Make Your Own Zibaldone

Make Your Own Zibaldone

A zibaldone is the Italian word for “a heap of things.” This is what Leonardo’s notebook was called. He collected a heap of ideas, observations, questions, and experiments on the pages of his notebooks, putting everything he saw or thought into the same book, instead of having different notebooks for different topics. And he used every corner and both sides of every page. In the 1400s, books and paper were more plentiful than they had ever been, but they still...
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Magnetic Field Viewer

Magnetic Field Viewer

From Electricity

You can see magnetic fields in action with this easy-to-make viewer.

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Build a Craft Stick Catapult

Build a Craft Stick Catapult

From Engines!

Ancient armies used catapults in battle. But the catapult has been used as recently as World War I. In that war, soldiers used catapults to toss hand grenades at the enemy. Today, catapults are used to launch planes off the decks of huge ships called aircraft carriers. Because the runway is short on an aircraft carrier, the catapult helps get the plane into the air quickly. Try making your own!

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The STEM in Your Closet

The STEM in Your Closet

From The Science of Fashion

Have you ever really thought about what kind of science, engineering, and technology actually go into making your clothes? Now is your chance! The zipper on your jacket was at one time an engineering miracle. The shirt that has built-in protection from the sun’s ultraviolet rays is a scientific innovation that helps to keep you healthy. There is a world of science and engineering in your closet. Just open the door.

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Build the Eiffel Tower

Build the Eiffel Tower

From The Science and Technology of Marie Curie

Built in 1889 for the World Exposition, the Eiffel Tower honored the French Revolution. It also showcased national engineering and design expertise to an audience of global visitors. Originally intended as a temporary monument, it remains one of the world’s most visited landmarks. The structure of the tower itself is actually quite simple! To understand how its rivets and beams join, build a model of your own.

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Reviews

Booklist
"At the heart of the book . . . is Leonardo’s never-ending quest for knowledge. Imparting this curiosity to readers are 23 activities and experiments with lists of supplies, step-by-step directions, and ways to 'Think like Leo!' In the process, readers learn about Da Vinci’s genius and the relationship among STEAM’s components."

Christopher Pye, 1924 Professor of English, Williams College
The Science and Technology of Leonardo da Vinci is a marvelous introduction to Leonardo’s thought and practice. Informed, vivid, and engaging, the book draws connections between the entire range of Leonardo’s endeavors and encourages readers to learn in precisely the way Leonardo himself learned: by doing. A superb addition to Nomad Press’s Build It Yourself Science Biographies series.”

Detailed Book Description

Welcome to the Renaissance, a time of discovery, wonder, and exploration!

During the Renaissance, inventors and other creative thinkers designed and constructed many new things. And one of the people on the forefront of that awakening was Leonardo da Vinci. In The Science and Technology of Leonardo da Vinci, readers ages 9 through 12 explore the life of one of the world’s most amazing minds. They ponder the same kinds of questions that drove Leonardo to tinker and experiment endlessly: What is the inside of the body like? How might humans fly? How can geometry be used to design strong buildings?

Kids gain insight into anatomy, botany, engineering, and much more through hands-on STEM activities, essential questions, text-to-world connections, and links to online resources.

Try these hands-on STEM projects!

  • Play with perspective
  • Design a water clock
  • Make a camera obscura
  • Build an odometer
Available In:
Hardcover, $22.95
9781647410117
Paperback, $17.95
9781647410148
Includes: Table of Contents | Timeline | Charts | Glossary | Resources | Index | Metric Conversions Chart
Specs: 8 x 10 size | 4-color interior | 128 pages
Subject: Science
Content Focus: Engineering & Technology

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Timeline

Introduction
Meet Leonardo da Vinci

Chapter 1
Leonardo’s Art

Chapter 2
Civil Engineering: From Bridges to Tanks

Chapter 3
Getting Under the Skin: Anatomy

Chapter 4
Visualizing Numbers: Mathematics

Chapter 5
Astronomy & Light

Chapter 6
Taking Flight

Glossary
Metric Conversions
Essential Questions
Resources
Selected Bibliography
Index