Latin Songs at RevelsHere is our Latin performance at Revels, starting at around 28 minutes in this YouTube video.
Toga! Toga!
Believe it or not, we have reached the end of the year, and it’s been a successful one. I’ve enjoyed working with your children, and want you to see how much they have accomplished with their consistent hard work, so...
*** FAQ: What has my child gotten out of studying this dead language for 2 years? *** In strictly Latin terms:
More broadly: Other common side effects of studying Latin this year may include…
Thank you for your support throughout the year, and have a great summer! -Rick Beyer Classical Holiday Present Ideas:
This week I've started brainstorming ideas for my own kids at home, and the thought crossed my mind, that someone might want to attempt feed their child's curiosity with a book related to Latin--so here are several I like: * Mythology: If your child finished the Lightning Thief series about Greek mythology, the first book in Rick Riordan's Roman series is "The Lost Hero." There is also "Percy Jackson's Greek Gods," an illustrated account of Greek mythology told in Percy Jackson's voice. * Language origins: “Who Put the Butter in Butterfly?” There are lots of great books about language origins; someone gave me this one when I was a kid, and I've been fascinated ever since by the stories behind familiar words and phrases. * History: There are many beautiful nonfiction books of ancient history, though sadly I do find that these tend to sit in the back of my classroom unread. The students do sometimes look at ones like Horrible Histories Ruthless Romans — a playful series that emphasizes the more disgusting and violent side of history — or Asterix the Gaul — the first in a classic comic book series set in Roman history. * Historical fiction: As a child, I only read straight nonfiction to write a report for school, but I loved historical fiction:
* Latin books: There are a lot of fun books published in Latin.
Always happy to chat about other ideas based on your child's particular tastes. Many thanks, Rick Beyer One story we read was a charming legend about Alexander the Great, as a boy, befriending Bucephalus, a horse no one else could ride.
The first 2 weeks of October, we:
This week we read a version of the story of the Trojan Horse.
Week of Sept 24-28:
This week, we:
We read this Roman dog tag as one of our "phrases of the day."
Week of Sept 17-21:
This week, we:
Toga! Toga!
Some pictures from our end of the year toga party. Harry Potter Visits 5th Grade
Friday outside of class, four of the girls went on their own (entirely their idea and work -- I had nothing to do with it) to teach a Latin in Harry Potter lesson to the 5th grade (sacrificing their PE period to do so). They taught Ms Bookstein's 5th graders how to write spells in Latin and then had duels -- you had to act out the spell your opponent cast on you. Very fun! Week of May 29th - June 1st:
This week, we:
Believe it or not, we have reached the end of the year, and it’s been a successful one. I’ve enjoyed working with your children, and want you to see much they have accomplished with their consistent hard work, so... *** FAQ: What has my child gotten out of studying this dead language for 2 years? *** In strictly Latin terms:
More broadly: Other common side effects of studying Latin this year may include…
Thank you for your support throughout the year, and have a great summer! -Rick Beyer Pictures from the Cultural Bazaar this morning.
Week of May 14 - May 18:
This week, we:
We read a (very brief) version of the Trojan horse story this week.
Week of May 7 - May 11:
This week, we:
We read the story of Ulysses and Circe this week, an interesting tale from the Odyssey.
Week of April 30 - May 4:
This week, we:
The whole 7th grade went to RISD Museum on Thursday. We walked through Brown's campus as well and looked at points of interest, including this statue of Augustus Caesar. I asked the students this question: Why is there a baby on his leg?
(One guessed who the baby is, which is unusual -- Answer below.) Week of April 23 to April 27:
This week, we:
My attempts at pictures of the group of kids who got awards on the National Latin Exam.
Week of April 17 to April 20:
This week, we:
This week we read another story from the Odyssey --
Ulysses' encounter with Aeolus, the god of the winds. Week of April 9 to April 12:
This week, we:
We did not read the story of Narcissus this week, but some classical humor...
Week of April 2 to April 6:
This week, we:
Myth trivia: What monster are Bellerophon and Pegasus battling in this picture?
A. Typhon B. Chimera C. Medusa D. Cerberus Week of March 26 to March 29:
This week, we:
Answer: B. Chimera We read the story of Hades kidnapping Persephone -- the origin story of the seasons.
Week of Feb 26 to March 2:
This week, we:
Happy Lupercalia, a Roman festival in February, to Lupa, the she-wolf who nursed Romulus and Remus, the twins who founded Rome.
Week of Feb 19 to Feb 23:
This week, we:
We discussed a map of the Roman Empire this week, in preparation for a project.
Here's a fun (according to a Latin teacher's definition of fun) website that allows you to get directions for your trip in the Roman world -- you can choose whether to go by foot, cart, horse, boat, etc., the time of year, and it will tell you the best route, and how long it will take. Week of Feb 12 to Feb 16:
This week, we:
Can you name this character who flew too high in a myth we read this week?
Week of Feb 5 to Feb 9:
This week, we:
Roman numeral never go out of style... What number Super Bowl is it?
Week of Jan 29 - Feb 2:
This week, we:
Answer: LII = 52 We reviewed a story about Spartacus, the slave-gladiator who led the largest slave rebellion in Roman history. Deprived of weapons, what kitchen implement did Spartacus use to escape from his prison? (Answer below.)
Week of Jan 22-26:
This week, we:
Answer: A wooden spoon. Here's one of the brief TedEd videos we watched about life in ancient Rome to spark discussion. This one is about the life of girls / women. The kids have a lively interest in history.
Week of Jan 16-19:
This week, we:
We had an interesting conversation about Roman food in class Friday.
The Romans lacked sugar and chocolate. What did they sweeten their desserts with? (Answer below.) Week of Jan 8 to Jan 12:
This week, we:
Pictures from the Latin Revels performance last night -- hope you enjoyed it. The way your kids pulled it together in the spotlight was amazing--since 7th and 8th graders never have Latin together (of course), that was only the 3rd time they performed the whole thing, and they really stepped up under pressure. I love the smiles throughout these pictures.
If you want to download or order copies for yourself, they are here on the Smugmug site. Greeks versus Persians this week -- when we weren't drilling infinitives and practicing Latin carols for Revels. We watched sections from this movie (around 33 minutes in has an interesting part about the columns of the Parthenon).
Week of Dec 11 to Dec 15:
This week, we:
Quite a turnout (23 students) for Latin carols at Brown Monday night.
Thank you to those who drove, attended, adjusted schedules, or missed sleep. Week of Dec 4 to Dec 8:
This week, we:
Hope to see a lot of the students at this church, the First Baptist Church in Providence for Latin carols Monday night.
Week of Nov 27-Dec 1:
This week, we:
Since there was only a two-day week, I'm skipping the weekly summary, and instead brainstorming...
Classical Holiday Present Ideas: This week I've started brainstorming ideas for my own kids at home, and the thought crossed my mind, that someone might want to attempt feed their child's curiosity with a book related to Latin--so here are several I like: * Mythology: Percy Jackson: "The Lost Hero" -- If your child enjoyed Percy Jackson“The Lightning Thief,” Rick Riordan has Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Norse mythology themed series. "The Lost Hero" is the first in the Roman one. If they have read all of one Riordan series, there are always new ones coming out. * Language origins: “Who Put the Butter in Butterfly?” There are lots of great books about language origins; someone gave me this one when I was a kid, and I've been fascinated ever since by the stories behind familiar words and phrases. * History: There are many beautiful nonfiction books of ancient history, though I do find that these tend to sit in the back of my classroom largely unread. The kids do sometimes look at ones like Horrible Histories Ruthless Romans — a playful series that emphasizes the more disgusting and violent side of history — or Asterix the Gaul — the first in a classic comic book series set in Roman history. * Historical fiction: As a child, I only read nonfiction to write a report for school, but I loved historical fiction: - Rosemary Sutcliff “The Eagle of the Ninth”--Rosemary Sutcliff has many outstanding books of Roman and Celtic historical fiction--this is just one; I've enjoyed all the ones I've read. - “Half a King” by Joe Abercrombie (more recently published) -- set in a Viking-inspired world -- with strong characters, lots of suspense, and plenty of action. The first in a trilogy. * Latin books: There are a lot of fun books published in Latin. Some are written as beginning readers for a current Latin student, like “Ursus et Porcus" ("The Bear and the Pig") -- An "I am reading Latin" story book. Some are actual well-known English books, translated into Latin, like “Where the Wild Things Are” or “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” or many more. While kids could not actually read “Harrius Potterus” or “Ille Hobbitus,” some I suspect would still enjoy getting a copy in Latin; they could actually read somewhat (depending on their age and the reading level of the book) the younger “Cat in the Hat” level ones. Always happy to chat about other ideas based on your child's particular tastes. Happy Thanksgiving. Rick Beyer Here's an interactive panorama (cheaper than a cruise) of Santorini, the picturesque island in the Aegean Sea. We're watching a fascinating movie about the volcanic eruption there and the archaeology since.
