Ayla Lillian Wing

1000 E Ann St. Apt. 4, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104 | 313-231-9953 | ayla.wing@gmail.com | aylala@umich.edu

Sample Lesson Plan 2:

This lesson was given to a group of advanced eighth graders in their third year of studying Latin.

Class: Latin 8

Objectives:
• Students can understand comparative adjectives and use them in a sentence.
• Students can use resources to find Latin words for English concepts.
• Students can present Latin sentences in a way that is meaningful to other students.

Rationale: In most textbooks, comparative and superlative adjectives are found way at the end. It is often
seen as an “advanced grammar” topic. However, I learned at a conference I recently attended that no
grammar is “too advanced” for learners, there is just stuff we’ve decided to teach earlier and stuff we
decided to teach later. As long as a teacher is doing a good job communicating with the students, they will
be able to “get” any concept in a spoken setting even if it is not explicitly stated to them. That’s why I feel
confident about teaching this lesson now even though the book doesn’t teach it for twenty more chapters.
I also think this activity will combine the eighth graders’ interest in challenges with their
enjoyment of searching random terms in the dictionary. I think with proper scaffolding the eighth graders
will be very successful at this activity.

Standards Addressed in the Lesson:

1. Standard 1.2: Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as part of the language
learning process
2. Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives of Greek or Roman
culture as revealed in the practices of the Greeks or Romans.
3. Standard 4.1: Students recognize and use elements of the Latin or Greek language to increase
knowledge of their own language.

Materials and Set-Up Required:

Chalk and chalkboard
Dictionaries/Online Resources
Individual Slates

Agenda (42 Minutes)

1. Intro/Mini-Grammar Lesson/Student Time to Work (25 Minutes)
2. Meā Quidem Sententiā (18 Minutes)

Specific Activities Including Teacher Thinking:

What I say is in red.
What I do is in black.
Standards are in bold.
Teacher thinking is in italics.
 Ayla Wing – Resume
What the Heck is a Comparative?
(25 Minutes)

Mornin’ everyone! Before we get started on the meat of our class

today, we need to do a quick grammar lesson. You may want to take
out pencil and paper to write some notes, or you can just observe.

So, today we’re talking about comparative adjectives. Who knows

what a comparative adjective is? Right, it’s like when instead of
saying something is “happy,” it’s “happier.” Or instead of short, it’s
“shorter.” Notice that for many words in English the comparative
ends in “-er.” Latin does this in a similar way. Let’s take the word Here is an example of
“longus,” which, you guessed it, means “long.” Standard 4.1 -- students
are comparing English
I will write “longus” on the board and “long” underneath it. and Latin morphology.

The comparative of “longus” is “longior.”

I will write “longior” and “longer” on the board.

See how they’re very similar? You can basically do this to any
adjective in Latin. Take “fortis,” brave. The comparative is “fortior.”
How about “laetus,” who can do that one for me? Yes, it’s “laetior.”

These comparative adjectives are declined like third declension

nouns -- So it would be “fortior, fortioris, fortiori, fortiorem,
fortiore,” and so on.

Now, why do we call this the “comparative” specifically? Why don’t

we call this, say, the pork adjective? Right, because it is used to
compare one thing to another. Oftentimes, if you’re going to use an
-er adjective, you are comparing two things, you are going to say
_______ is something-er than __________. For example, Rylee is happier
than Cooper. Those are the names of two of my family dogs.

I will write that example sentence on the board.

So, this is the basic sentence structure that you often see. Blank is
something-er than blank. Rylee is happier than Cooper. Now in
Latin, to say this “than blank” part, we use “quam” plus the
accusative. So to turn this part of the sentence into Latin, I would
say “quam Cooperum.” See, quam plus the accusative.

One last thing before I explain the rules to the game. We all know
the adjective “bonus,” right? What’s that mean? It means good,
right, awesome. You would think that the comparative of “bonus”
would be this, right?

I’m going to write the word “bonior” on the board but there’s no
way I’m going to pronounce that in front of a class of eighth
graders. I’ll probably save some time for inevitable giggles. Sigh.

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 Ayla Wing – Resume
Okay, well, the ancient Romans anticipated that being too much for
y’all to handle. See, the word “bonus” is irregular, so the
comparative doesn’t follow the rules. The comparative of “bonus” is
actually “melior.” I will write this on the board. Do you guys know Standard 4.1 -- learning
the word “ameliorate”? It means to make something better. Wow! new words like
“ameliorate.”
Okay, so now that you know the quick and dirty rules about
comparative adjectives, and now that you know the word “melior,”
I can explain the rules to the game!

The game is called Meā Quidem Sententiā, which means “Indeed, in

my opinion,” so basically “in my humble opinion.” The “quidem”
there softens the blow a little bit I guess. So in Meā Quidem
Sententiā, you start your sentence and follow this format:

I will write on the board: Meā Quidem Sententiā, ________________

est/sunt melior/meliores quam ___________________.

I will point to the first blank. What case is this blank? Yes, it’s
nominative! I will point to the second blank. Now what case is this
one? Yes, it’s accusative, don’t forget!

So I’ll say one. Meā Quidem Sententiā, canes sunt meliores quam
feles. Now what did I just say?

I will give them a second to respond. They might not know the
words “canes” or “feles.” In my experience, students
have a very powerful and
controversial reaction to
this statement.
Yes! I said “IMHO, dogs are better than cats.” Now here’s the second
part of the game. When Romans agreed with somebody about
Standard 2.1 -- “tecum
something, they would say “tecum sto.” I will write that on the
sto” was a Roman
board. What does that mean? Yes, it means “I stand with you.” So if
practice
you agree with me, right now, that canes sunt meliores quam feles,
stand up right now and say “tecum sto.”

I will wait for students to stand up and declaim their opinions, and I
will high five the students who stand with me.

Excellent, excellent. Don’t tell anyone but you guys are my favorites.
Alright, so, in a few minutes we’ll move our chairs around so that
we’re sitting in a circle, but for now, take some time to decide what
your sentence is going to be, what you’re going to say is better than
something else. Feel free to consult one of the paper dictionaries in
the back or one of the online ones that I emailed you yesterday.
Also consult me! I’m going to give each of you a slate and some
chalk, once you’ve got your sentence write it down.

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 Ayla Wing – Resume
Transition: I will pass around the slates and help kiddos with any translation or creativity blocks
they may be having.

When it looks like everyone is wrapping up with their sentences I will say Okay everyone, put
your chairs in a circle and bring your slate with you!

Meā Quidem Sententiā

(18 Minutes)

Okay, now it’s time for a rousing game of Meā Quidem Sententiā. Standard 1.2 -- students
Who can refresh the rules for us? are writing and speaking
Latin!
Right! The person whose turn it is is going to read their sentence,
and if you agree with their opinion you stand up and say “tecum
sto!” High fives are optional but encouraged.

A quick note -- some of you looked up some crazy terms, feel free if
you see some confused faces in the crowd to explain what your
words mean. And if you’re confused about something, don’t be
afraid to *very politely* ask!

Alright, who’s gonna be brave and go first???

Then, for the rest of class, we will play Meā Quidem Sententiā and
hopefully laugh and bond over everything we have in common!

Transition to the end of class: Okay everybody, good work today! I’ll see you tomorrow, good
bye!

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