Teachers.netLeonardo da Vinci
Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself introduces readers to the life, world, and incredible mind of Leonardo da Vinci through hands-on building projects that explore his ideas. Most of Leonardo's inventions were never made in his lifetime, and remained sketches in his famous notebooks. Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself shows you how to bring these ideas to life using supplies commonly found around the house. Detailed step-by-step instructions, diagrams, and templates for creating each project combine with historical facts and anecdotes, biographies and trivia about the real-life models for each project. Together they give kids a first-hand look into the amazing mind of one the world's greatest inventors.
"Anderson regales us with tales of Leonardo's brilliant, often mischievous nature, and the nearly unfathomable range of his inventions." -The New York Times Book Review, July 9, 2006
"More than an activity book, this nifty volume explores Leonardo's life, times and endless imagination." -Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"A pleasurable read. . . encourages the young reader to appreciate the unconventional pathfinder." - KLIATT
"Bring[s] an immediacy to da Vinci's life and work." -Publishers Weekly
"This educational guide gives children age 9 and up hands-on experience, using materials found readily around the house, with creating their own version of some of Leonardo's inventions." -Science News, February 2006
"Amazing Leonardo Inventions You Can Build Yourself by Maxine Anderson is a terrific resource, with its detailed step-by-step instructions, diagrams and templates for creating projects that Leonardo designed. The accompanying text introduces the reader, in a personal way, to one of the world's greatest inventors" -Calliope Magazine May/June 2008
"Anderson offers an ingenious introduction [to Leonardo] that cross the curriculum." -Curriculum Connections
"The book is perfect for capturing a middle schooler's attention! Highly Recommended." -Science Books and Films
"Leonardo would be thrilled with this book! This is a wonderful resource for children, and for adults who wish to experience a Renaissance of their childlike love of learning." -Michael J. Gelb, author of How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci
"Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself is both fun and factual. Children will enjoy reading about his fascinating life and many creative and sometimes bizarre ideas, and be able to see his 'inventions' actually come to life." -Robert Byrd, winner of The Golden Kite Award and author of Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer
"Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself guides young readers to sample Leonardo's mind by replicating what were for him 'mental inventions.'" -Bulent Atalay, PhD, scientist-artist and author of Math and the Mona Lisa
"This marvelous book will introduce you to some of Leonardo's most exciting ideas and innovations. Best of all, you get to build machines and explore the world much like Leonardo himself did." -David Kaiser, Physicist and Historian of Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Chosen as one of "Our Favorite Things" for the 2006 holidays by Family Fun Magazine:
"Decoding Da Vinci's sometimes ingenious, sometimes outlandish discoveries proves to be great fun in Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself " -Family Fun Magazine
"Experience the ingenuity of Leonardo da Vinci firsthand." -Children's Digest
"This is a book of fun and creativity."-Children's Literature
"Finally, a da Vinci book even kids will get into." -The Times Record, Brunswick, ME
"A welcome addition to schools" -School Library Journal
"Anderson regales us with tales of Leonardo's brilliant, often mischievous nature, and the nearly unfathomable range of his inventions." -The New York Times Book Review, July 9, 2006
"Will keep the kids occupied with constructive activities and is sure to spur on their own creative inventions." -Old Schoolhouse Magazine
"Children will enjoy making paint, plastic glass, walk-on-water shoes, Leonardo's safety bridge, and a hydrometer-among other unique inventions. This book is both fun and factual and offers children hand-on activities to enhance their appreciation of the incredible mind of Leonardo da Vinci." - Mary Anne Hannibal, Childhood Education, Fall 2006
"Encourages young readers to explore the genius of Leonardo in an interactive, hands-on way . . . and have a huge amount of fun in the process." -Laurence Anholt, author of Leonardo and the Flying Boy
"Creative, curiosity-provoking, informational, and just plain fun-kids will find it irresistible." - Rebecca Rupp, PhD, Home Education Magazine
Books and Articles
Bramly, Serge. Leonardo: Discovering the Life of Leonardo da Vinci. Harper Collins, 1991.
Byrd, Robert. Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer. Dutton Children’s Books, New York, 2003.
Cooper, Margaret. The Inventions of Leonardo da Vinci. The MacMillan Company, New York, 1965.
da Vinci, Leonardo. Prophecies and other Literary Writings. Hesperus Press, London,.
Herbert, Janis. Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas. Chicago Review Press, 1998.
Leoni, Maria Teresa Zanobini. Leonardo da Vinci. Great Artists. Enchanted Lion Books, 2003.
Lorenzi, Rossella. “Da Vinci Invented Natural Plastics.” Discovery News, Discovery Channel Online, February 4, 2004.
McCurdy, Edward. Leonardo da Vinci Note-Books. Empire State Book Company, New York, 1923.
McLanahan, Richard. Leonardo da Vinci. First Impression, Introductions to Art. Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1990.
Nicholl, Charles. Leonardo da Vinci: Flights of the Mind. Viking, 2004.
Nuland, Sherwin. Leonardo da Vinci. Penguin Lives, Penguin Putnam, New York, 2000.
Raboff, Ernest. Leonardo da Vinci. Art for Children series, Doubleday & Company, Garden City, New York, 1987.
Richter, Jean Paul. The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. Volumes I and II. Dover Publications, New York. 1970.
Ripley, Elizabeth. Leonardo da Vinci. Oxford University Press, 1952.
Santi, Bruno. Leonardo. Scala Guides to Art. Scala Publishing, Florence, 1975.
Stanley, Diane. Leonardo da Vinci. Morrow Junior Books, New York, 1996.
Wallace, Robert. The World of Leonardo. Time-Life Library of Art, Time-Life Books, New York, 1966.
Williams, Jay. Leonardo da Vinci. Horizon Caravel Books, Harper & Row Publishers, 1965.
Zollner, Frank and Nathan, Johannes. Leonardo Da Vinci: The Complete Paintings and Drawings Taschen, 2003.
Web Sites
www.amnh.org/exhibitions/codex. The American Museum of Natural History had an exhibit of Bill Gates’ Codex Leicester
www.cyclepublishing.com/history/leonardo
www.lairweb.org.nz/leonardo
www.lib.stevens-tech.edu/collections/davinci. This is a comprehensive online archive of works by and about Leonardo, collected and maintained by Stevens Institute of Technology.
www.museoscienza.org/english/leonardo
www.mos.org/leonardo. The Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts has an extensive online Leonardo exhibition, complete with experiments, activities, and quizzes.
www.museoscienza.org/english/leonardo. This is the web site of the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, Italy.
This project makes a type of walk-on-water shoe that is easy to build and lots of fun to try out.
