Lift the Weight Elements
- Using Video: Color the Wind Festival
- Metaphor Walkthrough: The Kite
- Facilitating the Activity: Number Grid
- Resilience Booster: Design Your Kite
Lift the Weight Vocabulary
- Resistance
- Expectations
- Responsibility
- Routines
Lift the Weight Learner Objectives
- I can explain how the kite metaphor (resistance) applies to rules, expectations and responsibilities.
- I can explain what an expectation is using examples (rules, laws, commitments, schoolwork, chores, routines).
- I can explain what responsibility means (being dependable, making the choice, and being accountable for the expectations).
- I can explain how responsibility and expectations help me find success.
Metaphor Walkthrough:
Show the overall metaphor:
Explain to your students that this is a picture of a beach kite. Ask students if you were to fly a kite, what would you need? (students should be able to verbalize the kite, string, and someone to hold the string or an anchor).
Point out that in the visual metaphor on display you can see all three of these things. Students may or may not bring up wind. If you want to include the wind, then feel free to do so; but it is not necessary for the metaphor explanation.
Connection: If you have taught the motivation formula, you can easily reference the wind and the sails as part of this metaphor as well.
Flag #1 (the kite)
We are going to imagine for a moment that the kite represents each one of us. Take a moment to frame the rest of the metaphor by asking some fun questions about the kite representing each individual student.
The following questions could generate some good examples:
- What makes a kite unique?
- What are some of the different shapes of kites?
- What are some of the different designs or images on kites?
- What would be cool about being a kite?

Flag #2 (the guide ropes)

Display the images of the kite strings. Ask: How do the strings attached to a kite help it fly upwards? Students may or may not be able to vocalize exactly the role a kite string plays in flying a kite. After students generate some ideas or thoughts, follow up with the following questions to drive the conversation:
If you throw something like a kite into the air on a windy day, what will happen? (fly for a bit and fall to the ground, get blown into a tree, go into the sky and eventually fall)
How does the string help the kite then? (helps it rise higher and higher without crashing or getting stuck)
Explain the resistance the kite line creates allows it to fly against the wind. The wind is pushing the kite away, while the line pulls it back. This resistance allows it to move up into the air. In fact on professional kites, there are multiple lines that do different things. Some allow it to move left and right, or up and down.
Explain that we have lines in our life as well that feel like they are pulling against us. Just like the kite could feel like the kite string is trying to pull it back toward the ground or holding it back, in reality it is designed to help the kite climb higher and higher.
Ask this key question: What are examples of kite lines in our life that feel like they control us or hold us but are actually helping us? It’s always fun to see if students will bring up examples of rules, routines, tasks or other items that fall under the key concept: responsibility and expectations. If a student brings up an example that is an example of an expectation (rule, chore, schoolwork, routine), then use that to transition. If not, then lead out with some examples.
These lines can definitely represent the expectations that are given to you every single day. Define the words responsibilities and expectations for your students.
Responsibility: the accountability for completing certain tasks or following certain rules.
Expectations: the tasks, rules, routines, and promises we make.
We have expectations in different areas of our lives. We have them at home, at school and even in our community.
METAPHOR WALKTHROUGH CONTINUED:
Flag #3 (no guide ropes)
Ask the following questions: What do you see in the metaphor here? What is the story behind this kite? Students may come up with different responses regarding the kite. The concept to reinforce is that without the kite lines that help guide the kite higher and higher into the air, the kite will fall to the ground. Once that principle has been surfaced, use some of the following questions to process:
- What needs to happen to fly a kite if it has fallen to the ground?
- Can anyone explain in their own words why the kite lines are so important to keep the kite in the air?
- If the kite represents each one of us and if the kite lines represent routines, rules, tasks and chores, why do these things help us rise higher?
- What does the kite falling to the ground represent?
