World Languages Department

Essential Knowledge and Skills

Students in Latin I follow the suggested national standards and syllabus as published by the American Classical League. These students will study 1st, 2nd, and 3rd declension nouns, and verbs of all four conjugations. Various grammar points will be introduced, such as case, number, and gender for nouns, and person, number, and tense for verbs. Students will learn and recognize all the case and verb endings, how to count in Roman numerals, the cardinal and ordinal number system, all the personal pronouns, and several irregular verb forms, especially sum, esse.
Students will also explore various cultural aspects of ancient Rome and Greece, including mythology, history, lifestyles, engineering, art, science, and philosophy. Students also study how these ancient societies still influence the cultures of today. Topics of interest include mottoes, abbreviations, government, architecture, science, and law. Throughout the year, students will create several projects that include a poster of a mythological god or goddess, a biographical collage of an ancient historical figure, a tile mosaic with an ancient theme, and a multimedia video presentation cataloguing a major event in ancient history.

Indicators of Student Learning

Upon the completion of this course, students will:

• Understand basic Latin grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

• Be able to translate basic sentences and passages from English to Latin & Latin to English.

• Improve English grammar skills and increase English vocabulary.

• Have a deep appreciation for Roman and Greek mythology, history, life-styles, art, and architecture.

• Gain insight into the languages of Law, medicine, and general science.

• Participate in the national Latin and Mythology exams, and track their competency amongst other programs from around the country.

• Become a lifetime member of the Junior Classical League.

•Participate in the State or National Junior Classical League Convention.

Communication

• Focus on written Latin translations and Latin composition from English.

• Strong emphasis on reading and writing

• Translate Latin from the texts, websites, and inscriptions found on various buildings, both ancient and contemporary.

• Write and defend several English essays based on various aspects of Greek and Roman culture on a regular basis. which will enable students to bridge the gap between learning Latin grammar and vocabulary to improving their written communication skills in English.

Technology

• Readily access the Internet for required homework lists, translation packets, project information, syllabus, and other online resources.

• Regularly email the teacher the required homework assignments, having been typed and compressed as attachments.

• Receive and open emails from the teacher, which include corrected homework, reminders of project or exam deadlines, and links to helpful online resources.

• Access the online resources offered by the textbook publisher. These include additional assignments for vocabulary, translations, and cultural components that students will use for further practice.

• Learn to use state of the art digital photography and multimedia resources available either at home or in the school’s computer labs. Photoshop, iMovie, iDVD, and iPhoto are just a few of the programs that students will learn to use.

• Produce and share presentations using a LCD projector and/or Smartboard, along with all the proper audio and video connections.

Assessment Upon the completion of this course, students will:

• Demonstrate competency in Latin grammar and vocabulary by translating both from Latin to English, and English to Latin.

• Comprehend simple spoken commands and phrases; participating and completing online assignments, quizzes, and exams; competing in online academic contests; participating in the national Latin Exam, and tracking competency amongst other students from around the country.

• Demonstrate competency in Greek and Roman Mythology by producing a well-researched and visually aesthetic god or goddess poster, participating in the national mythology exams, and tracking competency amongst other students from around the country.

• Demonstrate competency in Roman history, specifically the Regal and Republic eras by using correct terminology, expressing ideas clearly, explaining chronological events, presenting ideas and information in visual presentations, written response, and multi-media presentations.

• Demonstrate competency in technology by: corresponding with the instructor via email, daily checking and completing online homework, quizzes, and exams; creating, editing, and reproducing multimedia presentations; archiving all the year’s homework into an indexed personal electronic portfolio.