Self-Directed Instruction Guide for High School Students taking the Latin in the Christian Trivium working alone. Volume One

The following are tailored instructions for the student who may be working alone, not in a classroom.  They were written by Lindy Abbott of Kentucky, and we all thank her very much.

You may write to her at monkey-hutt@comcast.net, and check out her blog too at www.lindylou-abbott.blogspot.com.  

Chapter One.
1) Listen to the Lord's Prayer on the CD and look at the copy of it in the textbook page while listening.

 2) Read Section I, II.  Make a note in your notebook telling the reasons for studying Latin. List the three stages of Trivium approach to education and define each.

3) Read Section III. Set up your notebook and vocabulary card index file.  Follow instructions on textbook page 2.  Note you will record the definition of each part of speech on the front of the index card tabs which has its name using the definitions from the chart on textbook page 3.

 4) Read IV.  Copy each part of speech and its definition from the chart on page 3 on a separate piece of looseleaf notebook paper (one for each part of speech) and file these papers in the index tab section of your binder/notebook entitled "Grammar". 

 5) Title a new piece of notebook paper "Phrases".  Fold this paper in half and label the first column "Latin" and the second column "English".  Use this page through the course to record the Latin Phrase given at the beginning of each chapter.  You will find the phrase in the box beginning each chapter and the phrase is pronounced for you on the CD.

 6) Each week listen to 1-2 of the secular phrases on the CD #1 that are listed in the beginning of your textbook.  Record these phrases on the notebook sheet you just created and file it, again, under the phrases tab in your notebook.

 7) Answer questions on page 3 of your textbook, file them in your notebook under Exercises.

 8) Study and memorize the 8 parts of speech and their definitions. 

 9) Complete the Study Sheet for Chapter One.

 10)  (optional) review the Activity Book for Chapter one pages 2-4.  Note the Activity Book was created to make Latin fun to learn and to provide additional information for students who crave extra challenges, puzzles and hands-on activities.

 Chapter Two

1)      1) Listen to the Lord’s Prayer on CD #1 while looking at the printed copy.  Write the English translation under the Latin Words.

 2)      Listen to two of the common secular phrases on CD #1.  Write them down on the page in your Latin notebook titled “Phrases”.  You will be adding to this page weekly.  Also listen on CD #2 to the phrase at the top of page 5 of your textbook.  Also copy this phrase onto your Latin notebook phrase paper.

 3)    Read Section I (A and B) on pages 5-7.  Copy the chart onto notebook paper and put it in the section titled, “Pronunciation”.  Complete the answers for 7-10 about the Alphabet on Chapter Two Study Sheet.

 4)    Make a flashcard using a white index care and black ink for each Vowel, Diphthong and Blend.  Put the symbol of the sound on the front and an English word that corresponds with the sound on the back.  You need to memorize these sounds, and self-test yourself using these flashcards you have made.  Review these sound each day of the week and make two piles: sounds you know and sounds you need to learn.  Drop the sounds you have mastered after 2-3 days .

 5)    Read Section II on page 8-10.  Look carefully at the difference between structural and inflected languages in section C.  Note the difference between English and Latin structure.  Copy the chart on page 9 on notebook paper, title it English Syntax and file it in your notebook under “Grammar” tab.

 6)    Copy the both boxed charts on page 10 regarding Latin Syntax on notebook paper.  Title the page Latin Syntax and file it in your notebook under “Grammar”.

 7)     If you need practice identifying subject and predicates complete exercise B, to place in your notebook under “Exercise” tab.Finish 1-6 and 11-24 on the Chapter Two Study Sheet. 

 8)    Review the timeline on page 11.  Draw the time line on your own using several pages of paper linked together with tape and place the events on the time line.  If you need additional review, do the puzzle on page 5 in the Activity Book.

 9)    Read Section VI on page 12-14, and answer questions 1-4 on notebook paper, file under exercise.  Complete 25-28 on Chapter 2 study sheet.

 10)  Look at the Map in Section V page 15.  Follow the directions in the box on the map page for finding and coloring locations.

 11)  The Logic Puzzle on page 6 of the Activity Book is quite challenging if you are not use to logical thinking.  Spend time really trying to figure it out.  It is excellent for building reasoning skills.

12)  Take Test One.

Chapter Three

 1)      Review Latin Phonic cards.  As before place into two piles: sounds mastered and sounds to be learned.  Do this daily until you have the phonics mastered.

 2)      Listen to the Lord’s Prayer on the CD #1, try to recite it with the CD.  Replay it 2-3 times.  Listen to 2 more secular phrases on the CD#1.  Write the phrase in your notebook in the “Phrase” section.  Review all the phrases you have recorded in your notebook using the CD.  Move to #2 on the CD and listen to the new Phrase on the top box for Chapter Three page 17 in your textbook.  Copy this phrase into your notebook.

 3)      Read Sections I and II in your textbook on pages 17-19.  Copy the charts on page 17 onto notebook paper and put them in Grammar section of your notebook.  Notice that the first chart will be on a separate sheet of notebook paper titled “Verbs”, while you can add the second chart to your page already in your notebook titled “English Syntax” if there is enough room on the paper.

 4)      Copy the chart on top of page 18 on a piece of notebook paper titled Latin Verb Conjugations, file it under the Conjugation tab in your notebook.  Begin to memorize these endings.  In each subsequent lesson you will have new ones to memorize.  Take time to memorize as you go.

 5)      Enter the Information about the four principal parts and in the box  in Section IIA on a notebook paper titled Verbs and filed in section “Grammar”.

 6)      Copy the paradigm on notebook paper from box on page 19, title it First Conjugations and file it under the Conjugation tab in your notebook binder.  Notice that you mentally read Latin verbs from the right to left, looking at the endings first.

 7)      Listen to the Latin Verbs on the CD #2, while you write each of these verbs onto a white index card using blue ink for flash card drills.  You will need 33 white index cards.  Mark the long vowels.  Note that you will write the Latin words on the front of the card and the meanings on the back with the derivatives in parentheses.  It will be best to do 11 a day and daily take time to memorize, and review these Latin Verbs.  (Making these card and memorizing them with information in #8 instruction below will take at least 3 days!)  Be diligent.

 8)      If you are a visual learner (most males are visual) it may help tremendously if you draw a picture or find a graphic to place on the card that associates with the meaning of the Latin Word.  It will be better to do this each day as you make your flash cards/ index cards.  Begin drilling yourself by placing the cards into 2 piles: ones mastered and ones to learn.  Go over each of these verbs and the phonic sounds daily until every single one is mastered.

 9)       Complete answers 9-12 on Chapter Three Study sheet.  Do page 10 and 11 in Activity Book.

 10)  Make an English derivative card on an orange index card with black ink for every derivative on page 19-20.  On the back of these cards, write the definition of the word.  Complete the drill sheet for Chapter 3.

 11)  Read page 20 in Textbook.  On a copy of the Map on page 21 in the textbook follow the directions and finish your map work.  Also complete the next Logic Puzzle, page 12 from the Activity Book.  Do Chapter 3 study sheet questions 13-15.  Make sure you have finished all of the Chapter 3 Study Sheet. 

 12)  Carefully read the box on the top of page 22.  You can hear the pronunciation of the Latin sentence on the CD#2.  Here is an example of Exercise A:  stem=para, conjugation: paro, paras, parat, paramus, paratis, parant.  Each Exercise needs to be completed on a notebook paper so that you can file it in your notebook under the Exercise tab.  Complete Exercise A.

 13)  You will also use the CD #2 for pronunciation for VI Exercise B and D.  Here is an example of Exercise B: 1. Ambulas = you walk, 2nd/ s; cantatis = you sing, 2nd/pl; do = I give, 1st/s.  You will list all 16 items in Exercise B on notebook paper.  Please label the top of the paper Chapter 3, Exercise B, page 22.  Make sure you listen to the CD #2 as you do this assignment so that the pronunciations will become very familiar to you.

 14)  Complete Exercise C and D.  Here is an example of what you will write on your notebook paper:  1.  We love= amamus, 1st/s; we take care of = curamus, 1st/pl; you are asking = rogas, 2nd/s.  Finish 1-15 on your notebook paper and file it in your notebook in section “Exercise.”  For Exercise D, listen to the sentences on your CD #2 while you read them in your book on page 22, Exercise Section D.  Write the English translation on a notebook paper to be put in your notebook section “Exercises.”

 Chapter Four

 1)      Listen to Prayer while looking at in Latin on CD #1.  Listen to the Pledge of Allegiance today which follows the prayer while reading it in Latin.  Try to say the Prayer with the CD, repeat it several times.

2)      Listen to two more secular phrases on the CD #1 and record them in your notebook under the “Phrase” index tab.  Review the phrases you have on this notebook paper.  If you need to hear “Blessed Be the Name of the Lord” it is on #2 of the CD.  Now move to #3 on the CD and enter the phrase on the top of page 23 into your notebook.

 3)      Review your pronunciation phonics and verbs index cards to make sure you have mastered them.  Sort them into the two piles until you don’t miss any of them.

 4)      Reading Chapter 4, Section I and II on page 23 and 24.  Copy the box on page 24 onto notebook paper, title it Cases and file it as your first page in your notebook section “Cases/Declensions”.

 5)      Copy the chart on page 25.