Class 6 English Poorvi Chapter 14 The Kites – easy notes, summary, word meanings, NCERT book solutions, question answers, extra questions and worksheet. Learn the poem in simple language with clear explanations for Class 6 students.

The Kites

Class 6 English – Easy Chapter Explanation and Solutions

Chapter Summary

The Kites is a beautiful poem by Daphne Lister. The poet describes kites flying high in the sky like colourful birds.

The child watching the kites imagines becoming small and light like air. The child wishes to climb onto a kite and fly high above the park and rooftops.

While flying, the child imagines hearing the songs of the wild wind and looking down at the people and houses below.

The poem shows the child’s imagination, joy and love for freedom. It also uses poetic devices such as simile, alliteration and rhyme.

Kite flying in India — Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Let us do these activities before we read.

I Answer the following questions and share them with your teacher and classmates.

1. Have you ever flown a kite or seen someone fly it? Where? When?

Solution: Yes, I have flown a kite. I flew it on the terrace during a kite festival.

2. Describe the kite—colour(s), shape, design of tail, any other detail.

Solution: The kite was colourful and diamond-shaped. It had a long tail with small ribbons.

3. What did you think when you saw the kite up in the sky?

Solution: I felt happy and imagined flying high with the kite.

II Search the internet for videos on Kite Festivals and watch them with your teacher and classmates.

1. Share the things with your teacher that you saw and what the people were doing.

Solution: I saw many colourful kites flying in the sky. People were flying kites, enjoying the festival and watching different types of kites.

2. Would you like to participate in this kind of festival? Why?

Solution: Yes, I would like to participate because kite festivals are colourful, exciting and enjoyable.

3. What kind of kite would you like to fly?

Solution: I would like to fly a large, colourful diamond-shaped kite.

International Kite Festival, Gujarat — Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

III Look at the picture and complete the sentences. Share your responses with your teacher.

windy kite flying birds sky looking has ribbons

1. I can see ___________, ___________ and ___________ in the picture.

Solution: kite, flying birds and sky

2. The weather in the picture is ___________.

Solution: windy

3. The kite is ___________ high in the sky.

Solution: flying

4. The child is ___________ from below.

Solution: looking

5. The tail of the kite ___________.

Solution: has ribbons

IV Now, think and answer.

1. List two more things that you want to add to the picture.

Solution: Clouds and trees.

2. If I were the child, I would ___________.

Solution: fly the kite happily.

3. If I were the kite, I would ___________.

Solution: fly high in the sky.

Let us read

Up in the air
See the kites fly,
Like coloured birds
In the wind-whipped sky.

I wish I were small
And light as air,
I would climb on a kite
And sail up there.

Then I would drift upon
The paper wings,
And hear the songs
That the wild wind sings.

What fun it would be
To look right down,
Over the park
And the rooftops of town.

The people below
Would stand and stare,
And wish they were me
High, high in the air.

Daphne Lister

Let us discuss

I Read the poem silently. As you read, mark the given statements as True or False.

Statements	T / F
1. The child is looking at the kites.	True
2. The kites look like birds of different colours.	True
3. It was a rainy day.	False
4. The child wants to be like a kite.	True
5. The child wishes to climb on a kite.	True
6. The kite is made of cloth and plastic.	False
7. The child wants to ride the kite.	True
8. The child knows they would have fun.	True
9. The child wants to look at the kite from a rooftop.	False
10. The child would like to look at people down below.	True
11. The child knows that the people would stare.	True

II Complete the following sentences.

1. The poet says that the kites are like coloured birds – See the kites fly/Like coloured birds in the sky.

The kites have been compared to b __ __ __ __ because they ______________.

Solution: The kites have been compared to birds because they fly in the sky.

2. The child wishes to be like air – I wish I were small / And as light as air.

The child wishes to be as l __ __ __ t as __ __ __. The child wishes this to be able to c __ __ m __ on a kite and fly.

Solution: The child wishes to be as light as air. The child wishes this to be able to climb on a kite and fly.

