2011-12 Latin 3 Honors

Course Description

Latin 3 Honors

Contact info:

Dr. Donal McGay

Radnor High School

Email: donal.mcgay@rtsd.org (preferred)

Phone: 610-293-0855 ext. 3520

Dr. McGay’s Curriculum Vitae

B.A. in Greek and Latin, cum laude, Gettysburg College

M.A. and Ph.D. in Classics, Fordham University.

Dissertation: The Manuscript Tradition of Demosthenes:

Oration 54, Against Conon.

Researched in many European libraries, incl. The Vatican Library

Lived in Rome for one year (2000)– visited all major architectural

sites and collected a digital photo library of 4, 000 + images

2 for 1: Wife is also a professor of Classics at Villanova Univ.

Summer of 1998: studied at the American School of Classical

Studies at Athens

Used to be live-in caretaker and docent of historic house

museum in The Bronx, NY. The Valentine-Varian House (next page)

Welcome back to school and, more importantly, welcome to

Latin 3 Honors! The following guidelines will ensure that you begin

the year bono pede or on the right foot. Please read the syllabus and

course expectations carefully and share them with your parents.

Please also sign the end of the document.

Latin 3 Honors offers a broader study of the Latin language,

and ultimately the completion of grammar instruction. Therefore,

Latin 3 Honors will prepare the student for reading actual Latin

authors, including those on the AP syllabus. After a review of Latin

2 H, we will continue reading Latin right away as we follow the

career of Quintus Horatius Flaccus, more famously known as the

poet Horace, who lived in the first century BC, and was a major

player in the literary circles of his day. Through each of his episodes,

we will learn about the ancient Roman way of life while studying the

Latin language. Moreover, on “NLE days,” we will explore the

history, myths and culture of the Romans.

Books, workbooks and materials

Required:

Oxford Latin Course, Book III - This is a state book that you will

sign out at the beginning of the year, COVER, and return at the end

of the year.

A composition book (preferably college-ruled) for all written homework,

class notes, and observation lists.

A 3 ring binder with a Latin section to organize notes and handouts.

(Students will receive many handouts.) Suggestion: (1) get a 1½ inch binder

with college-ruled paper (Students could divide the binders by: vocab

handouts, grammar handouts, or by chapters, etc.);

(2) Plastic sheet protectors for handouts that are referred to often.

lots of #2 pencils and/or blue or black pens & colored pens (for

corrections-green, red, pink, purple, etc.)

lots of 3” x 5” index cards for vocabulary and derivatives (get a brick of

cards and keep them at home)

**Failure to bring necessary materials to class means you learn less

AND reduces your class participation grade- so bring everything EVERY

DAY!

Recommended Materials and websites:

A grammar insert or quick reference guide: Spark Notes Latin

Grammar, or “Graphic Latin Grammar.”

Latin- English dictionary: Harper Collins, Bantam, Larousse

and Oxford are all good editions.

www.nd.edu/~archives/latgramm.htm is also a great online

Latin/English dictionary.

www.wordinfo.info is a wonderful resource for vocabulary and

Greek and Latin derivatives.

See my website for other great links.

If a student needs help outside of class he/she should see me ASAP

to schedule a meeting.

For updated information and practice opportunities throughout the

year, check out the class website, under Dr. McGay-Latin 3 Honors.

Navigate to this from rtsd.org via the “Schools” tab, then RHS, then

Teacher Web Pages.

*Honor Code*: In addition to observing the honor code for

quizzes, tests and all assigned work outside of class, I will refuse to

write a college recommendation for any student found cheating or

cutting a Latin class. Initial on the document.

ABSENCES:

If you miss class for any reason other than

illness/accident, you are expected to be prepared, with

homework complete, on the next class day. I expect you

to email me the reason for your absence no later than the

day of the absence. Field trips and other planned absences

do not excuse you from homework and test preparation.

Please notify me in advance if you plan to miss class so

that I can give you the work ahead of time.

Work missed due to an excused absence must be

made up in a timely fashion. (Please see homework policy

in the student handbook.) The student is responsible to

come speak with me to make the necessary arrangements –

although you may think I live under my desk, I don’t and I

will not seek you out.

Quarterly Schedule

First Quarter:

Review of Latin 2

Oxford Latin Course,

Book III, chapters 34-38

Project: Ancient Dress-Up Day

Second Quarter:

Oxford Latin Course,

Book III, chapters 39-43

Project: TBD

Midterm Examination

Third Quarter:

Oxford Latin Course,

Book III, chapters 44-48

National Latin Exam + Medusa Myth Exam

Project: Annual Philadelphia Classical Society Competition

Fourth Quarter:

Oxford Latin Course,

Book III, chapters 49-54

Project: TBD

Final Examination

Grade Distribution

Each Quarter:

40% - “Assessment” : Grammar/Translation Quizzes and Tests, +

Projects/Presentations (Block Days)

30% - “Vocabulary” : Vocabulary Cards and Vocabulary

Quizzes/Tests (Block Days)

16% - Homework

14% - Class Participation

Tests: On HAC, the “Assessment” category

includes assessments of grammatical concepts,

forms, reading comprehension passages,

translations, projects (see below) and may also

include culture sections. There will be a test per

each unit, following the completion of each review

chapter in the textbook. Every Blockday we will

have an assessment.

