Program Update: Latin with Maripat and Cilla

6th Grade: Maripat

The 6th grade’s energy and enthusiasm is phenomenal! Students are becoming quite involved and invested in the lives of Suburani’s characters; They want to scold Faustus for how much wine (vinum) he imbibes (bibo, bibere), and are delighted by the parrot’s (psittacus) timely squawks of “Tu es mendax! Tu es mendax!” (consult your student for the translation). They are currently tackling plural nouns and subject/verb agreement.

7th Grade: Cilla

7th grade Latin began the year with a speedy review of chapters 1-5 of Suburani, and steadied the pace for chapter 6. We have been translating sentences with prepositional phrases, learning which prepositions govern an ablative object, an accusative, or both. There is a chant, of course, and some rules of thumb to help us remember which takes which. In our chapter 6 stories, many characters find themselves in dire straits. Two enslaved men who escaped through the Cloaca Maxima are caught. And Faustus, our landlord, is having money problems. He has three days to come up with the annual rent payment. As a challenge activity, students are invited to translate a letter from a senator to his son, warning him against Nero. All students are composing their own Latin letters using the conventional greetings, and farewells. Valete, cura ut cureatis! 

8th Grade: Maripat

The 8th grade is enjoying Sabina’s travels from Rome to Gaul, via ship over treacherous seas. Noun/adjective agreement across declensions has challenged the class, but they are intrepid, correcting their work and striving for accuracy.