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Leonardo Da Vinci

One of the most talented men to come out of the European Renaissance was Leonardo Da Vinci. His origins were humble, being the illegitimate son of a notary and a peasant woman. He was raised by his father and exposed to scholarly texts and to art. His father apprenticed him out when he was fifteen, to the workshop of a Florence artist, Andrea del Verrochio, where he learned his craft.

Da Vinci's most famous painting is the enigmatic "Mona Lisa", which hangs in the Louvre in Paris. It was used as part of the story in the recent blockbuster movie, "The Da Vinci Code", based on the book of the same name. His "Last Supper" painting, which hangs in Milan, Italy, is another famous painting.

But Da Vinci was more than a painter and sculptor. He was a scientist. He was an architect and engineer, designing buildings, machinery and weapons. He was a mathematician and a philosopher. He studied human anatomy, both for painting and out of his own curiosity. He was an inventor who dreamed of flying and one of his flying machines, a hang glider, has been build and flown in modern times.

Da Vinci never married. He died in 1519 at the age of sixty-seven. Although he left no children, his talent in art, science and engineering guaranteed that he would be remembered long after he was gone. He was a genius for any age.

In this mini unit, you can read about and explore the works of Da Vinci, see a timeline of his life’s accomplishments an a map of Renaissance Italy, discover the relationship between size and distance of an object, learn about linear perspective, test your knowledge of Da Vinci facts and see if you agree what his greatest accomplishments were, discover the visions of the future Leonardo Da Vinci had and play a series of interactive games.

 

Reading

Leonardo Da Vinci Picture Biography

Timeline of Da Vinci’s Life

Map

Map of Renaissance Italy

Projects & Activities

Classroom Activity - Experiment: Relationship between size and distance of an object

Multimedia

Da Vinci’s Paintings, Drawings and Sketches

Recommended Resources

Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself

From fantastic flying machines and webbed gloves, to “plastic glass” and self-propelled tanks, Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself brings to life one of the world’s most visionary inventors through hands-on building projects.

This book explores the life, times, and ideas of Leonardo da Vinci through more than 30 building and crafts projects that focus on Leonardo’s amazing inventions. Readers are introduced to the major figures and discoveries of the Italian Renaissance as they learn how to build inventions such as a camera obscura, shoes that allow kids to walk on water, a “helical air screw,” and more.

Most of the building can be done with simple household supplies and minimal adult supervision, and the result is a working model of the original invention. Detailed, step-by-step instructions, illustrations and diagrams, and templates for each project are interspersed with historical facts, biographies, anecdotes, and trivia about the real-life models, offering kids and adults alike a hands-on way to experience the remarkable genius of Leonardo da Vinci.

122 Pages, Soft Cover
List Price 14.95 Our Price 11.25
Reading level 9 and up
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Leonardo da Vinci: Genius Of Art And Science

An accessible introduction to a man of genius. Da Vinci's inventions, observations, and artistic creations are described, and readers see that they are still influential in a variety of areas. Reed points out that the man may not actually be responsible for all of the accomplishments credited to him, but also notes that part of Da Vinci's gift was for questioning, expanding upon, and improving other people's theories and ideas.

His grand achievements are illustrated throughout with black-and-white photos and reproductions, including drawings of cities with separate areas for living and working, complete with plumbing and roads; sketches for flying machines; and anatomical drawings.

The focus on ideas, questioning, and imagination is the backbone of Da Vinci as a human being, and is at the heart of this biography. Readers are introduced to a brilliant visionary whose passion for learning and creating might prove infectious, especially with the designated "Activities" section that is appended.-Tracy Karbel, Glenside Public Library District, Glendale Heights, Il.

Hardback
Author: Jennifer Reed

Amazon Price: $26.60

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