home

=** Young Da Vinci's :: Inventing The Future Out Of The Past **= News: Check out Macguire's blog at http://talonsmacguire.edublogs.org ! Welcome young inventors, designers, engineers, artists, mathematicians, and authors! There are 4 components to your Young Da Vinci's Project: 1. Invention Model or Presentation 2. Personal Wiki Pages and/or Personal Journal 3. Class Discussions (Face-to-face and online) and Class Participation 4. A Young da Vinci's Inventive Night Out!

//**1. Invention Model or Presentation:**//

Research the importance of a specific invention used today, and relate this invention to characteristics originally conceptualized by Leonardo da Vinci during the Renaissance. Example: The Automobile - Leonardo's ideas helped with everything from gears, to the odometer, to the tire jack.

OR Research and construct a model of one of Leonardo da Vinci's invention sketches. Compare this invention to modern day inventions that use the same concepts, or create a 'family tree' explaining how his ideas have been used for different purposes. Example: The Double-Hulled Ship - which led to separate watertight compartments inside of ships, improving safety. OR Invent something yourself. Using diagrams or a model, create a new invention that demonstrates the use of simple machines. Choice A: The invention must be useful to people living during the Renaissance, making their daily life easier or safer. Example: Design a machine to push away the scaling ladders of invaders trying to get inside a castle without exposing the castle dwellers to danger. Choice B: The invention must be useful now. Build it, and find out how to patent it. Example: a gadget that spreads toothpaste on a tooth brush using springs and gears. OR Discover Da Vinci's artistic side! Explore his art and/or sculptures and create your own work(s) of art. Example: Paint a Renaissance styled picture laying on the floor and taping your work to the bottom of a desk to experience what it was like for Da Vinci to create some of his cathedral frescoes. OR Look at Architecture, Symmetry, Shape and Size. Examples: Construct a model cathedral or bridge using Renaissance architectural designs. Explore the mathematics behind Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. Discover the mathematical world of Phi and see how it works in nature. OR A multi-media presentation that incorporates any of the above topics that interests you. The choices are endless, but if you choose this topic it must be specific and…It must be approved by Mr. Kennedy or Mr. Truss.

//**2. Personal Wikipages or Personal Journals**// Leonardo da Vinci kept fascinating notes in his journals on everything from drawings of a bird's wing, to the movement of water in rivers, to the way gears work, to how curtains fold and why they fold where they do. Create your own wiki page or personal (paper) journal of ideas. Some suggestions for items to put in your Wiki/journal include: Thoughts about da Vinci, plans for inventions, visual observations, drawings, artwork (we can scan this or your can have a paper notebook), notes about nature, favorite quotes or ideas, letters, magazine cut-outs, unique ideas, plans or supply list for your Young Da Vinci's project, other unique ideas.

//**3. Class Dialogues/ Class Participation**//

Thoughtfully participate in the on-line Discussions. Every wiki page has a discussion section and we can share our ideas and thoughts with each other in these spaces: Ask questions; Answer questions; Share your learning; Plan your project; and Reflect on the process of learning. Other things we hope to see: Class participation and involvement with daily activities. Good, consistent use of time, materials, and resources. Co-operation with teacher, group members and other students.


 * //4. A Young Da Vinci's Inventive Night Out!//**

On a date yet to be named, we will invite parents and special guests to come in and see the achievements of our Young Da Vinci's!

If you look at the navigation bar to the left, you will find 3 sections, the first will be project pages, these can be shared depending on if you want to work with a group or alone. Next you will see personal pages for each of you, and these will be your Journals to show your personal reflections and learning, (some of you might do a paper version of this if you want). Also, //if you work alone, these two sections could be on a single page.// The 3rd section is for links to resources to help you on your journey.


 * Click on the images on this page to explore some more!