Latin 101.
Fundamentals of Latin I
Autumn 2007
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Instructor: Dr. David Pettegrew Meeting: 434 Boyer 101.1. MWF 1:00-1:50 PM 101.2. MWF 2:00-2:50 PM |
Office: 266
Boyer Office Hours: MW 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, 3:00-4:30 PM, and by appointment |
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Campus Telephone: X 2738 Email: dpettegrew@messiah.edu |
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Course Description
The essentials of Latin grammar, syntax, and vocabulary are studied to build comprehension in reading and writing elementary Latin. Students will also learn more about the structures of their own language as well as the nature of classical Latin culture and society through readings from representative ancient authors. Meets General Education Language requirement.
Course Objectives
The principal objectives for this first-year Latin course are:
Texts
M. Balme
and M. Morwood,
M.
Balme and J. Morwood,
J.
Traupman, The Bantam New College Latin & English Dictionary,
N. Goldman & L. Szymanski, English Grammar for Students of Latin, 2nd ed., 1993. (Optional) [Subsequent editions of this work would also be fine].
Grading
Quizzes = 20%
Exams = 50%
Participation = 15%
Written Exercises / Homework = 15%
Grading Scale
A 93-100%, A- 90-92%, B+ 87-89%, B 83-86%, B- 80-82%, C+ 77-79%, C 73-76%, C- 70-72%, D+ 67-69%, D 60-66%, F Below 60%
Quizzes
There will be a quiz during most weeks of the semester, usually on Friday, but sometimes on other days. These quizzes will assess your knowledge of Latin vocabulary and grammar, as well as Roman culture. Quizzes will be given at the beginning of class, so make it a point to arrive on time! Although I do not give make-up quizzes throughout the semester (unless excused by a physician’s note or an official request from the college for a college event), I will drop the lowest quiz grade and will also offer a single make-up quiz in the last fifteen minutes of the final day of class on a quiz of your choice.
Exams
There will be five attainment tests on the following days: Oct. 8 and 22, Nov. 5 and 26, and Dec. 18/19 (the final exam is the final attainment test of the semester). These exams provide you with a brief passage similar to those you might encounter in your regular chapter readings. You will translate some of the passage and then answer questions on the entire passage, including some of grammatical nature. These exams are comprehensive and cumulative, and they will measure your attainment of the language. You must take exams at the announced dates and times. Make-up examinations will be given only to those students who have missed class for documented health reasons or extreme personal circumstances (e.g., family emergencies). Medical excuses require documentary confirmation in the form of a statement from your physician on his or her letterhead.
Participation & Attendance
Learning a language requires constant attention, and you must work at it through good attendance and class participation. This language class will be unlike many other classes you take in that it will require your constant participation on a daily basis. If absent, email your classmates about homework assignments, not me.
You are college students and can decide whether to attend class, but please understand that missing class regularly will hurt your knowledge of Latin, and consequently, your ability to continue in this course. Missing class will also directly affect your Participation grade. You may miss up to three classes during the semester at no penalty to your grade, but every additional absence beyond these three will result in a 5% automatic reduction in Participation Grade. For example, missing five classes during the semester will entail a 10% reduction in your Participation grade, i.e., a maximum possible Participation grade of 90; missing eight classes will entail a 25% reduction in participation, i.e., a maximum possible Participation score of 75. The simple point: missing class often will directly affect your grade!!
In addition to attendance, the Participation grade also measures your involvement each class period. You should plan on talking, reading aloud, answering questions, working in groups, and being involved in class activities.
Written Exercises / Homework
I will regularly assign written exercises and homework from the Oxford Latin text, as well as some grammar exercises. It is vital that you do these. Unlike other subjects, you cannot cram a language. The best way to learn Latin is systematically, in small doses, as you incorporate into long-term memory thousands of little details. Do not fall behind in the written exercises!
You are welcome to work with each other on homework exercises, but you must not copy each other's work. If you work with each other, you must demonstrate that you have arrived at the translations on your own (and did not simply copy). You should do all exercises on your own before checking your work with classmates. Evidence that you have simply copied each other's work will be considered plagiarism.
Office Hours
Please stop by and see me if you have any concerns about your grade or want to talk about Latin. My office hours are Monday and Wednesday, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, and 3:00-4:30 PM. If these times do not work for you, I would be pleased to make other arrangements. I really want you to succeed in learning Latin and am here to help you.
Americans with Disabilities Act
Students
who have a learning disability that has been documented by the Office of
Disability Services (Hoffman 101, Extension 5358) should inform me about it at
the beginning of the semester -- I will be happy to accommodate you in this.
Academic
Misconduct and Integrity
Violations of academic integrity are strictly forbidden and will result in
disciplinary action according to the procedures outlined in the Student
Handbook (pp. 38-40). Forms of academic misconduct include plagiarism (e.g.,
copying from a book or internet, citing a source improperly), cheating (e.g.,
looking at a classmate's paper during an exam, copying a homework exercise,
using a teacher's manual), and facilitating academic dishonesty (e.g., allowing
a fellow student to cheat or plagiarize your own work), among others. Never
copy, never plagiarize, never look at your classmates' papers during quizzes or
exams. Doing these set in motion the disciplinary process outlined in the
Student Handbook!
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Class Schedule
The following schedule details the plans for lessons, quizzes and exams during Fall semester. Although I anticipate following this schedule closely, it is subject to change, depending on how well the class adjusts to new grammar and material. We may spend slightly more time on some chapters, slightly less on others. But we will reach our goal of 24 chapters for this semester. Written exercises will be assigned on a day-to-day basis, so if you miss class, contact a friend to obtain the assignment.
September
5: Introduction
7: Chapter 1
10: Chapter 2
12: Chapter 3
14: Review; Quiz 1
17: Chapter 4
19: Chapter 4
21: Review; Quiz 2
24: Chapter 5
26: Chapter 5
28: Chapter 6; Quiz 3
October
1: Chapter 7
3: Chapter 8
5: Chapter 8; Quiz 4
8: Attainment Test 1
10: Chapter 9
12: NO CLASS -- Mid-Fall Recess October 11 (Th.) to 14 (Sun.)
15: Chapter 9
17: Chapter 10
19: Chapter 11; Quiz 5
22: Attainment Test 2
24: Chapter 12
26: Chapter 13; Quiz 6
29: Chapter 14
31: Chapter 15
2: Chapter 16; Quiz 7
November
5: Attainment Test 3
7: Chapter 17
9: Chapter 17; Quiz 8
12: Chapter 18
14: Chapter 18
16: Chapter 19
19: Chapter 19; Quiz 9
21: NO CLASS -- Thanksgiving Break
23: NO CLASS -- Thanksgiving Break
26: Attainment Test 4
28: Chapter 20
30: Chapter 20
December
3: Chapter 21
5: Chapter 21
7: Chapter 22; Quiz 10
10: Chapter 23
12: Chapter 24
14: Review; Quiz 11
Final Examination = The Final Attainment Test
Section 1 -- Tuesday, Dec. 18, 4:00-6:00 PM
Section 2 -- Wednesday, Dec. 19, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM