Latin: High School 1

Class Year:  2024-2025
Time:  Thu 10:00 am - 11:30 am;
Teacher:  Hannah Curto
Tuition:  $600 / Year or $60 / Month for 10 Months
Supply Fee:  $50 / Year - Due Upon Registration (Non-Refundable after August 1)
Location:  Northwest (Cypress)

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Parents Supply:

• Henle First Year Latin Companion Volume 1 (available here: Study Guide 1)
• Henle Latin Grammar isbn #0-8294-0112-1
• Henle First Year Latin text  isbn #0-8294-1026-0 (not essential; see footnote*)
• Caesar’s English Volume I isbn #978-0-89824-570-7 (available here: CEI:Standard Edition)

No Prerequisite except a basic understanding of English grammar in a sentence.

The benefits of studying Latin are numerous and valuable. In addition to preparing students for the SAT and/or ACT, the thinking skills developed through the study of Latin are transformative, shaping the student’s mind through its order, logic, accuracy, and organization, which are carried forward to all the disciplines.

This academic class moves along at a steady pace combining Latin grammar with reading & translating right away.  Students may expect to work approximately one hour per day on exercises and memory work. Completion of this course is one full high school foreign language credit. The National Latin Exam is offered to students each year. This noteworthy exam adds weight to a student’s high school transcript.

The exercises and readings in Henle teach Roman and American history, the difference between the pagan and Christian worldviews, and the difference between the virtues of the natural man (of whom the Roman was the greatest type) and the virtues of the Christian man, which are possible only through grace.

Henle is a superior text in that is uses a vocabulary limited to roughly 550 words, allowing the student to master the grammar concepts without being unduly burdened with vocabulary memorization.  (The competing text has a vocabulary of just under 2,000 words, by comparison.)

English grammar is essential to mastering the Latin language.  We will study this branch of the subject through a text called Caesar’s English which is very accessible and includes such topics as:

• English grammar through 4-level analysis
• Analogies, Synonyms, and Antonyms
• Latin and Greek roots of English
• Vocabulary from classic literature
• Geography of the Mediterranean world

Even though this course will be supplemented with English grammar, students registering for Latin 1 are encouraged to review the basics before class begins.

*Regarding First Year Latin:  Although a superior text, this book has not been updated nor digitized since its publication in the 1940's.  Due to its small print and old design, important information does not always stand out in a clear way to students.  The previous teacher of this Prep course, over her years of teaching this text, wrote and compiled a Companion that more clearly elucidates its concepts. As a student I found this companion invaluable. Students will spend more time in this Companion than they will with the actual text.  Thus, I see no reason why you must purchase a new copy.  A used copy from Amazon would suit your student's needs just fine.  More than anything, students use the text for the vocabulary index in the very back. A nearly-complete online version of Henle First Year Latin exists here.