Italy

From the Leaning Tower of Pisa to the smiling Mona Lisa, Italy has long distinguished itself with its artistry, innovation and style. With scientists such as Galileo Galilei, artists such as Michelangelo and artist-scientists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Italy has made amazing contributions for a country slightly larger than Arizona. Explore Italian history, art, architecture, music, cuisine and more through the direct links on the Times Launch Point Web site, https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/

Level 1

World Surfari: Italy: Arrivederci is Italian for goodbye. This site, created by a 12-year-old boy, provides basic facts and history about Italy and gives you the chance to learn Italian words and make some great recipes.

https://www.supersurf.com/italy/

Photos of Rome: Visit Rome without leaving your home! See the Colosseum and look up the Spanish Steps, or see some of the paintings at the Vatican museum. The photographs at this site show many beautiful images of Italy’s capital.

https://www.travel.it/roma/roma_pho.html

The Etruscans: Let Larth the Etruscan take you on a journey through the ancient civilization of Etruria, Italy. Travel back more than 3,000 years to learn about the Etruscan people, their history and their culture through maps, art and artifacts.

https://www.agmen.com/etruscans/

Level 2

Let’s Roam Italy: Many musical terms are Italian, such as “piano” and “soprano,” and Italian composers have written some of the world’s greatest operas, such as “The Barber of Seville” and “Madama Butterfly.” Get acquainted with great Italian artists, musicians and scientists; view photos of historic Italy; and try out some recipes for risotto and biscotti in this great collection of resources.

https://library.advanced.org/2838/

Italy: Arcaini’s Home Page on Italy: Travel back in time through Italy’s rich and colorful history in this quick overview that spans the Stone Age through post-World War II. Learn important facts about this country through a map and timeline.

https://www.arcaini.com/Italy%20home%20page.html

Vinci: The Leonardo Museum: Leonardo da Vinci not only painted the “Mona Lisa” but also drew up plans for many inventions, including a helicopter, a parachute and an apparatus for breathing underwater. Learn about the many achievements of this original Renaissance man through a visit to a museum in his hometown.

https://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/

Level 3

Italy: Encarta Online Concise: A democratic republic since 1946, Italy’s government has a president, a prime minister and a parliament consisting of a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies. Compare the types of rulers Italy has had over the centuries and explore its many cultural contributions to the world.

https://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg;=2&ti;=00E91000

Windows on Italy: Italy produces more wine than any other country. Learn about Italian history beginning with the Stone Age all the way to the present and discover its geography, demographics, government, economy, literature, theater, cinema and cuisine.

https://www.mi.cnr.it/WOI/

Italy’s Volcanoes: On Aug. 24, 79, the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius buried the city of Pompeii in so much volcanic ash that the cities’ artwork and buildings were beautifully preserved when they were unearthed 17 centuries later. Read in-depth and up-to-date coverage of Italy’s volcanoes, including many photos and stories of their eruptions over the years.

https://www.geo.mtu.edu/~boris/STROMBOLI.html

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for appropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This column was designed by Michelle Bettini, Haiyen Hoang, Anna Alongi and Anna Manring.

EXPLORER’S QUEST

The answer to this Internet quiz can be found in the sites at right.

What was Italian scientist Galileo Galilei able to see with his improved telescope?

CLUE: See Let’s Roam Italy

Find What You Need to Know: Have a project on California history? Need help doing a math problem? Launch Point now covers more than 100 topics for getting your schoolwork done. Go to https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/ for the full list of subjects and direct links to the best Internet sites.

Answer to last week’s Quest: Theodore Roosevelt won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for negotiating a peace treaty between Russia and Japan, and Woodrow Wilson won the Peace Prize in 1919 for founding the League of Nations.