Foreign Language
Not only does The English language derive the vast majority of its words from Latin; as new words are needed in this technological age we look to Latin to create them. The study of Latin increases vocabulary skills and SAT scores.
230 Latin 1
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Latin I is intended to introduce students to Classical Latin language and culture. The goals and objectives for teaching and learning an ancient language like Latin are different from those appropriate to the study of a modern foreign language. The skills of listening and speaking are taught as essential language elements, but not with the intent that the student will engage in any free-style conversation. Writing is introduced to enforce and facilitate the acquisition of the forms and structures already presented. In conjunction with the above skills, emphasis is placed on word derivation and the classical roots of English words. Students will learn to translate reading passages describing events in Roman “daily life,” and they will learn traditional Latin prayers and songs.
233 Latin 1 Honors
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Latin I Honors is intended to introduce students to Classical Latin language and culture, and is designed to implement the 5’Cs of foreign language education proposed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in the following modified fashion. The goals and objectives for teaching and learning an ancient language like Latin are different from those appropriate to the study of a modern foreign language. In the modern language it is anticipated that the student will learn to communicate through the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. For the student of an ancient language, the primary and essential skill is the skill of reading/ translation. Curriculum emphasis, therefore, rests on developing a reading proficiency through mastery of grammatical forms and syntactical patterns. The skills of listening and speaking are taught as essential language elements, but not with the intent that the student will engage in any free-style conversation. Writing is introduced to enforce and facilitate the acquisition of the forms and structures already presented; independent composition is not the goal of the Level I Honors course. In conjunction with the above skills, emphasis is placed on word derivation and the classical roots of English words. Cultural goals and objectives are, of course, just as important in ancient language study as in modern language study and complete the components of this course. Students will learn to translate reading passages describing events in Roman “daily life,” and they will learn traditional Latin prayers and songs.
231 Latin 2
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Latin II is intended as a sequence course to Latin I and thus a continuation in the introduction of students to Classical Latin language and culture. For the student of an ancient language, the primary and essential skill is the skill of reading/ translation. Curriculum emphasis rests on developing a reading proficiency through mastery of grammatical forms and syntactical patterns. In conjunction with the above skills, emphasis is placed on word derivation and the classical roots of English words. As students translate reading passages designed to impart vignettes of Roman “daily life,” they will continue to expand their knowledge of Romanculture and further develop their understanding of Latin grammatical forms and syntactical patterns mastered in Latin I. In addition, students will learn traditional Latin prayers and songs and read passages from the Vulgate.
234 Latin 2 Honors
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Latin II Honors is intended as a sequence course to Latin I Honors and thus a continuation in the introduction of students to Classical Latin language and culture, and is designed to implement the 5’Cs of foreign language education proposed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in the following modified fashion. The goals and objectives for teaching and learning an ancient language like Latin are different from those appropriate to the study of a modern foreign language. In the modern language it is anticipated that the student will learn to communicate through the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. For the student of an ancient language, the primary and essential skill is the skill of reading/ translation. Curriculum emphasis, therefore, rests on developing a reading proficiency through mastery of grammatical forms and syntactical patterns. The skills of listening and speaking are taught as essential language elements, but not with the intent that the student will engage in any free-style conversation. Writing is introduced to enforce and facilitate the acquisition of the forms and structures already presented; independent composition in Latin is not the goal of the Level II Honors course. In conjunction with the above skills, emphasis is placed on word derivation and the classical roots of English words. This course places emphasis upon the communication of cultural information through student-generated translations of Latin writings. As students translate reading passages designed to impart vignettes of Roman “daily life,” they expand their knowledge of Roman Culture and simultaneously further develop their understanding of Latin grammatical forms and syntactical patterns. In addition, students will learn traditional Latin prayers and songs and read passages from the Vulgate.
Cogito, ergo sum.
-- René Descartes (1596-1650)
232 Latin 3
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Latin III is intended as a sequence course to Latin II and thus a continuation in and building from the introduction of students to Classical Latin language and culture. Students are able to synthesize their knowledge of the base forms learned in the previous years of study by translating increasingly complex syntax. In so doing, their experience with complex Latin syntax is developed and the students are thus prepared to read the original excerpts to which they are introduced in the second part of the course. From a cultural perspective, the content of the Latin III curriculum is designed to move the students from the general “everyday” cultural overview provided by the fictitious narratives of the first two years into original accounts, specifically the writing of Cicero and Caesar, centering on the historic events of the first century B.C. In addition, students will learn traditional Latin prayers and songs and read passages from the Vulgate.
Latin has been called a dead language, but that is far from true. Many professions use it every day including those in law, all sciences, mathematics and business. We couldn’t even make a footnote without using Latin abbreviations.
236 Latin 3 Honors
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Latin III is intended as a sequence course to Latin II and thus a continuation in and building from the introduction of students to Classical Latin language and culture. Students are able to synthesize their knowledge of the base forms learned in the previous years of study by translating increasingly complex syntax. In so doing, their experience with complex Latin syntax is developed and the students are thus prepared to read the original excerpts to which they are introduced in the second part of the course. From a cultural perspective, the content of the Latin III Honors curriculum is designed to transition the students from the fictitious narratives of the first two years into original accounts, essays and documents of Latin Literature. Specific focus can include selections from the works of Cicero, Caesar and Virgil centering on the historic events of the first century B.C. In addition, students will learn traditional Latin prayers and songs and read passages from the Vulgate as well as works of the Latin Early Church Fathers.
