A couple of years ago we had a family day out to see an exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci’s works at the Ulster Museum. A place my children love to visit. The children also learned about da Vinci in an online science class around the same time. Now things came full-circle when Leonardo da Vinci’s Flying Machines came home to us.
Leonardo daVinci’s Flying Machines
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Thank you, Tuttle Publications, for sending us a copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s Flying Machines to try out and share our honest opionions.
Da Vinci was well ahead of his time and surely everyone has seen his art at one time or another, even without realising it. While other works of his aren’t so widespread, but yet it is very interesting to see how his mind worked – inventing thisngs which were not yet possible to build at the time. It reminds me of the phrase – “It’s not impossible, it’s just not possible yet.”
A sample of our Flying Machines collection
Leonardo da Vinci’s Flying Machines Contains
13 full-colour Pop-out models
Easy-to-follow instructions
Slingshot launcher
The Projects:
The Falling Leaf
The Flitting Bird
The Parachute
Kite Glider
Flying Leonardo
Leonardo’s Dragonfly
Leonardo’s Flying Fish
Wing-testing Rig
Leonardo’s Flying Boat
The Ornithopter Boat
The Prone Ornithopter
TheFlying Screw
The Helicopter
What you need:
Putting the Flying Machines together
We put the models together as a family. We each chose a couple that were interesting to each of us and worked on them. With each desin, there is additional information about daVinci, as well as information about the particular design, including some of his sketches, which we found interesting.
The models were punched out and directions followed to fold, roll, and glue each piece into place.
Did They Really Fly?
Yes, the paper airplanes really did fly! We had more success with some than with others, as might be expected, but they were all fun to maneuver in the house, or on sunny days, outdoors.
READ MORE: Chinese Myths and LegendsHow to Incorporate Leonardo’s models into education:
Use as part of a unit study on Leonardo da Vinci, flight, art, or history, or engineering.
Learn about Italy’s culture and history.
Study the history of aviation.
Use it in an after school program/childminding/or a home education co-op.
Just have fun!
Where to Purchase Leonardo da Vinci’s Flying Machines
If you’re interested in purchasing Leonardo da Vinci’s Flying Machines, it’s available through:
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