Projects & Presentations: Time permitting, one

project or presentation will be assigned each quarter.

These will include a Dress-Up As an Ancient Day, the

annual Philadelphia Classical Society Project, poster

projects, models, PowerPoints, and others.

Vocabulary: On HAC, the “Vocabulary” category includes

vocabulary and derivative assessments, e.g., vocabulary quizzes,

vocabulary tests, vocabulary puzzles, and vocabulary cards (see

below). So, there will be approximately 2 quizzes for each chapter in

the textbook given on Block days. Remember, grammar sections will

be scored in the “Assessment” category in HAC; vocabulary sections

in the “Vocabulary” category in HAC. By isolating distinct

vocabulary and grammar grades, the teacher (and parents and

students) can better see areas of need.

Vocabulary Cards: For each chapter, you must make vocabulary

cards from the prepared lists ON-LINE as per the instructions on the

vocabulary card information sheet. Grades for vocabulary cards will

be counted in the “Vocabulary” category. If you score an A on a

vocab quiz, you are exempt from making cards for the next chapter.

Homework:

Homework is a necessary tool for reinforcing language concepts,

and for preparing for assessments. Think of HW as practicing

Latin, much in the same way you would practice a musical

instrument or practice drills in sports. HW is never busy work!

All HW should be written in the composition book, unless

otherwise stated. HW that should be in the composition book, but

isn’t may be subject to a penalty.

Scoring: Each student will start with 100 points total for each

quarter. (Yeah! You already have an A!!! )

- 5 pts will be deducted for every unexcused, missed or not

properly done homework

“Properly” done HW means [1] the HW is ready on time at

the beginning of class, and [2] all of the HW was attempted.

No late HW will be accepted. And again, if you don’t remember

what the assignment is, check the Latin 3 Honors HW page on the

web!!!

Homework Webpages

(1) Your class Homework Page on my Website,

(2) Homework Planner: sign up at…

Latin 3 Honors - 0558-1 (pd. 3) =

novaplanner.com/student.html?course=197&ter

m=9&section=334

Latin 3 Honors - 0558-2 (pd. 6) =

novaplanner.com/student.html?course=197&ter

m=9&section=335

Class Participation:

All students are expected to behave like good citizens

and participate actively in class. This includes

appropriate student behavior: e.g., arriving to class on

time, sitting in your assigned seat, volunteering answers

(always by raising a hand), asking questions, giving

examples, and voicing concerns or uncertainty. It’s OK

to be brilliant, and it’s also OK to need clarification

during a lesson, but it is not OK to keep silent when

something doesn’t make sense. Remember, if you do not

understand something, there is a strong possibility that

someone else in the class also does not understand (there

are no “dumb” questions!). We will have an

encouraging and fruitful class environment in which

students will not be afraid to contribute and ask

questions.

Class Participation (cont.)

Scoring: All students will start with a 100%

participation record, and will have to maintain

that 100% by behaving like good citizens and

participating actively in class.

-5 pts will be deducted for every incident of

inappropriate or disruptive action or speech.

NLE Days

On the second half of block days, we will discuss Roman mythology, legends,

history, culture, and other non-grammar topics. We will also use these days to

prepare for the National Latin Exam and the Medusa Mythology Exam which

are given in the spring. The other days of the week we will concentrate on

learning the Latin language.

NB: I will put two or three questions from the information discussed during

NLE on the weekly quizzes.

Monday Tuesday Block Day: Wed or Thurs

Friday

Week 1 HW Vocab

Cards Due

1st half of class: Vocabulary Quiz

2nd half of class = NLE

Day : Culture, Myth, History or NLE

HW

Week 2 HW HW 1st half of class:

Grammar & Translation Quiz

2nd half of class = NLE

Day : Culture, Myth, History or NLE

HW

•A Typical Bi-weekly schedule

(approximate and subject to change as necessary)

Phrase of the Day Latin: Carpe diem!

English: Seize the day!

Authorship: Quintus Horatius Flaccus, aka “Horace”

(65 bce – 6 bce) – famous Augustan Age poet and

Epicurean

Derivatives: carpal, carpal tunnel syndrome,

metacarpal; diary, quotidian, diurnal, per diem

Your Interpretation: Carpe really means “to pluck” a

flower or piece of fruit off a tree, so Horace suggests

that we should make the most out of the day as if we

were enjoying the smell of a flower or the sweet taste of

a fresh fruit.