Week of Nov 13-17:
This week, we:
This week, we discussed Descartes' famous proof of his own existence: "Cogito ergo sum," "I think therefore I am." An ironic comic playing off of that quote...
Week of Nov 6-8:
This week, we:
The Delphic Oracle -- an actual woman, replaced through the centuries upon the death of the current oracle -- she predicted your future in gibberish which her priests (for a price) translated for you.
Week of Oct 30-Nov 3:
This week, we:
Bobblehead Caesar played a starring role in a translation this week.
Week of Oct 23-27:
This week, we:
This week, we read a Latin version of a great legend, the boy Alexander the Great meeting his beloved horse, Bucephalus.
Week of Oct 16-19:
This week, we:
Kaz tested the class with this "Quid est?" this week. What are these? (Answer below.)
Week of Oct 10-13:
This week, we:
Answer to Quid est: Roman sword hilts. We are making "Quid ests?" (What is it?) Can you guess what this object from Roman life is? (answer below) Week of Oct 2-6:
This week, we:
Answer to Object Above: Roman dice-tower used to prevent cheating - you drop dice in top, they hit three levels of projecting baffles and ring three bells hanging over the exit as they roll out the bottom down the stairs. (source) One day this week the "Phrase of the Day" was the Olympic motto (below).
See if you can guess it, or you can test your child with it. Week of Sept 25-29:
This week, we:
We started class one day this week by translating the inscription from a Roman slave collar like this one:
Week of Sept 18-22:
This week, we:
Toga! Toga!
We had our toga party Friday. I think there are actually some very nice pictures in this bunch (The gladius is not sharp.) Week of May 30th - June 2nd:
This week, we:
Believe it or not, we have reached the end of the year, and it’s been a successful one. I’ve enjoyed working with your children, and want you (and them) to have an appreciation of what their year has been like, and how much they have accomplished with their consistent hard work. *** FAQ: What has my child gotten out of studying this dead language for 2 years? *** In strictly Latin terms:
More broadly: Other common side effects of studying Latin this year may include…
Thank you for your support throughout the year, and have a great summer! -Rick Beyer The students did a nice job at the Cultural Bazaar on Wednesday. I have most of the groups' displays in pictures below; somehow I am missing 2 of the groups, mea culpa! They may be in the pictures on Friends' Facebook page.
Week of May 22nd - 26th:
This week, we:
Week of May 15th - 19th:
This week, we:
Week of May 8th - 12th:
This week, we:
Quid est? What is it? (Answer below.)
Week of May 1st - 5th:
This week, we:
Answer: A Roman calendar. The month names are visible at top. 21st century gladiators, below:
(students who earned awards on the National Latin Exam) Week of April 24th - 28th:
This week, we:
Class has been beginning with a "Quid est?" (What is it?)
Can you guess what these are? (Answer below.) Week of April 18th - 21st:
This week, we:
Above: Roman earrings. If you haven't looked at our projects yet, the class made an interactive Google Map with a cute icon for each place. The video is embedded--you can full-screen it by clicking to YouTube.
Week of April 10th - 13th:
This week, we:
Here are some of the class's travel ads. From left to right:
Gillian, Mia, Reed, Kathy, Sophie Erin, Morgan, Elizabeth, Nika, Fionnuala, Michael
Week of April 3rd - 7th:
This week, we:
This week we looked at one of the most famous ancient coins, commemorating Caesar's assassination (and today worth about $500,000).
