You need these materials:

• protractor or the template at the bottom of the page taped to an index card
• tape
• straw
• 12" of string
• a weight (such as a washer, nut, or paper clip)

Turn your protractor upside down so the rounded part is facing the ground
Tape the string on the center of the straight edge.
Tie the weight on the end of the string.
Tape the straw on the straight edge of the protractor.
 

Directions for using the template below

Cut out astrolabe template.
Glue it to the cardboard.
Tape a straw to top of astrolabe.
Poke a hole at the O in the center of the astrolabe at the top.
Put string through hole.
Tape the string on the back side of the astrolabe, so that the string hangs freely on the front side.
Tie the weight to the end of string, so it hangs well past the end of the astrolabe.

To use your astrolabe, look at the object through the straw, the sight, letting the string hang down the front of the protractor. When the object is in the center of the sight, hold the string tightly against the protractor.

While you are still holding the string against the protractor look at the measure of the the angle, make sure you read the smaller of the two angles. This is the number of degrees in the angle that the object makes with the level ground.
 

To measure the height of your kite you will need an astrolabe and a helper. You will also need a way to measure the distance from you to your helper. Some suggestions for measuring: 1) a tape measue or 2) mark of a short distance and have your partner walk a few steps and then find the average distance of their pace.

Finding the height of the kite.

To measure the height of your kite make an imaginary right triangle

The ground is one leg of the triangle,the height of the kite is the other leg and the string is the hypotenuse.
Your helper stands directly under the kite and you should be holding the astrolabe. You will need to know two things: 1) the angle of the kite and 2) the distance from you to your helper.

To find the height they can use the following equation or you could have them set up the ratio on their own for the tangent of an angle. The tangent of the angle  can be found on any basic scientific calculator.Multiply the tangent of the angle by the distance to their helper. This is the height of the kite from the person, then add the height of the person flying the kite.

    tan A x d + f = h

A= angle from the astrolabe
d = distance to helper
f = height of kite flyer
h= height of the kite

Let's have some practice.