Greek and Latin

Successful completion of Reading Greek & Latin or Honors Reading Greek & Latin satisfies the TAS graduation requirement in languages. At TAS, the Greek and Latin languages are taught together through an innovative story-telling curriculum developed at TAS. In the introductory levels, emphasis is on reading and understanding increasingly complex sentences in context, and on producing appropriate oral and written responses in Greek and Latin. The program leads to success in advanced university-level courses, the IB Greek and/or Latin Examinations, and the AP Latin Examination.

After mastering the fundamentals of reading in Reading Greek and Latin or Honors Reading Greek & Latin, students can select any advanced course in Latin or Greek, or in both Latin and Greek. All courses at all levels include the study of the myths, history, art, and culture of the ancient Mediterranean world. Each course is specifically created for the students in it, and materials for each year are custom designed and never re-used. Every course helps students improve their language skills at their own rate. Any student who works hard can succeed in Greek and Latin at TAS.

ELEMENTARY GREEK & LATIN (UCLS01)

Duration: 1 year

Credit: 1

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: None

Homework: Moderate

No previous knowledge required. Students begin by learning the important characteristics of Greek and Latin,and comparing those to English and Chinese. Important grammatical and linguistic terms are introduced and employed in analyzing Greek, Latin, and English sentences. At the end of the year, students are comfortable reading simple stories in Greek and Latin, and they are able to respond to those stories in oral and written Greek and Latin. External contests include the National Latin Exam, the National

Greek Exam, and the National Classical Etymology Exam. Additional study includes an introduction to the history and geography of the ancient Mediterranean world.

INTERMEDIATE GREEK & LATIN (UCLS02)

Duration: 1 year

Credit: 1

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: Elementary Greek & Latin (with grade of B or higher)

Homework: Moderate

Prerequisites: (1) study of Greek and Latin in the TAS middle school, or (2) study of Greek and/or Latin at another school, or (3) successful completion of Elementary Greek & Latin at TAS. Enrollment in Intermediate Greek & Latin must always be approved by the TAS Greek & Latin Department. Students rapidly review all fundamental concepts of morphology, grammar, and syntax while reading and responding to stories in Greek and Latin. Upon completion of Intermediate Greek & Latin, students are able to read complex stories in Greek and Latin, and they can respond to those stories appropriately in Greek and Latin. External contests include the National Latin Exam, the National Greek Exam, and the National Classical Etymology Exam. Students continue their study of the history and geography of the ancient Mediterranean world with a focus on late republican Rome and fifth century Athens.

HONORS READING GREEK & LATIN (UCLS02H)

Duration: 1 year

Credit: 1

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: Elementary Greek & Latin, and department permission

Homework: Heavy

All material in Intermediate Greek & Latin and Reading Greek & Latin (see below) is covered in the course of one year. Homework expectations for this course are high. Enrollment is by permission of the department.

Greek and Latin Flow Chart

Entry into Level 1 for beginners

Intermediate level leads to Reading level. Honors Reading Greek and Latin (by department permission) leads directly to advanced classes. Entry level for students who have completed MS Classics

Continues work from Intermediate level

College-level study with independent research.

READING GREEK & LATIN (UCLS03)

Duration: 1 year

Credit: 1

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: Intermediate Greek & Latin (grade of B or higher)

Homework: Moderate

The course begins with a review of Latin and Greek grammar, along with additional study of some more complex structures. Students then begin reading the Latin authors like Caesar, Vergil and Cicero, and selections from the works of Plato, Xenophon, and Lysias in Greek. Students sit for the National Latin Exam, and the National Greek Exam.

Elementary Greek & Latin

Intermediate

Greek & Latin Reading Greek & Latin

Honors Reading Greek & Latin

Advanced classes: IB Greek, IB Latin, AP Latin, Advanced Greek, Advanced Latin, Honors Advanced Greek, Honors Advanced Latin

ADVANCED LATIN (UCLS07)

ADVANCED ANCIENT GREEK (UCLS08)

ADVANCED GREEK & LATIN (UCLS09)

HONORS ADVANCED LATIN (UCLS07H)

HONORS ADVANCED ANCIENT GREEK (UCLS08H)

HONORS ADVANCED GREEK AND LATIN (UCLS09H)

Duration: 1 year

Credit: 1

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: Reading Greek & Latin (honors levels require department permission)

Homework: Heavy

Advanced courses are custom-built for the students who enroll. Topics and syllabi change every year in accord with the interests of the students. Students work with their teachers to identify topics they want to explore in detail. Their research includes reading in Greek and/or Latin, reading in translation, and the study of physical objects, datasets, maps, etc. In the past, advanced students have studied Greek mathematics, ancient history, the history of science, epigraphy, and many other topics as well. All honors courses require departmental permission, which is granted by the members of the department according to their judgment and is not based on a placement exam or grade cutoff.

