Fernandez Family of Five: Leonardo Day in First Grade...

Riley's first grade class has been studying Leonardo DaVinci this month. Riley has learned a lot of fascinating things about him but I think her favorite was that he wrote things backwards because he was left handed and did not want to smear the ink nor did he want people to know what he was writing. Riley thought this was very funny and enjoyed writing her name as "Yelir" instead of "Riley." Riley's class had a Leonardo Day and recited a cute poem about Leonardo, sang a song about water since Leonardo was fascinated with water and had a little musuem set up that parents could come and learn all about Leonardo. Leonardo was an inventor, a sculptor, a painter, and an observer. We also enjoyed Minestone Soup for lunch which the kids had made in honor of Leonardo being a vegetarian. It was very good soup!!!

The children reciting their poem about Leonardo DaVinci

Riley showing the parents some of Leonardo's flying inventions, a jet, a helicopter, a parachute, and a hang glider.

The children had to draw what their own invention would be.... Riley would invent a clean up crew. She knows we need that at our house! :)

Riley showing her jet that she made in art class.

Each child had to sculpt some kind of animal out of clay. Riley made a prancing deer.

The children re-created Leonardo's "Ideal City" out of blocks. There was a lot of sickness going around so Leonardo created an ideal city where it would be clean (clean water, clean streets and sidewalks) so people would not get sick.

The children made their own self portraits. Click on the photo to see it enlarged and read Riley's description of herself.

The children had to say why they thought Mona Lisa was smiling in her portrait. Riley said, "I think that Mona Lisa was smiling because she hadn't a picture painted of her before." :) Does that mean if she had one before she would not be smiling?? I think this is why Riley does not smile in her photos because she is tired of being photographed!!