Leonardo da Vinci was a 15th century Italian polymath whose areas of interest included painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history, and cartography. Some of his most famous works include The Last Supper, the Mona Lisa, and the Virgin of the Rocks. He apprenticed under the artist Andrea del Verrocchio beginning at age 15 and left the workshop at age 21. Many of Leonardo's inventions, including designs for tanks, helicopters, and parachutes, were far ahead of their time.

1. LEONARDO DA VINCI – a powerful mind1452-1519

2. The geniuscartographerengineerPainterMATHEMATICIANinventorsculptornaturalist

3. Early lifeLeonardo was born in the middle of the 15th century, and started painting and designing at a very early age. Would you like to know about his early period of life?Take a look at this site, http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ki-Lo/Leonardo-da-Vinci.html

4. APPRENTICESHIPYouhaveread he wasanilegitimatechild and always livedwithhisfather, but ...wheredid he go at theage of 15? Whowashismaster in art at that time? How oldwas he when he leftthisworkshop? Whataretherumoursaboutthemaster and Da Vinci?Have a look at thiswebsite, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/336408/Leonardo-da-Vinci

5. His famous paintingsThe last supper, the Gioconda, the Virgin of the Rocks, Saint John the Baptist, Annunciation…….These are some of the most famous of his works, can you tell us something about a couple of them?Look here, http://www.leonardo-da-vinci-biography.com/leonardo-da-vinci-painting.html

7. This is a sample of the way he took notes. How is it called?Mention any important contribution of Leonardo we use today and comment.http://library.thinkquest.org/3044/adv_skch.html

8. What is this famous drawing? When did he do it? What kind of study was Leonardo doing here?http://leonardodavinci.stanford.edu/submissions/clabaugh/history/leonardo.html

9. Points for reflexionWhat would have happened if Leonardo could have built many of his inventions?How long did we take to use a tank?How many years passed before we “invented” photography?What about the ball bearings and the steam machine?Would our world be different today if Da Vinci’s notes had survived?What other man in history has given so many contributions to the worlds of art and science?Think of all these questions.