Do you think that the use of simile in this poem helps us imagine better when we read the poem? Share your thoughts with your teacher and classmates.

Solution: Yes. The similes help us imagine the colourful kites and the light feeling of flying more clearly.

III Find a set of words from the poem that begin with the same consonant sound.

Stanza 1

Solution: wind-whipped — both begin with the w sound.

Which consonant sound do both words begin with?

Solution: The w sound.

Stanza 3

Solution: wild wind — both begin with the w sound.

Which consonant sound do both words begin with?

Solution: The w sound.

This is called alliteration. For example, big bright blue bag, funny fan, etc.

Create 4 other sets of words using alliteration.

1. Big blue ball
2. Pretty pink peacock
3. Funny flying fish
4. Clever colourful cat

IV In the last stanza, the two words that the poet repeats are __, to tell us that the kite is flying y high.

Solution: high, high — to tell us that the kite is flying very high.

V Study each stanza and underline the rhyming words from the end of each line. Also, circle the end words in the stanzas that do not rhyme.

Solution:

Stanza 1: fly – sky
Stanza 2: air – there
Stanza 3: wings – sings
Stanza 4: down – town; fun does not rhyme with them.
Stanza 5: stare – air; me does not rhyme with them.

Let us think and reflect

I Read the given lines from the poem and answer the following questions.

What fun it would be
To look right down,
Over the park
And the rooftops of town.

1. Circle the word that does not share the same feeling as ‘fun’: joy, excitement, care, happiness.

Solution: care

2. Which line tells us that the poet was somewhere above?

Solution: “To look right down,”

3. Choose the scene the child saw.

(i)

(iii)

(ii)

(iv)

Solution: Choose the picture that shows the child high above, looking down over the park and rooftops of the town.

II Answer the following questions.

1. How does the poet describe the kites in the first two lines?

Solution: The poet says that the kites are flying up in the air.

2. Why does the child say that they have to climb a tree first to get onto the kite?

Solution: The poem provided here does not say that the child has to climb a tree. It only says, “I would climb on a kite”. So, based strictly on the given poem, the child imagines climbing directly onto the kite.

3. What are the songs that the child hears when flying atop the kite?

Solution: The child imagines hearing the songs of the wild wind.

4. Why did the people look up at the child and stare? If you looked up and saw that, what feelings would you have?

Solution: They would look up because the child would be flying high in the air on a kite. I would feel surprised, excited and amazed.

5. If you were the kite carrying the child high up in the air, what would you tell them?

Solution: I would tell the child to enjoy the beautiful view and hold on safely.

Let us learn

I Look at the picture of the kite and read what some of its parts are named.

Parts of a kite: Nose, Spine, Cover, Kite line, Tail, Reel

Now, complete the given conversation by filling the blanks with some ‘parts of a kite’ from above.

Bina : I like the long t _ _ _ at the end of my kite. What is your kite like?

Saroj : My kite’s c _ _ _ _ _ is bright. The s _ _ _ e is black.

Bina : Oh wonderful! My kite’s l _ _ _ is attached to the r_ _ l that wraps it. I really like it.

Saroj : Did you know that the tip of a kite is called a _ _ s _?

Bina : Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know. Let’s go and fly our pretty kites.

Solution:

Tail
Cover
Spine
Line
Reel
Nose

II Let us create a poem using words in a kite!

The first line is the subject. Keep this to one word. Use a noun.

The second line is two describing words for the noun.

Line three includes three action words.

Line four uses two words that describe the action words.

Line five is one word that has the same meaning as the subject/synonym.

Kite

pretty, colourful

flying, floating, soaring

quickly, happily

paper-bird

This is called a cinquain poem. It is a five line poem that describes a person, a place or a thing.

Now, create a cinquain poem yourself on anything you like.

Sample Solution:

Garden
green, beautiful
growing, blooming, shining
quietly, happily
nature

III The poet uses the word ‘fly’ and ‘drift’ to tell us about the kite’s movement.

