SALVETE OMNES!

Welcome to Latin at Falls Church High School . Our exciting curriculum integrates language, history, and culture to introduce our students to the Roman world. The work in this class will supplement and support our students' work in the World History SOL. In addition, students at all levels will be encouraged to use their knowledge about Latin roots to help them develop and expand their vocabulary. This work will serve them well as they prepare for other SOL's, and more especially, for the SAT's.

To motivate and encourage our students, Falls Church High School offers a growing Latin Club where students will be able to explore their interests through extra-curricular activities including Latin Certamen. The Foreign Language Department encourages our students to participate in the National Latin Exam and other assessment programs. We had one prefect score on the NLE last year. Statistics show that participation in programs like these helps to motivate students to do their best. You can learn more about the NLE on Magister's BlackBoard site.

Lingua Latina I: Third Quarter Activities, 2005-06

Grammar

The prime focus of our work in the third quarter to the end of the year is on the Latin verb system. We just introduced the perfect tense, and will soon introduce the future, pluperfect, and future perfect tenses. This material establishes the critical foundation for more advanced work in Latin in the second year.

Functions / Vocabulary

Students are now expected to learn ALL principle parts of the Latin verb. Over spring break they will study a list of 28 common Latin verbs, and they will soon be assessed on their ability to recall the principle parts and meaning of each. In addition, students are memorizing the first three sentences of Julius Caesar's De Bello Gallico . They will recite these lines from memory on the first day back from spring break.

We continue to encourage students to identify (and think about) the part of speech of every Latin word they learn.

Culture

Through the story line of their Ecce Romani textbook, students learn about the basic structure of a Roman family, the way wealthy Romans lived, the kinds of houses they occupied, and the kind of clothes they wore. They also study the geography of Rome and its relation to the rest of Italy and the Roman Empire . We will learn about the development of Roman government from monarchy through the republic to the establishment of the empire under Caesar Augustus.

Lingua Latina II: First Quarter Activities, 2005-06

Grammar

Students have studied the deponent verb and Roman dating, and the Roman calendar.

Functions / Vocabulary

We are learning vocabulary specific to thematic units about Roman culture and daily living such as dining, entertainment, and weddings.

Culture

The story line of our textbook has given us a glimpse of schooling in ancient Rome , and the importance of Vergil's Aeneid as a primary cultural text.

Lingua Latina III: First Quarter Activities, 2005-06

Grammar

We continue to learn uses of the subjunctive mood while reviewing indirect statement, and ablative absolute constructions which we learned in the 2 nd quarter.

Functions / Vocabulary

Vocabulary is quite rich and focused on thematic issues pertinent to daily living in ancient Rome .

Culture

We anticipate reading mythological stories in Latin about Hercules. As time and interests permit, we shall conclude the year reading about Odysseus and Jason and the Argonauts.