244 Latin 4 Honors
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Elective
Latin IV is an intermediate to advanced Latin reading course. Texts will span the range of ecclesial and neo-Latin sources of the past two thousand years including excepts from the writings of the Early Latin Church Fathers, and the writings of the Greek Fathers in Latin translation. In addition, we will read prose excerpts from readings found in the Liturgia Horarum; extracts from Christian classics like Bede’s Historia Ecclesiastica; Einhard’s Vita Karoli Magni; Thomas Aquinas’ Catena Aurea; Thomas á Kempis’ Imitatio Christi; and, even the modern writings of the Popes.
Spanish is a romance language derived from Latin. It is spoken by approximately 400 million people in the world. Of these, there are 45 million people who speak Spanish in the United States which is more than the population of Spain.
240 Spanish I
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Spanish I course provides students with an introduction to the Spanish language and culture. Emphasis is placed on conversational patterns, and the acquisition of basic vocabulary and grammatical structures which students will use to obtain, process, and provide information in spoken and written form on a variety of topics pertaining to “daily life”. Students will study various aspects of Spanish life and culture. Through cultural comparisons, students will gain insights into the multi-cultural nature of the Spanish-speaking world and insights into their own language and culture. Equal emphasis is placed on all four language skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing.
245 Spanish I Honors
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Spanish I Honors course provides students with an introduction to the Spanish language and culture. Emphasis is placed on conversational patterns, and the acquisition of basic vocabulary and grammatical structures which students will use to obtain, process, and provide information in spoken and written form on a variety of topics pertaining to “daily life”. Students will study various aspects of Spanish life and culture. Through cultural comparisons, students will gain insights into the multi-cultural nature of the Spanish-speaking world and insights into their own language and culture. Equal emphasis is placed on all four language skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will be challenged with additional cultural readings and ‘authentic texts’ as well as projects. This course is differentiated from Spanish 1 by pacing and additional readings/projects.
241 Spanish 2
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Students in Spanish II will build on all of the skills acquired in level I Spanish and will work toward developing a greater fluency in the language. Emphasis will continue to be placed on conversational patterns and the expansion of basic vocabulary and grammatical structures into intermediate level study. Students will use their emerging language skills to obtain, process, and provide information in spoken and written form on a variety of topics pertaining to “daily life”. Reading will now include lengthier articles and stories. Spoken and written language will progress from short sentence level to a more cohesive paragraph level, and will include past tense narration.
246 Spanish 2 Honors
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Students in Spanish II Honors will build on all of the skills acquired in level I Spanish and will work toward developing a greater fluency in the language. Emphasis will continue to be placed on conversational patterns and the expansion of basic vocabulary and grammatical structures into intermediate level study. Students will use their emerging language skills to obtain, process, and provide information in spoken and written form on a variety of topics pertaining to “daily life”. Reading will now include lengthier articles and stories. Spoken and written language will progress from short sentence level to a more cohesive paragraph level, and will include past tense narration. This course is differentiated from Spanish II through pacing and the use of additional readings including a short novel, and projects.
242 Spanish 3
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Spanish III is intended as a sequence course to Spanish II and thus a continuation in the introduction of students to the language and culture of the Spanish speaking world. This is an intermediate Spanish class with instructional emphasis placed on all four language skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will also be exposed to Hispanic cultures and values through literature and other audio/visual resources. Intermediate/ advanced language skills will be emphasized through various activities and projects.
243 Spanish 3 Honors
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Required
Spanish III is intended as a sequence course to Spanish II and thus a continuation in the introduction of students to the language and culture of the Spanish speaking world. This is an intermediate Spanish class with instructional emphasis placed on all four language skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will also be exposed to Hispanic cultures and values through literature and other audio/visual resources. Intermediate/ advanced language skills will be emphasized through various activities and projects. This course is differentiated from Spanish III through pacing and the use of additional readings in Spanish Literature and projects.
244 Spanish 4
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Elective
Spanish IV is intended as a sequence course to Spanish III and thus a continuation in the study of the language and culture of the Spanish speaking world. This is an advanced Spanish class with instructional emphasis placed on all four language skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will continue to be exposed to Hispanic cultures and values through literature and other audio/visual resources. Advanced language skills will be emphasized through various activities and projects. In this advanced language study course, it is anticipated that the student will perfect his communication through the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Our reading will focus on articles and excerpts of Spanish World Literature.
German is the most widely spoken language in Europe. The words are spelled phonetically and English language speakers have the ability to learn it quickly.
255 German 1
Semester/Year Course: Full Year
Required/Elective: Elective
This introductory elective course stresses spoken language, elements of grammar and reading comprehension. Students will also complete readings in English on topics related to the culture and history of the German-speaking world and prepare reports and presentations on selected topics.