“Don’t wish the things that are to be as you want, but want the things that are to be as they are, and you will be happy”

IBSL CLASSICAL LANGUAGES (LATIN) (UCLS051)

IBSL CLASSICAL LANGUAGES (GREEK) (UCLS052)

IBHL CLASSICAL LANGUAGES (LATIN) (UCLS061)

IBHL CLASSICAL LANGUAGES (GREEK) (UCLS062)

Duration: 1 year

Credit: 1

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: Reading Greek & Latin or Honors Reading Greek and Latin and Permission of Department

Homework: Heavy

IB courses in Greek and Latin are offered at both SL and HL levels. The IB program offers many options for prescribed readings. There are dozens of possible syllabi grouped by topic on offer every year, and all options change every five years. Accordingly, TAS never teaches the same syllabus twice. In addition to the prescribed readings, students read extensively on their chosen topics both in the original language and in translation. All IB Classical Languages courses also include an independent research project, ongoing from November through April. The IB score is based on evaluation of the independent research project and two separate examinations, one testing the student's ability to translate accurately, and the other testing the student's knowledge of the texts they have selected to read.

AP LATIN (UCLS04)

Duration: 1 year

Credit: 1

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: Reading Greek & Latin or Honors Reading Greek and Latin and Permission of Department

Homework: Heavy

AP Latin is a reading course based on selected works of Julius Caesar (Gallic Wars) and Vergil (Aeneid). Some reading assignments are in Latin, while others are in translation. These set readings do not change from one year to the next. The AP grade is based solely on the result of a two part examination which students sit on one day in May.

HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT GREEK PEOPLE (UCLS101)

Duration: 1 semester, offered in Semester 1 only

Credit: 0.5

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: None

Homework: Light

An introduction to the history of the ancient Greek world to the end of the Hellenistic Period, this course is based on reading ancient authors and documents in translation. examining ancient artifacts, including architecture and infrastructure, and tracing the cultural and artistic development of Greek civilization. The focus of the course is on examining the emergence and development of a Panhellenic Greek cultural identity. In addition, students will study the history of Mediterranean archaeology and learn about the most recent developments in that field as they pertain to the ancient Greek peoples.

HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT ROMAN PEOPLE (UCLS102)

Duration: 1 semester, offered in Semester 2 only

Credit: 0.5

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: None

Homework: Light

An introduction to the history of the ancient Roman world to the age of Constantine, this course is based on reading ancient authors and documents in translation, examining ancient artifacts, including architecture and infrastructure, and tracing the cultural and artistic development of Roman civilization. The focus of the course is on the problems that attended the development and spread of a shared Roman cultural identity in the disparate places that were governed from Rome. In addition, students study the history of Mediterranean archaeology and learn about the most recent developments in that field as they pertain to the history of Rome.

Graduation Requirement:

This requirement can be fulfilled by taking visual arts or performing arts courses which total 1 credit.

Note that students may NOT satisfy both the public speaking and the performing & visual arts requirements with the same course.

Music

Students are admitted to an Honors Level Class who meet the following criteria:

• By approval of the class teacher

• Grade 10, 11 and 12

• Displays exceptional performance and musicianship skills

• Prior participation in Upper School music program

• Musical leadership and/or role model in ensemble classes

• Displayed service to the music program

The following classes are combined and are scheduled at the same time:

• Concert Choir and Honors Concert Choir

• Opus and Honors Opus

• String Orchestra and Honors String Orchestra

• Orchestra and Honors Orchestra

• Symphonic Band and Honors Symphonic Band

• Wind Ensemble and Honors Wind Ensemble

• Jazz Ensemble and Honors Jazz Ensemble

• Composition & Songwriting and Honors Composition & Songwriting

• Flute Chamber Ensemble and Honors Flute Chamber Ensemble

• Chamber Repertoire Performance and Honors Chamber Repertoire Performance

• Music Production and Technology and Honors Music Production and Technology

• Piano Performance and Honors Piano Performance