2012-13 Latin 3 Honors
Course Description
Contact info:
Dr. Donal McGay
Radnor High School
Room 220
Email: donal.mcgay@rtsd.org (preferred)
Phone: 610-293-0855 ext. 3660
Dr. McGay’s Curriculum Vitae
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B.A. in Greek and Latin, cum laude, Gettysburg College
M.A. and Ph.D. in Classics, Fordham University.
Dissertation: The Manuscript Tradition of Demosthenes:
Oration 54, Against Conon.
Researched in many European libraries, incl. The Vatican Library
Lived in Rome for one year (2000)– visited all major architectural
sites and collected a digital photo library of 4, 000 + images
2 for 1: Wife is also a professor of Classics at Villanova Univ.
Summer of 1998: studied at the American School of Classical
Studies at Athens
Used to be live-in caretaker and docent of historic house
museum in The Bronx, NY. The Valentine-Varian House
(next page)
Welcome back to school and, more importantly, welcome to
Latin 3 Honors! The following guidelines will ensure that you begin
the year bono pede or on the right foot. Please read the syllabus and
course expectations carefully and share them with your parents.
Please also sign the end of the document.
Latin 3 Honors offers a broader study of the Latin language,
and ultimately the completion of grammar instruction. Therefore,
Latin 3 Honors will prepare the student for reading actual Latin
authors, including those on the AP syllabus. After a review of Latin
2 H, we will continue reading Latin right away as we follow the
career of Quintus Horatius Flaccus, more famously known as the
poet Horace, who lived in the first century BC, and was a major
player in the literary circles of his day. Through each of his episodes,
we will learn about the ancient Roman way of life while studying the
Latin language. Moreover, on “NLE days,” we will explore the
history, myths and culture of the Romans.
Books, workbooks and materials
Required:
 Oxford Latin Course, Book III - This is a state book that you will
sign out at the beginning of the year, COVER, and return at the end
of the year.
A composition book (preferably college-ruled) for all written homework,
class notes, and observation lists.
A 3 ring binder with a Latin section to organize notes and handouts.
(Students will receive many handouts.) Suggestion: (1) get a 1½ inch binder
with college-ruled paper (Students could divide the binders by: vocab
handouts, grammar handouts, or by chapters, etc.);
(2) Plastic sheet protectors for handouts that are referred to often.
lots of #2 pencils and/or blue or black pens & colored pens (for
corrections-green, red, pink, purple, etc.)
lots of 3” x 5” index cards for vocabulary and derivatives (get a brick of
cards and keep them at home)
**Failure to bring necessary materials to class means you learn less
AND reduces your class participation grade- so bring everything EVERY
DAY!
Recommended Materials and websites:
 A grammar insert or quick reference guide: Spark Notes Latin
Grammar, or “Graphic Latin Grammar.”
 Latin- English dictionary: Harper Collins, Bantam, Larousse
and Oxford are all good editions.
 www.nd.edu/~archives/latgramm.htm is also a great online
Latin/English dictionary.
 www.wordinfo.info is a wonderful resource for vocabulary and
Greek and Latin derivatives.
 See my website for other great links.
If a student needs help outside of class he/she should see me ASAP
to schedule a meeting.
For updated information and practice opportunities throughout the
year, check out the class website, under Dr. McGay-Latin 3 Honors.
Navigate to this from rtsd.org via the “Schools” tab, then RHS, then
Teacher Web Pages.
*Honor Code*:
In addition to observing the honor code for
quizzes, tests and all assigned work outside of class, I will refuse to
write a college recommendation for any student found cheating or
cutting a Latin class. Initial on the document.
ABSENCES:
If you miss class for any reason other than
illness/accident, you are expected to be prepared, with
homework complete, on the next class day. I expect you
to email me the reason for your absence no later than the
day of the absence. Field trips and other planned absences
do not excuse you from homework and test preparation.
Please notify me in advance if you plan to miss class so
that I can give you the work ahead of time.
Work missed due to an excused absence must be
made up in a timely fashion. (Please see homework policy
in the student handbook.) The student is responsible to
come speak with me to make the necessary arrangements –
although you may think I live under my desk, I don’t and I
will not seek you out. 
Quarterly Schedule
First Quarter:
Review of Latin 2
Oxford Latin Course,
Book III, chapters 34-38
Project: Ancient Dress-Up Day
Second Quarter:
Oxford Latin Course,
Book III, chapters 39-42
Project: TBD
Midterm Examination
Third Quarter:
Oxford Latin Course,
Book III, chapters 43-48
National Latin Exam + Medusa Myth Exam
Project: Annual Philadelphia Classical Society Competition
Fourth Quarter:
Oxford Latin Course,
Book III, chapters 49-54
Project: TBD
Final Examination
Grade Distribution
Each Quarter:
 40% - “Assessment” : Grammar/Translation Quizzes and Tests, +
Projects/Presentations (Block Days)
 30% - “Vocabulary” : Vocabulary Cards and Vocabulary
Quizzes/Tests (Block Days)
 16% - Homework
14% - Class Participation
On HAC, the “Assessment”
category includes assessments of grammatical
concepts, forms, reading comprehension passages,
translations, projects (see below) and may also
include culture sections. There will be a test per
each unit, following the completion of each review
chapter in the textbook. Every Blockday we will
have an assessment.