Fly → moves through the air
Drift → moves gently and slowly

1. Circle the words that match with the ‘drift’ movement. You can choose more than one word.

slow fast quick upward downward round and round float

Solution: slow, downward, float

2. Study some other words about the kite’s movement and share what type of movement they show. You can look at 1 for the type of movement.

glide dive soar swoop circle

Word	Type of movement
glide	move smoothly and gently
dive	move quickly downward
soar	rise and fly high
swoop	move quickly downward and forward
circle	move around in a round path

IV The poet has used expressions like—

up in the air; look right down; stay up there; stand and stare

1. Read how these expressions are used in the poem.

Solution: These expressions help us imagine the height and movement of the kite and the way people look at it.

2. In pairs, make sentences using these expressions. Discuss with your teacher and then write in your notebooks.

Sample Solutions:

1. The birds are up in the air.
2. Please look right down from the window.
3. The kite can stay up there for a long time.
4. People stand and stare at the beautiful kites.

Let us listen

Listen about the Kite Festival in India. As you listen, circle the words that are not correct. Then, listen again and write the correct words. (refer to page 163 for transcript)

1. Kite Festival is celebrated during the month of June.

Solution: June → January

2. The International Kite Festival is named Uttarayan in Eastern India.

Solution: Eastern India → Gujarat / Western India

3. Uttarayan is mainly celebrated in Gujarat, but also in Maharashtra and Telangana.

Solution: This statement is True according to the given chapter activity.

4. During the Kite Festival, we can see kites of different shapes, sizes and colours.

Solution: This statement is True.

5.In Karnataka, the Tourism Department organises the Kite Festival every year.

Solution: This statement is True.

6. The Punjab region celebrates Basant Panchami and Baisakhi by flying kites.

Solution: This statement is True.

7. People of India also enjoy flying kites on Earth Day.

Solution: This statement is False.

Let us speak

Share a kite-flying experience with your classmates. If you have not flown a kite yet, share an experience of watching kites fly. Give details—Where? When? Why? How? Speak in complete sentences.

Sample Answer: I flew a kite on my terrace during a kite festival. It was a sunny and windy day. I flew a colourful kite with my family. I felt very happy when the kite went high into the sky.

Let us write

1. Imagine yourself as a kite. In pairs, first discuss all the following hints.

What shape of kite are you? What colours do you have? What other parts of yourself are you happy about?
Where are you? Who do you belong to? What activities do you do? Who are your friends?
Do you have any message for humans?

2. Now, write a paragraph of about 100 words, with the title—I am a Kite.

I am a Kite

I am a colourful diamond-shaped kite. I have a long tail and a strong line. I belong to a happy child who loves flying me. I live in the sky when the wind is strong. I fly, rise, drift and move from one side to another. My friends are other colourful kites flying beside me. I love looking at the houses, trees and people below. I feel free when I fly high. My message to humans is to enjoy nature, be happy and always keep your dreams high.

Let us explore

I The mention of kites exists in ancient Indian texts.

The chapter tells us that kites are mentioned in ancient Indian texts. The thirteenth-century Marathi saint and poet Namadeva used the word gudi for a kite. The chapter also says that kites were made from kaagad, meaning paper.

II Have a look at some of the different types of kites. Choose which one is commonly seen.

Kite Type	Observation
Parafoil	Special soft kite without the usual rigid frame
Diamond-shaped kite	Common traditional kite
Delta	Triangular-shaped kite
Rokkaku	Six-sided Japanese-style kite
Box kites	Three-dimensional kites

Solution: The diamond-shaped kite is commonly seen in India.

1. Find out the steps to make a kite.

Easy Steps:

Take a sheet of light paper.
Fold and cut it into a kite shape.
Attach thin sticks to make the frame.
Fix the paper firmly to the frame.
Attach a tail to the lower part.
Tie the kite line to the correct point.
Decorate the kite if you wish.

2. Follow the steps and create your own kite. Bring it to school to show your teacher and classmates.

Activity: Make your own kite using safe and suitable materials. Bring it to school and show it to your teacher and classmates.

3. Write a message on the kite. For example: Happy Independence Day!

Sample Message: Keep smiling and let your dreams fly high!

