Languages

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Latin Program

Latin is introduced in the 5^th grade and taught twice weekly through the 8^th grade. All students take Latin as part of their regular coursework.

In grades 5 and 6, the curriculum is teacher-designed, with the following objectives:

• to integrate with the topics covered in the Core Knowledge Sequence
• to introduce grammatical terms
• to provide oral language experience
• to introduce English derivatives of Latin vocabulary
• to establish a knowledge of basic Latin words

In the 7^th grade, the textbook Jenney’s First Year Latin is used so that students may systematically learn the grammar, vocabulary and syntax expected of beginning Latin students. Other reading materials and projects exploring the cultural history of the ancient Romans enrich the class activities.

8^th graders continue working in the textbook, supplemented by readings in Ecce Romani, Aesopius Hodie, and Wheelock’s Stories. As a culminating project, 8^th graders stage a year-end outdoor production in Latin.

In all grades Latin work is linked with the Core Knowledge Sequence, so that students put on, in Latin, a puppet show of Roman gods when learning about those deities in Humanities. In Science, the astronomy unit provides a forum for discussion of the names and characteristics of planets and derivative science vocabulary. Character education and community service activities are interwoven into the regular class work. Fables, myths and Roman history provide a fertile curriculum from which to mine instances of moral behavior. Much of the community service activity augments the study of younger children; projects created by the Latin students are used in the lower grades in which related topics are being studied.

The curriculum is assessed through the students’ performance in the National Latin Exams, administered annually. To date, over 50 students in grades 7 & 8 have scored high enough to merit medals and certificates in these exams.