Erin Haney

(215)-478-5008 ︳​erhaney@umich.edu​ ︳715 S. Forest Ave. Apt 202, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Sample Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan:

Level: ​Honors Latin 1-11 students Timing: ​50 minutes

Objectives

-Students will know the kinds of information dependent clauses can include
-Students will be able to identify dependent clause markers
-Students will be able to bracket dependent clauses

Rationale

At this point, students will be introduced to dependent clauses. They will learn that some dependent
clauses are used adverbially, meaning that they answer questions like when, why, and where. They will
also be introduced to the “clause markers” which indicate that they are in a dependent clause. Through
practice with English sentences, they will learn that dependent clauses are at a different level than
independent clauses. By the end of the class they will know what steps they should take when they see
a dependent clause marker and how they will be able to bracket off one of these clauses. Being able to
read these clauses will allow students to continue to increase their reading ability and be able to
grapple with more difficult and authentic texts.

Standards Met

ACTFL
Standard 1.2: ​Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
Standard 4.1: ​Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of
the language studied and their own.
Classical Languages
Learners compare word order and syntactic systems in increasingly complex Latin sentences to their
native languages

Assessment

Students will show their learning by

- Answering questions while working through sentences
- Working in groups to bracket and translate dependent clauses correctly
Materials

IPad
Handout

Color Coding

Teacher Thinking
Guessed Student Responses
Script
Transitions
Standards References

Agenda

Warm-up Activity
Introduction of dependent clause and practice
Partner work on dependent clause

Script

Warm-up Activity (10 minutes):

For the following sentence, label all parts and translate.

Achilles Troianos pugnare non cupit, quod Agamemnon honorem non monstrat.
Achilles does not wish to fight the Trojans, because Agamemnon does not show honor.

What do you notice about this sentence? Is there more than one subject in the sentence? More than
one verb? Can someone explain how this is possible?
I hope to guide the students to notice that within this sentence, they have labeled two subjects, two DO,
two verbs. My aim is to get them to notice that unlike before, we have separate clauses. My intention
with starting with a warm-up that already includes the new material is to show them that they are
already able to translate these clauses, which will provide them with some confidence moving into a
new concept.
Are we able to have two separate thoughts because of a specific word in the sentence? Is the second
clause able to stand on its own? Can “because Agamemnon does not show honor” stand on its own?
Does anyone know what we call this type of clause? A clause that must be “dependent” on another?

Until now, we have dealt with sentences that were independent, or could stand on their own. Now we
are going to learn about dependent clauses and how they can work together with an independent
clause to form a complete sentence.

Introduction of Dependent Clauses (30 minutes):

Dependent clauses are introduced by some sort of word that tells us we are in an independent clause,
right now we will be learning adverbial dependent clauses because the word introducing the clause is
an adverb. These words or “clause markers” indicate that this clause is subordinate to another. In
English we have dependent clause markers, can you think of any?
When, where, since, because, although, while, before, after, etc

Let’s look at some English sentences where a dependent clause is used.

When Venus gives Helen to Paris, Menelaus prepares to fight in Troy.

In this sentence, which we call complex because it is made up of a dependent and independent clause,
what word is our clause marker or tells us we have a dependent clause? Circle “when”. If we didn’t
know “when” was an adverb that began a dependent clause, how else could we know which clause
was dependent? ​Check which one makes sense by itself
Since “when” begins our clause, we are going to put a bracket there, where would our dependent
clause end? ​Paris​ Good! The comma placement helps us here, if there was no comma how else could
we figure out where to end the bracket? ​My goal is to guide them to see that each clause has its own
subject + verb (+DO), so if there is a new subject, there is a new clause. ​It is important to keep in mind
that dependent clauses can follow all of the same sentence patterns as an independent clause.

Let’s look at another sentence.

The Greeks need Achilles, because the Trojans have Hector.

What word is our clause marker? Circle it. ​Because​ Where would we bracket the entire dependent
clause and how do you know? ​Because the Trojans have Hector, it's the end of the sentence

Let’s look at one more English sentence before we turn to Latin.

The Greeks sail to Troy, where Helen is living with Paris.

Which word is acting as the clause marker of the dependent clause? Circle it. ​Where ​Bracket the whole
clause, ​where Helen is living with Paris

These adverbial dependent clauses, each answer different questions. What kind of questions do they
answer, or what kind of “extra” information do they provide for the independent clause? ​Looking at the
three English examples, students should be able to see what kind of information adverbial dependent
clauses give: when something is done, why something is done, where something is done

In Latin, as in English, there are certain words which act as clause markers for adverbial dependent
clauses. These words include cum, antequam, postquam, dum, priusquam, ubi, quod. These words will
usually appear as the first word of the dependent clause, but not always! The rest of the dependent
clause follows the same structure as an independent clause. ​Standard 4.1: ​students have seen how
these clauses work in English, and now will compare in Latin
Learners compare word order and syntactic systems in increasingly complex Latin sentences to their
native languages

Cum Venus Helenam Paridi dat, Menelaus in Troia pugnare parat.

What is the clause marker in this sentence? ​Cum ​Let’s circle it. How do we know this isn’t the
preposition cum? Now we need to bracket the entire clause, we know it starts with cum, but we need to
figure out where it ends. In order to know we have the full dependent clause, we need to make sure we
have at least a subject and a verb. So where would the end bracket go? ​After dat ​Good, and looking at
the different types of categories of clause markers, what type of information does cum give? ​It gives
more information about the time

Let’s see another sentence.

Graeci Achillem requirunt, quod Troiani Hectorem habent.
Guide students through marking the dependent clause

Take a minute and try this one on your own. Remember to circle your clause marker and bracket your
clause before you start labeling, and then translating.
Graeci ad Troiam navigant, ubi Helen cum Parido vivent.
Go over sentence

Let’s do some more practice on our own, I will be around to help.

Group Work Practice (10 minutes):

Work with the person across from you and follow the same steps we have been practicing, circle the
clause marker, bracket the clause, label, and then translate.

Achilles cum feminis occultat, quod Thetis filio oraculum dicit.

Students will need to pay attention to which cum is working in each clause
Standard 1.2: ​students interpret what the sentence is saying

Graeci bonos ventos et fortunam deorum requirunt, antequam a patria navibus naviagre possent.

I will circulate and work with students during this time.

Back-pocket Activity

Composition:
-Have students work with a partner and compose a Latin sentence with a dependent clause
-They must show which word is the clause marker, and bracket the clause
Note-Taking Handout:

Adverbial Dependent Clauses:

Dependent clauses are introduced by a ______________________, which indicate the clause

is dependent or subordinate to another clause.

A complex sentence is made up of:

Steps before translating a complex sentence:

1.
2.
3.

English examples:

● When Venus gives Helen to Paris, Menelaus prepares to fight in Troy.

● The Greeks need Achilles, because the Trojans have Hector.

● The Greeks sail to Troy, where Helen is living with Paris.

Dependent clauses give different kinds of information, like....

Latin Clause Markers:

Latin examples:

● Cum Venus Helenam Paridi dat, Menelaus in Troia pugnare parat.

● Graeci Achillem requirunt, quod Troiani Hectorem habent.

 ● Graeci ad Troiam navigant, ubi Helen cum Parido vivent.

Practice:

Achilles cum feminis occultat, quod Thetis filio oraculum dicit.

Graeci bonos ventos et fortunam deorum requirunt, antequam a patria navibus naviagre
possent.