Over the course of this Camp we will introduce three ancient cultures – the Phoenician, the Greek, and the Hebrew – and how the interaction of the three brought us a long way towards the English alphabet we use today. Each 45 minute section will begin with a short introduction to a new ancient culture, followed by an overview of their alphabetic letters.  As we pass from one letter system to another we will recognize dramatic changes in some letters and unbelievable consistency with others as we zero in on the English alphabet.  

Here is a more detailed breakdown of each of the four sections of the camp:

Day 1: Phoenician Alphabet

We’ll begin with an overview of the Phoenician culture and its place in the world of the Ancient Near East.  Then we’ll look at the Phoenician letters from which we get the majority of our English letters.  Before we’re done students will practice both writing and naming the key letters we will follow throughout the 4 days of class. We’ll end with each student writing their name (or something close to it!) in Phoenician.

Day 2: Hebrew Alphabet

Today we’ll start with the Hebrew people, close neighbors of the Phoenicians.  Both cultures shared the same linguistic backgrounds, but the Hebrews provide a very interesting aside, in that they give us access to the history and writings of other Eastern cultures through their adoption of the Aramaic shaped letters.  We’ll end writing our names in the Hebrew letters.

Day 3: Greek Alphabet

The Greeks help us tie all this together, so we’ll start by talking about their culture, religion and geography, and how their expansion throughout the Mediterranean and east to India brought much of the known world under the influence of their alphabet.  We’ll look at the Greek letters and continue to build on the key changes when compared to the earlier Phoenician and Hebrew forms.

Day 4: Bringing It All Together

On our final day we will focus on recalling the progression of a select number of letters beginning with their Phoenician form, through the Hebrew and Greek, culminating in the English alphabet.   This gives the students an opportunity to ask questions, examine their own progress, and we’ll discuss ways they can continue to deepen their appreciation and knowledge of these ancients languages.


I use both PowerPoint slides and Quizlet digital flashcards to practice the letters.  The students will also need to have a pencil and paper, or some form of digital writing tool, so that we can practice writing letters together.  We will end each section with each student reflecting on which letters they found most interesting and why.  

Students should walk away from the camp being able to recount the evolution of at least 3 English alphabet letters. They will have learned to write a minimum of three letters from each ancient alphabet - Phoenician, Greek, and Hebrew. They will be able to talk about what causes languages to change, and hopefully leave this camp curious about the cultures and languages that surround them today! 

Students do not need any previous exposure to these letters in order to successfully engage with the class.  

My style is professional but friendly. As a father of two children in this age range, I understand that a student's interest in the subject matter is key. I am constantly assessing throughout each lesson the child's attention in order to adapt the subject to my audience.