Latin Language Skills - Advanced Beginner Reading Comprehension: Mythology

Description: This Latin class is designed to help beginning Latin students apply the Latin grammar and vocabulary that they have learned. Students will read 1-2 chapters of the Latin novella, Familia Mala, each week in class. To prepare for class students will be expected to read (translate) the chapters before class to the best of their ability for the purpose of comprehension. In class, students will take turns translating the Latin and discussing the Latin grammar and cultural or historical context. Students are also expected to practice the vocabulary links provided before class. 

Goals: The focus of this class is to help beginning Latin students apply and strengthen the Latin grammar and vocabulary that they have already learned. In addition, students will be exposed to and learn new vocabulary, sentence structure, and grammar in story format. 

About the Latin novella: The topic of this novella is about how Zeus (Iuppiter) overthrows his father Cronos (Saturnus) in order to save his siblings and become king of the gods. The Latin novella, Familia Mala: Saturnus et Iuppiter, used in this class is for advanced beginners (around 1 year of Latin - please reach out to the teacher to confirm if this is a good fit for your learner). This novella uses “targeted language” meaning that the vocabulary chosen for the novella are high frequency words in Latin. In addition, the sentence word order is often in English word order to help the reader understand the more complex Latin grammar.