SYLLABUS AND PREASSIGNMENT

TERM S210

COLLEGE OF MOUNT ST. JOSEPH

DEPARTMENTS OF ART AND BIOLOGY

COURSE TITLE: IDS 380C T6 The Mediterranean: The Art and Science of Leonardo da Vinci (3 credit hours)

PREREQUISITES: sophomore status, and GPA cum min. 2.0

INSTRUCTOR (S): Gene Kritsky, Ph.D. Biology, SC 205, 523-244-4401, cdarwin@aol.com: Daniel E. Mader, M.A. Art, Ziv Art Building, 205A 513 244 4317, Dan_mader@mail.msj.edu.

Dr. Gene Kritsky is a former Fulbright Scholar to Egypt where he taught at Minya University and researched insects as a hieroglyphic motif in tombs and temples. His research on Leonardo followed his examination of the Leicester Codex in 1996. Since then he has been reviewing Leonardo’s notebooks, drawings, and paintings, for evidence of Leonardo’s study of insects. He has examined Leonardo’s work at the Smithsonian’s National Gallery, the National Art Gallery in London, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Dan Mader is a Professor of Art History and a sculptor. He is MSJ Travel Coordinator, IDS (Interdisciplinary Studies) Core Coordinator, and oversees the college’s London Program. He teaches the History of Design, Three-Dimensional Design, and Sculpture. He teaches Foundations Seminar, and co-teaches both Mediterranean courses: Ancient Greece, and Ancient Egypt. As a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow, he conducted art historical research at the Vatican Museums in Rome. He has examined Leonardo’s drawings in the collection at Windsor Castle in Great Britain, and his paintings in both the Louvre in Paris, and in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. He has visited exhibits of models, based on Leonardo’s drawings in both Europe and the US.

COURSE MEETS: BRIEFING: S210, Wednesdays (3/3, 4/7, 4/28, 6/2) all but first, from 6.30- – 9.20p. FIELD TRIP TO Italy: dates are 6/3 – 6/12. COURSE PROJECT COMPLETION: S111, field trip images/celebration on 8/18, culmination project on 8/25. .

TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE:

Mar Wed 3 Meeting of participants; Overview; Logistical orientation 4 – 5p

Apr Wed 7 Readings and Pre-Trip Assignment Initiated

Apr Wed 28 Pre-Trip Assignment due

June Wed 2 Final pre-departure meeting

June Thur 3 Depart Cincinnati

June Fri 4 Arrive in Rome/ Walking tour of Rome neighborhood

June Sat 5 Vatican Museums and city tour

June Sun 6 Depart Rome for Florence

June Mon 7 Uffizi Gallery/History of Science Museum and city tour

June Tue 8 Depart Florence for Vinci

June Wed 9 Tour Vinci Museum and Leonardo’s birthplace

June Thur 10 Depart Vinci for Milan/ Walking tour of Milan

June Fri 11 Santa Maria delle Grazie/Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science

and Technology/ Sforza Castle Museum

June Sat 12 Depart Milan for Rome and Cincinnati

Aug Wed 18 Leonardo images due

Aug Wed 25 Culmination project due

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Through examination of Leonardo da Vinci, this course thoroughly explores the man and his singular historical legacy. Specifically we assess his far ranging interdisciplinary contributions to modern scientific theory. This study is team taught by two MSJ faculty members.

Research will take place in the MSJ classroom, and in Italy during a 10-day fieldtrip. These sites have the most authentic collections of Leonardo da Vinci primary source documents in the world. Highlights will include examination of Leonardo’s work in Rome, in Florence, in Vinci, and in Milan.

PRE-TRIP ASSIGNMENT

To determine a baseline for knowledge of Leonardo’s influence on contemporary life, students are asked to:

1. Gather ten examples each of contemporary use of Leonardo’s name, art, inventions, or ideas in electronic, print, and or video media. Put these examples in presentation form either on display board, or in an electronic presentation format such as PowerPoint.
2. Using five to ten sources write how Leonardo da Vinci has contemporary significance. Paper should be 8 – 10 pages in length with footnotes and bibliography. Sources must include periodical, and books, as well as Internet.

Baccalaureate LOPIs

(Approved by CCEP on 04-03-07 and by Faculty Assembly on 04/10/07)

Communication

Write and speak effectively

1. Speak using language appropriate to the audience
2. Write using language appropriate to the audience
3. Document sources properly
4. Construct a message that is relevant to its purpose

Critical Thinking

Develop an appropriate response to a problem or question

1. Describe the ambiguous nature of an issue
2. Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information
3. Utilize data to evaluate a problem or question
4. Support a position with appropriate evidence

Sociocultural Relationships

Understand the nature of human cultures

1. Describe the influence of cultural diversity within a society
2. Identify bias within a culture
3. Explain how religious values influence a society
4. Describe causes of cultural change

Ethics

Understand ethical responsibility from the perspective of duty, consequences, or virtue

