkitesontoothers.Sheknewthatthiswasmorethanjustasimpleactivity-itwasalessoningenerosity,kindness,andcommunity.
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Monthswentby,andthechildrencontinuedtoflykiteswhenevertheycould.Theyexperimentedwithnewdesignsandtechniques,alwayseagertolearnmore.Theyevenenteredakite-flyingcompetitionandwonfirstprize,proudlydisplayingtheirtrophyintheclassroom.
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Astheschoolyearcametoaclose,thechildrenwroteletterstothemselves,reflectingonwhattheyhadlearnedandhowtheyhadgrown.Manyofthemmentionedthekite-flyingdayasahighlightoftheiryear,andhowithadsparkedaloveofcreativity,science,andadventure.
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Yearslater,whentheyweregrownupandhadchildrenoftheirown,theywouldtakethemtothesamefieldwheretheyhadflownkitesasthird-graders.Theywouldpassonthesamelessonsaboutpatience,perseverance,andjoythattheirteacherhadtaughtthem.
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Theywouldrememberthefeelingoffreedomandwonderastheyheldontothestringandwatchedtheirkitesdanceinthesky.Theywouldtellstoriesaboutthedragon,thebutterfly,thebird,andtheUFO,andhoweachhadrepresentedsomethingspecialtothem.
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Andtheywouldsmile,knowingthatevenasadults,theycouldstillfindjoyinthesimplestofthings-likeflyingkitesonawarmspringday.
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Forthatwasthetruelessonofkite-flying-thathappinesscanbefoundinmomentsofbeautyandsimplicity,sharedwithfriendsandlovedones.Andthatnomatterhowoldweget,wecanalwaysfindawaytosoar.
