leonardo da vinci

Activity #1: Introduction

You will be using this online course to study one of the most brilliant men in all of history. Leonardo da Vinci. He lived over 400 years ago (1452-1519) and was regarded as a genius in his time. His imagination and incredible range of talents continues to be admired to this day. As you journey through this course, you will learn more about da Vinci's discoveries in the fields of painting, sculpture, architecture, astronomy, engineering, geology, mathematics, botany, animal behavior, and even music

For your main research project, you will chose one of the following statements and be able to defend your opinion:

I think Leonardo da Vinci's most important work was as a painter/sculptor.

I think Leonardo da Vinci's most important work was as an engineer.

I think Leonardo da Vinci's most important work was as a scientist.

I think Leonardo da Vinci's most important work was as an inventor.

Before you start the major research project for this course you will complete Activity #2 Brain Boosters and Activity #3 Biographical Sketch.

When you have completed Activity #2 and Activity #3, you will do the activity that corresponds to the one of the four statements above (Painter/Sculptor, Engineer, Scientist, or Inventor) that you have chosen.

Your final research project will be in a multimedia format, including text, images and music. These projects will be shared with classmates, parents and teachers. When doing your final project, you may work alone, in pairs, or in a group of three or four. The more people in the group, the more work will be expected.

After you read this Introduction go on to Activity #2 Brain Boosters

After you have completed the first three activities, click one of the links below to
start your study of Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo da Vinci: Artist

Leonardo da Vinci: Engineer

Leonardo da Vinci: Inventor

Leonardo da Vinci: Scientist

Extras

Do you need to know how to critique a website that you are using? Click here to learn more.

Do you need quotes for your presentation?
Check these sites.

Do you need Renaissance music for your presentation? Click here.

See photos of the Leonardo da Vinci Night performances.

powerpoint.gif (20835 bytes) Before you start the research portion of Exploring Leonardo da Vinci, you might need to use a PowerPoint Tutorial to learn some things about PowerPoint. Go to http://www.kidzonline.org/TechTraining/ . Choose PowerPoint from the menu. Do each one of the chapters. You will also need to take at least 10 pictures using the digital camera. Save the pictures on a floppy disk. More info on that later.

Activity #2: Brain Boosters

signature.jpg (16843 bytes) Before you start your biographical sketch of da Vinci, you are going to visit several sites and learn some interesting things about Leonardo da Vinci.

WACKY WRITING! Visit this site and compare Leonardo's handwriting to your own. Discuss with someone sitting near you why you think da Vinci wrote this way. Practice writing like Leonardo. DID YOU KNOW? If you put a pencil in both hands and write with both hands at the same time, writing backwards will be much easier! Why?

Leonardo Right to Left
Mirror Writing

TURNING THE PAGES You will visit the British Library to see an original manuscript by Leonardo himself. You will be able to read the book and zoom in on the drawings. Discuss what you find with the person sitting next to you.

LEONARDO'S JOB RESUME Click the link below to read Leonardo's job resume. What do you think about Leonardo's opinion of his own skills?

Leonardo's Job Resume

THEFT OF THE MONA LISA Would it surprise you to learn that Leonardo da Vinci's most famous masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, was once stolen? Read about the crime that shook the art world at Treasures of the World.

Use the little Mona heads on the right of the article to find the answers to the following questions. Click the link to print the questions.

1. How was the theft discovered?
2. How was the crime committed?
3. Who were the suspects in the crime?
4. Who was Mona Lisa?
5. How was the Mona Lisa finally found?
6. What happened at the trial?

Theft of the Mona Lisa Questions

When you finish the Brain Buster activities, go to the Activity #3: Biographical Sketch activity.

Activity #3: Biographical Sketch

The next task that you will complete is writing a "biographical sketch" of Leonardo da Vinci. All students will complete an essay on this subject before moving on.

Leonardo's Biography Your essay should include research about Leonardo's early life, where he was born, his childhood, his schooling, etc. Then proceed into his adult life, his work and patrons, and how he spent his final days as an old man. Include both information and pictures to make an interesting story.

Before beginning your biographical sketch, take a look at Leonardo's Timeline to get an overview of his life.

Explore Leonardo's Timeline Why was Leonardo such a great thinker? All of the information you need is available on this timeline. There are colored buildings on the timeline directing you through Leonardo's life. Click the start button and answer the questions. Then compare you answers with the answers given.

Leonardo's Timeline http://www.davincilife.com/timeline.html

After looking at Leonardo's Timeline use the following sites to help you write your essay:

Leonardo da Vinci http://www.kausal.com/leonardo/index.shtml

Renaissance Man http://www.mos.org/leonardo/bio.html

Encarta Encyclopedia http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia
_761561520/Leonardo_da_Vinci.html

What, Where, When http://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/WhatWhereWhen.html

After you finish your Biographical Sketch you will choose a link from left column and begin to look at Leonardo from one of four perspectives. Was Leonardo da Vinci's most important work done as an Artist? an Inventor? an Engineer? or a Scientist?