1. Define your personal ethical responsibilities
2. Describe your professional ethical responsibilities
3. Explain how Catholic teaching emphasizes social justice and social responsibility
4. Illustrate how values inform your ethical decisions

Interdisciplinarity

Solve a problem by integrating the perspectives of multiple disciplines

1. State the views of multiple disciplines on an issue
2. Compare views from multiple disciplines
3. Create a solution to a problem by integrating the perspectives of multiple disciplines

Citizenship

Recognize your responsibility to the community and the world

1. Define your responsibilities as a citizen of the local community
2. Define your responsibilities as a citizen of the global community
3. Describe the relationship between community and world issues
4. Evaluate your own involvement as a citizen

First draft distributed to Faculty on 01/30/2007

Revised draft submitted to Faculty on 03/21/07

Revised and approved by CCEP on 04/03/2007

Approved by Faculty Assembly 04/10/07

COURSE OBJECTIVES WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF MSJ UNDERGRADUATE LO/PI: (At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to):

• Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity/breadth of Leonardo’s influence through the pre-assignment and discussion to follow (Citizenship 2, Socio-cultural Relationships 1, Communication 1- 4, Critical Thinking 1 - 4)
• Demonstrate an understanding of Leonardo’s ideas, art, and inventions (Ethics 1 and 2, Communication 1, 2 and 4, Critical Thinking 1 - 4);
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively through discussion of Leonardo’s impact on contemporary philosophy, religion, science, art, and lifestyle through writing of a term paper (Communication 1 - 4);
• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of Leonardo in discussion of field experiences (Interdisciplinarity 1 - 3, Critical Thinking 1 - 4);
• Demonstrate the ability to express or respond to Leonardo’s aesthetic/inventive qualities through journal reflections, and sketches (Critical thinking 1 – 4, Interdisciplinarity 3);
• Demonstrate world view of the central beliefs, practices, and heritage of cultures other than their own, and investigate knowledge gained from two or more disciplines through discussion of field experiences, and writing of a term paper (Citizenship 2 - 4, Interdisciplinarity 1 - 3), Socio-cultural Relationships 3, Communication 1 - 4);
• Demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively through culminating project involving Leonardo, and/or science, and/or art, and/or philosophy, and/or religion (Critical Thinking 1 – 4, Interdisciplinarity 3)

STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITIES

The above course objectives will be accomplished as the student carries out his or her responsibilities in the course. Students are expected to have read the assigned reading prior to the pre-trip class meetings, and to attend all the sessions.

The course also requires a travel experience. Travel courses are enjoyable ways to learn about other cultures, their history, art, science, and values. Students will be expected to be flexible as they travel as a group, to help, and to watch out for each other.

Students receiving a passing grade in this course will have demonstrated they can appreciate the interdisciplinary aspects of foreign travel and applied that appreciation in their projects.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

March 3

Overview and visual presentation on the logistics of the trip 4 – 5p

April 7

Readings and Pre-trip Assignment initiated

April 28

Pre-trip Assignment is due—discussion of individual presentations

June 2

Final pre-departure meeting

June 3 Depart Cincinnati for overnight flight to Rome.

June 4 Early morning arrival in Rome/Introductory walking

of target sites. (Rome)

June 5 Examine Leonardo in the National Gallery, and in the Vatican

Museums. (Rome)

June 6 Depart Rome for Florence/Walking tour of Florence. (Florence)

June 7 Examine Leonardo’s paintings in the Uffizi gallery and

displays at the History of Science Museum. (Florence)

June 8 Depart Florence for Vinci/ Walking tour of Vinci (Vinci)

June 9 Tour the Leonardo Museum that houses significant models made

from Leonardo’s plans in sketches; Visit Leonardo’s birthplace.

(Vinci)

June 10 Depart Vinci for Milan/ Walking tour of Milan. (Milan)

June 11 Visit The Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie, the Leonardo

da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology, and the Sforza

Castle collection of Leonardo’s work. (Milan)

June 12 Early morning departure to Rome and return to Cincinnati.

Aug Wed 18

Leonardo field trip image/meal sharing party

Aug Wed 25

Completed Culminating projects are presented and critiqued by peers

Cost: $4,850 course fee for the Spring 2010 course: instruction, transportation, hotels, and most sightseeing.

Students will need spending money for all else, including meals, tips, and for any optional activities.

N.B.: The course is limited to 12 qualified student participants.

REQUIRED TEXT:

Vezzosi, A. (1997). Discoveries: Leonardo Da Vinci: The Mind of the

Renaissance. New York: Harry N. Abrams.

SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS (AS ASSIGNED BY INSTRUCTORS):

Da Vinci, Leonardo. (1956). Leonardo da Vinci. New York: Reynal.

Sapin, P. (Producer/Director) (2005) Leonardo’s Dream Machines [DVD] Alexandria, VA: PBS Home Video.

Grazer, B and Calley, J. (Producers), & Howard, R. (Director). (2006). The DaVinci Code [Motion Picture]. United States: Columbia Pictures.