Assessments:
Projects & Presentations: Time permitting, one
project or presentation will be assigned each quarter.
These will include a Dress-Up As an Ancient Day, the
annual Philadelphia Classical Society Project, poster
projects, models, PowerPoints, and others.
 Vocabulary:
On HAC, the “Vocabulary” category includes
vocabulary and derivative assessments, e.g., vocabulary quizzes,
vocabulary tests, vocabulary puzzles, and vocabulary cards (see
below). So, there will be approximately 2 quizzes for each chapter in
the textbook given on Block days. Remember, grammar sections will
be scored in the “Assessment” category in HAC; vocabulary sections
in the “Vocabulary” category in HAC. By isolating distinct
vocabulary and grammar grades, the teacher (and parents and
students) can better see areas of need.
 Vocabulary Cards: For each chapter, you must make vocabulary
cards from the prepared lists ON-LINE as per the instructions on the
vocabulary card information sheet. Grades for vocabulary cards will
be counted in the “Vocabulary” category. If you score an A on a
vocab quiz, you are exempt from making cards for the next chapter.
Homework:
Homework is a necessary tool for reinforcing language concepts,
and for preparing for assessments. Think of HW as practicing
Latin, much in the same way you would practice a musical
instrument or practice drills in sports. HW is never busy work!
All HW should be written in the composition book, unless
otherwise stated. HW that should be in the composition book, but
isn’t may be subject to a penalty.
Scoring: Each student will start with 100 points total for each
quarter. (Yeah! You already have an A!!!  )
No credit will be given for missed, late, unexcused or not
properly done homework.
“Properly” done HW means [1] the HW is ready on time at
the beginning of class, and [2] all of the HW was attempted.
No late HW will be accepted. And again, if you don’t remember
what the assignment is, check the Latin 3 Honors HW page on the
web!!!
Homework Webpages
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Follow the HW schedule on My Website 
The Homework Page is your class page.
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should never be any blank
stares, mouths agape, protests or other
displays of confusion over what the
assigned HW is. You should never be
at a loss since we have this page !!!
Ignorance is not an excuse.
Class Participation:
All students are expected to behave like
good citizens and participate actively in
class. This includes appropriate student
behavior: e.g., arriving to class on time,
sitting in your assigned seat, being eager to
stay in class (instead of looking for reasons
to leave), volunteering answers (always by
raising a hand), asking questions, giving
examples, and voicing concerns or
uncertainty.
Class Participation (cont.)
It’s OK to be brilliant, and it’s also OK to need
clarification during a lesson, but it is not OK
to keep silent when something doesn’t make
sense. Remember, if you do not understand
something, there is a strong possibility that
someone else in the class also does not
understand (there are no “dumb” questions!).
We will have an encouraging and fruitful class
environment in which students will not be
afraid to contribute and ask questions.
Class Participation (cont.)
 Scoring:
All students will start with a 100%
participation record, and will have to maintain
that 100% by behaving like good citizens and
participating actively in class.
 -5
pts will be deducted for every incident of
inappropriate or disruptive action or speech.
Cell phones
 Cell phone use during
instructional time is a distraction and
means you are not giving your full,
undivided attention to the study of
Latin. It also means you are not
participating in class. Ergo, cell phone
use is prohibited in class and will incur
the following consequences: loss of 2
percentage points from your
participation grade for each infraction.
NLE Days
On the last ¼ of block days, we will discuss Roman mythology, legends,
history, culture, and other non-grammar topics. We will also use these days to
prepare for the National Latin Exam and the Medusa Mythology Exam which
are given in the spring. The other days of the week we will concentrate on
learning the Latin language.
NB: I will put two or three questions from the information discussed during
NLE on the weekly quizzes.
•A Typical Bi-weekly schedule
(approximate and subject to change as necessary)
Monday Tuesday
Week 1
HW
Vocab
Cards
Due
Week 2
HW
HW
Block Day:
Wed
Friday
First ¾ of class :
HW
Vocabulary Quiz
Last ¼ of class = NLE
Day : Culture, Myth,
History or NLE
First ¾ of class :
HW
Grammar &
Translation Quiz
Last ¼ of class = NLE
Day : Culture, Myth,
History or NLE
Phrase of the Day
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Latin: Carpe diem!
English: Seize the day!
Authorship: Quintus Horatius Flaccus, aka “Horace”
(65 bce – 6 bce) – famous Augustan Age poet and
Epicurean
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Derivatives: carpal, carpal tunnel syndrome,
metacarpal; diary, quotidian, diurnal, per diem
Your Interpretation: Carpe really means “to pluck” a
flower or piece of fruit off a tree, so Horace suggests
that we should make the most out of the day as if we
were enjoying the smell of a flower or the sweet taste of
a fresh fruit.