Da Vinci Creativity
Shown in the background is a da Vinci sketch: Oak leaves and Dyer's Greenweed using red chalk.
Shown in the background is a da Vinci sketch: Oak leaves and Dyer's Greenweed using red chalk.
For many reasons, "da Vinci Creativity" will always be a vibrant and relevant phrase in our math classes. There is something inherent within every soul that finds joy in creating works of beauty. And when our creativity progresses to yet another level—when useful and original inventions, or new innovations, come to mind—that can be still more rewarding. One of my favorite things to tell students is: "No field is a conquered field."
Hence, we will continually cultivate "da Vinci creativity" in our math classes to instill that creative, inventive, problem solving flair in every mind willing to embark on the adventure with us. Yes, creative problem solving is necessary for reaching the highest levels of success in math, but it is also useful in nearly every aspect of life and living, so that we can live life to the fullest.
Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Problem Solving: Moving Towards da Vinci Creativity
The given link will open a document which considers the amazing connection between creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving. It further explains why this has become a thing of enduring importance in Mr. Peters's math classes.
The Works of Leonardo da Vinci
The given links will open documents which allow viewers to see the various works, writings, and sketches of the famous artist and inventor.
1. The Codex Arundel is a 283-page manuscript by Da Vinci that contains notes on a wide variety of subjects that interested him, including mechanics and geometry. The physical copy is held in The British Library:
www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Arundel_MS_263
2. Codex Atlanticus is the largest single collection of drawings and writings by Da Vinci. It includes content about weaponry, musical instruments, mathematics, botany, and more across 1,119 leaves of paper. The entire codex spans Da Vinci's career through Florence, Milan, Rome, and Paris. The physical copy is held in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, Italy.
You can read the translated digitized version of Codex Atlanticus via The Visual Agency. It is available in Italian and English:
Note: My search engine warns this is not a secure site.
3. The Codex Trivulzianus contains 55 leaves of paper (originally 65), on which Da Vinci copied lists of words from lexical and grammatical sources. The physical copy of the manuscript is held at Sforza Castle in Milan, Italy.
You can view the Codex Trivulzianus online via the Archivo Storico Civico e Biblioteca Trivulziana:
trivulziana.milanocastello.it/en/content/leonardos-notebook
4. The Forster Codex is made up of five pocket notebooks that have been bound into three volumes. Inside, Da Vinci explores geometry, hydraulic engineering, theory of proportions, topology, and more. The physical copy is held in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England.
You can view the Codex Foster I, Codex Forster II, and Codex Forster III online via the Victoria and Albert Museum.
www.vam.ac.uk/articles/leonardo-da-vincis-notebooks
5. The Codex on the Flight of Birds is one of the best-known manuscripts. Relatively short, the codex includes illustrations and notes examining the flight patterns of birds and several inventions for flying machines. The physical copy of the manuscript is held in the Royal Library in Turin, Italy. You can view the Codex on the Flight of Birds online via the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's website:
airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/codex
6. The Madrid Codices are some of the most important manuscripts for the refined quality of their drawings and for the number of relevant writing on the science of mechanisms by Da Vinci. The physical copy is held at The Biblioteca Nacional de España. You can view the Madrid Codices online via The Biblioteca Nacional de España:
www.bne.es/en/Colecciones/Manuscritos/Leonardo/