Vasari, Giorgio. (1987). Lives of the Artists. Translated by George Bull. New York: Penguin Books.

INTERNET RESOURCES:

Museum of Science http://www.mos.org/leonardo/

ThinkQuest Internet Challenge http://library.thinkquest.org/3044/

Artcyclopedia

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/leonardo_da_vinci.html

Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci http://www.drawingsofleonardo.org/

Wisdom Portal.com

http://www.wisdomportal.com/Stanford/LadyWithAnErmine.html

Vatican Museums, Rome

http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html

Museums of Florence

http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/History_of_Science_museum.html

Leonardo da Vinci Museum, Vinci

http://www.leonet.it/comuni/vincimus/invinmus.html

Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology, Milan

http://www.museoscienza.org/English/Leonardo/

Sforza Castle, Milan

http://milanitaly.ca/attractions/castellosforzesco.html

FIELD TRIP TO ITALY

Transportation: a travel agent will arrange international air. Details on the route will depend on costs. At this time, travel will be non-stop from Cincinnati to Rome, coach through Italy to Milan, then a connecting flight to Rome, with non-stop to Cincinnati

Host Site: We will be staying in hotels in Rome, Florence, Vinci, and Milan.

Lodging and Meals: Students will live in single, double, triple, or quadruple occupancy rooms. The cost of meals will be the responsibility of the students. The instructors will be accompanying the students at all meals.

FIELDTRIP LEARNING: LECTURE, JOURNAL, AND SKETCHES

The fieldtrip to Italy is the central student learning experience. Surrounded by history in the form of museum collections of drawing, paintings, models, and the birthplace of Leonardo, students will enthusiastically learn. The accompanying faculty will conduct classes daily in informal but unforgettable locations. Students will take notes, journal, and/or sketch as they wish.

CULMINATION PROJECT

This final project will demonstrate the student’s connection of Leonardo to the contemporary world. It has two parts. All students will write a self-reflective 1 – 2 page paper, “How travel to Italy has changed me.” Beyond this, students are expected to complete a unique project based on the immersion experience. Typical projects may be created in any media. The projects should reflect a minimum of 30 hours of work. If a paper is selected for the project, it should be 15 - 20 pages in length with illustrations, footnotes, and bibliography. Sources must include periodical, and books, as well as Internet. Other typical projects could be as follows:

1. Creation of an art work (fabric, print, drawing, print, ceramics, sculpture, painting etc.) that blends concepts of Leonardo in a modern subject;
2. Writing of modern myths, or “urban legends” in Leonardo’s style;
3. Building a three – dimensional model of a Leonardo concept drawing;
4. Socio-cultural comparison of the modern world vs. Leonardo da Vinci’s. Areas of comparison might cover, religion, family, lifestyle etc.).

E-PORTFOLIO

During your senior capstone course(s), you will be asked for an electronic file containing examples of your work throughout your college experience. Although not required at this time, and although the precise form of the e-portfolio is not clear yet, we suggest you keep a file for each class and/or term with examples of writing and visual pieces. The visual pieces may be jpeg images. This action now will save you last minute research in your senior year.

TEACHING METHODOLOGY (LEARNING STRATEGIES):

Assigned readings and projects, informal lecture, internet/CD-ROM /DVD materials, journals and photographs from field study, discussion, peer critiques, writing, and formulation of final interdisciplinary project.

METHOD OF EVALUATING ACHIEVEMENT OF OUTCOMES:

The grading scale for each assignment, project and activity evaluated follow MSJ guidelines:

A = Excellent Achievement 90-100

B = High Achievement 80-89

C = Satisfactory Achievement 70-79

D = Minimal Achievement 60-69

F = Failure below 60

The grade for the course is based on the relevance, significance, and quality of the following:

1. Completion of Pre-trip assignment 25%
2. Attendance and participation in pre/post-trip classes 25%
3. Enthusiastic participation in field trip activities, completion of

journal, and/or sketches 25%

4. Completion of a reflection statement or paper, and the final

culminating project 25%

Each project represents approximately one fourth of the Final grade.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

Attendance at all class sessions is required. One exception may be made in extreme circumstances at the discretion of the instructor; however, instructor must be notified of the serious need to be absent prior to the beginning of the class session. Students are expected to arrive on time and remain the entire class session.

SPECIAL

If you have specific physical, psychological, or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please let us know immediately so that your learning needs may be appropriately met.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

When we use the information and language of others to enrich our reflection and research papers we must:

· Tell the reader when we are quoting and indicate the source (person, book, article, etc.) of the quotation.

· Tell the reader when we are paraphrasing and indicate the source (person, book, article, etc.) of that information.

Quoting or paraphrasing the information and/or language of a source without naming the source is plagiarism. Plagiarism is unacceptable in an academic institution and is subject to penalty. Please consult the College Catalog and the Student Handbook for additional information and policies regarding academic honesty.