Can you find Brutus' name on the front? Week of March 27th - 31st:
This week, we:
"Caesar! Beware the Ides of March!"
Happy Ides of March this Wednesday. Below, my favorite knife holder. Week of March 6th - March 10th:
This week, we:
An artist imagines Persephone being kidnapped by Hades in the myth we read this week.
Week of Feb 27th - March 3rd:
This week, we:
We explored 360cities this week, a website with spectacular 360 degree panoramic photos and videos from all over the world. Visit the Pantheon, below. You can scroll and zoom in all directions.
Week of Feb 21st - Feb 24th:
This week, we:
Valentine's Day: Yet another holiday we inherit from the Romans. The original St. Valentine was a priest executed by a Roman emperor for illegally helping Roman soldiers get married.
Week of Feb 13th - Feb 17th:
This week, we:
Rome doesn't get as much snow as New England, but here is some...
Week of Feb 6th - Feb 10th:
This week, we:
Roman numerals live on! Here is the logo for Super Bowl LI, which you may see this weekend. In case your Roman numerals are rusy, L = 50, I = 1, so LI = 51.
Week of Jan 30th - Feb 3rd:
This week, we:
This week we studied the 7 Wonders of the World.
Can you identify any of them in this drawing? Week of Jan 23rd - Jan 27th:
This week, we:
Inauguration
...was a "phrase of the day" this week. Below, a Roman augur reads the omens in bird-flight. Week of Jan 13th - Jan 20th:
This week, we:
Here's one of the translations we read this week (read aloud) on the origin of Medusa.
Week of Jan 9th - Jan 13th:
This week, we:
An ostrakon from ancient Athens, used to vote someone into exile. These pieces of broken pottery are the origin of the word "ostracize."
Week of Jan 4th - Jan 6th:
This week, we:
We read the story of the 300 Spartans this week. This a clip from the movie 300; we talked about what was historically accurate and what was Hollywood.
Week of Dec 12th - Dec 16th:
This week, we:
Here's the trailer for the video about ancient Greece that we're watching, now and again:
Week of Dec 5th - Dec 9th:
This week, we:
Phidippides runs the first marathon--the 26.2 miles from Marathon to Athens--
in a story we read this week. Week of Nov 28th - Dec 2nd:
This week, we:
We read the story of Croesus, the richest king in the world, and the philosopher Solon this week.
Week of Nov 14th - Nov 18th:
This week, we:
Alexander asks Greek philosopher Diogenes if he can do anything for him...
Your child can (hopefully) tell you the rest of the story. Week of Nov 7th - Nov 10th:
This week, we:
Here is our "Sum, es, est" Conga line to end class this Friday. Latina vivit!
Week of Oct 31st to Nov 4th:
This week, we:
Week of October 24th to 28th:
This week, we:
Alexander tames his beloved horse, Bucephalus.
Week of October 17th to 21st:
We finally enjoyed a full 5-day week of classes. This week, we:
Week of October 13th-14th:
Parents, you can ask your child what this Roman farmer-hero has in common with this modern city in Ohio...
Week of October 4th - 7th:
This week, we covered...
Just for fun, here we are singing "Felix Dies Natalis" to Titus at the end of class Friday afternoon:
Parents, I enjoyed seeing some of you at Parents Night last night. Here is what 7th grade Latin did this week. Best, Rick Beyer
Week of September 26th to 30th:
Next week:
Hello, parents of 7th grade Latin students!A shot from our field trip to RISD Museum last spring.
What we are doing in Latin:
Week of September 19th to 23rd:
Next week:
...and I'll see many of you on Parents Night. Thank you. Best, Rick Beyer Week of September 6th - 9th:
7th grade Latin briefly reviewed everything from last year, both vocab and grammar. We read several translations, and listened to some as well, experimenting with a new translation web site. We also did the dirty work of making sure we had all our materials, our name on everything, etc. We ended the week with a Review Quiz, and began brainstorming to write our own silly or profound Latin story. Week of September 12th - 16th: Outside the Classroom Week (with a class Monday) Week of September 19th - 23rd: The week after Chewonki, we will finish reviewing, take a Review Test, and write and record some Latin stories. Latina vivit!
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