Integrating tales with academics: 

Neo Leo The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci 

By Gene Barretta 
 
Title​: ​Neo Leo the Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci ​ integrating non-fiction with STEM 

Time: ​45-60 minutes (Lesson allows for flexibility in schedule)

Introduction:  

This is a STEM literacy lesson integrating the science of flight and invention with non-fiction, 
biography, and a little bit history. The anticipatory set includes questions to draw student’s prior 
knowledge with the invention of flight and biographies with the storybook ​Neo Leo the Ageless 
Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci​. This lesson is designed for elementary students 2nd-5th, however it can 
be adjusted to integrate deeper science concepts for 4th-6th.. The hands-on activity provides an 
exciting STEM challenge while the exit ticket checks for understanding. 

Library Standards: 
● Library Standards:

I (3) model and promote collaborative planning, cooperative teaching, and direct instruction as
determined by learners' needs and state curriculum standards

Instructional objectives:  
After a short discussion, telling of ​Leo Neo, ​and STEM activity the students will be able to identify two
facts from the story and one result reading biographies can have on others.

Biographies contain factual information about a person’s life. Many times this person inspires 
others or inspires ideas.   
 
Resources: 
● Neo Leo the Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci ​by Gene Barretta [book: Barretta, 
Gene. ​Neo Leo the Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci​. Henry Holt & Company, 2009.] 
● Prop for Storytelling: 
○ An inexpensive flying ball​/drone/or helicopter toy 
● Hands-on activity:   
○ paper (copter pattern from Exploratorium)
○ scissors
○ paper clips
○ Pencils & Erasers
● Challenge Course:
○ *A square piece of paper about one yard in measurement with a circle
drawn in the middle about 1 foot diameter to act as landing zone.
■ Or Area taped off (could use yarn/tape laid in a circle in the
library)
 ○ Bowl/bucket (optional for copter to land in) taped in middle of landing
zone.
● Assessment:
○ Notecard or paper strip
○ Pencil

Learning Outcomes:

Students will learn that biographies are true stories that contain factual information about a
person’s life. Biographies can inspire people and and their ideas.

Pre-Activity​:

Grab students attention by flying the flying ball around the room. Stop and discuss the features
on the ball that make it fly. A quick introduction to drag and lift could be discussed. What real
life object does it resemble? Ask questions about the invention of the flying ball; Where do you
think the inventor got this idea from?

Activity:

Students sit in storytime position. The librarian will begin to fly the ball around the room;
Depending on situation the ball could be flying around as students enter the library. Begin teh
Pre-Activity-Stop and discuss the features on the ball that make it fly. A quick introduction to
drag and lift could be discussed. What real life object does it resemble? Ask questions about
the invention of the flying ball; Where do you think the inventor got this idea from?

Introduce ​Igor Sikorsky who designed the first successful helicopter in the late 1930’s. His
inspiration came from drawings on an aircraft with a spinning wing, drawn by Leonardo da Vinci
nearly five hundred years before.”
 The VS-300 in a stable hover on November 24, 1939. Retrieved from
https://www.sikorskyarchives.com/S-46%20_VS-300_%20VS-300A.php

​ n page 18. Allow

Show picture of Leonardo da Vinci’s copter in the picture book ​Neo Leo o
students to compare the two and discuss how this image and invention inspired Mr. Sikorsky
both as an inventor and ideas in creating his copter device.

Read the story ​Neo Leo the Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci b
​ y Gene Barretta. Discussing the 
different ways his inventions inspired others. 

Closure: What genre is this book and why? Can you name some facts that were stated in the 
book? How do we know it is a fact? What ways did Leonardo’s inventions inspire others? 

Hands-on Activity: Pass out Roto-Copter pattern found here with complete instructions: 

https://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/roto-copter.html 
STEM Challenge: Like Da Vinci, create a device that spins through the air like a small helicopter.
Try to land your device in the target zone.

After students have finished making copters create a target on the floor.

Students practice throwing copter devices onto the target.

And/Or :Take the copters outside for more lift. They fly amazing! Just be ready for some to
land on the roof!

Cool thing to try:​ Look carefully at the direction of the spin (clockwise, counter
clockwise). Now bend the “wings” the opposite way and see if the direction of the spin
has changed.

Assessment:

Exit Ticket: Before leaving ask each student to write down at least one fact from the book and
one result reading biographies can have on others.

Modification of the Lesson:​ There are many modifications for this lesson:

For shorter time have the copters pre-made. The book is designed that you could read the
introduction and only the inventions that pertain to flight.

Math: Clock the time it takes different objects to fall to the ground with a parachute vs.
without.
Put a value on each of the materials. What is the value of your device? If you
were paid $10/minute you worked on the device, how much would you have
earned?

Geography: ​ Use a map as the target and students name the area their copter lands.

Science: Law of Motion and Gravity? Forces and Resistance

Draw and label a diagram of the device in your notebook.
Explore other inventions by Leonardo and Igor Sikorsky
*Engineering Design Process

Older students will learn about two air forces; lift and drag, that help objects fly. Here is a great
video by NASA to help with that: ​NASA - How drag, lift, and thrust work 

For more on aerodynamics check out this link: T

​ he Aerodynamics of Flight 
 

Supplemental information or sites:

Real World Application:
How does it work? The air pushes up on the blades when the copter is dropped creating
a “lift”. This lift bends the blade up just enough to create a sideways airflow that creates a
“thrusts” on the flat surface below the blades. Each blade creates a “thrust” on its side. Since
there is thrust on both side of the paper at an angle the object is put in a spinning motion.

Aerospace Engineers: ​Design and build machines that are designed to fly. Planes,
drones, helicopters, missiles, parachutes, etc.

Vocabulary: ​aer/aero (Greek root aer-means air, atmosphere- aerial, aerodynamic,

aeronautical, aerospace) air resistance, lift, thrust, drag, gravity, weight, release, increase,
decrease, above, below, device, clockwise, counter clockwise, inspiration, process force,
acceleration, direction, relationship, compare, friction, mass, investigate, inertia, gravity

Here the author, Gene Barretta, discusses the making of ​Neo Leo​ in an inspirational
presentation for older students. ​Gene Barretta and NEO LEO

Further study on Leonardo Da Vinci’s inventions can be found here: ​Leonardo Da Vinci’s
inventions