Important Word Meanings

Word	Easy Meaning
wind-whipped	strongly moved by the wind
drift	move slowly and gently
sail	move smoothly through the air
rooftop	top of a building
stare	look at something for a long time
soar	fly high in the air
swoop	move quickly downward
glide	move smoothly and easily

Poetic Devices in the Poem

Poetic Device	Example	Easy Explanation
Simile	“Like coloured birds”	The kites are compared to coloured birds using “like”.
Simile	“light as air”	The child compares lightness with air using “as”.
Alliteration	“wild wind”	The words begin with the same consonant sound.
Repetition	“High, high”	The word is repeated to show great height.
Rhyme	fly – sky	The ending sounds are similar.

Quick Revision

The poem is written by Daphne Lister.
The kites are compared to coloured birds.
The child wishes to be small and light as air.
The child imagines climbing on a kite and flying high.
The child hears the songs of the wild wind.
The child imagines looking down at parks and rooftops.
The people below would stand and stare.
The poem uses simile, alliteration, repetition and rhyme.
The repeated words in the last stanza are “high, high”.
The poem shows the joy of imagination and freedom.

Chapter Message

The poem teaches us to enjoy nature and use our imagination. A simple kite can make us dream of flying freely in the sky. It reminds us that imagination can make ordinary experiences exciting and beautiful.

Download Class 6 english Chapter 14 Notes PDF

Practice Class 6 English Poorvi Chapter 1 4 with this easy and engaging worksheet.It covers important questions, vocabulary, comprehension and key concepts from the chapter.

Class 6 English Chapter 14 Revision Worksheet

Revise the chapter with easy practice questions and answers.

Open Revision Worksheet

Download Class 6 english Chapter 14 Worksheet

Class 6 English Chapter 14, The Kites, Poorvi Chapter 14, Class 6 English Poorvi, NCERT Class 6 English, Class 6 English notes, Class 6 English solutions, The Kites question answers, Class 6 English worksheet, Class 6 English summary, word meanings.

Class 6 English Chapter 14 – The Kites | Notes, Solutions & Worksheet

The Kites

Chapter Summary

Let us do these activities before we read.

I Answer the following questions and share them with your teacher and classmates.

II Search the internet for videos on Kite Festivals and watch them with your teacher and classmates.

III Look at the picture and complete the sentences. Share your responses with your teacher.

IV Now, think and answer.

Let us read

Let us discuss

I Read the poem silently. As you read, mark the given statements as True or False.

II Complete the following sentences.

III Find a set of words from the poem that begin with the same consonant sound.

IV In the last stanza, the two words that the poet repeats are __________, __________ to tell us that the kite is flying __ __ __ y high.

V Study each stanza and underline the rhyming words from the end of each line. Also, circle the end words in the stanzas that do not rhyme.

Let us think and reflect

I Read the given lines from the poem and answer the following questions.

II Answer the following questions.

Let us learn

I Look at the picture of the kite and read what some of its parts are named.

II Let us create a poem using words in a kite!

III The poet uses the word ‘fly’ and ‘drift’ to tell us about the kite’s movement.

1. Circle the words that match with the ‘drift’ movement. You can choose more than one word.

2. Study some other words about the kite’s movement and share what type of movement they show. You can look at 1 for the type of movement.

IV The poet has used expressions like—

1. Read how these expressions are used in the poem.

2. In pairs, make sentences using these expressions. Discuss with your teacher and then write in your notebooks.

Let us listen

Let us speak

Let us write

I am a Kite

Let us explore

I The mention of kites exists in ancient Indian texts.

II Have a look at some of the different types of kites. Choose which one is commonly seen.

1. Find out the steps to make a kite.

2. Follow the steps and create your own kite. Bring it to school to show your teacher and classmates.

3. Write a message on the kite. For example: Happy Independence Day!

Important Word Meanings

Poetic Devices in the Poem

Quick Revision

Chapter Message

Class 6 English Chapter 14 Revision Worksheet

IV In the last stanza, the two words that the poet repeats are __, to tell us that the kite is flying y high.