LATIN III/IV/V
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
I. Course Overview
The Latin curriculum focuses on the student’s not only learning a foreign language but
also improving her English language and vocabulary skills. This course of study explores
linguistic form and grammatical structure resulting a better mastery of the English
language, an appreciation of Latin literature and culture and an understanding of the
influence of the Classical culture in the modern Western world. Students and teachers of
classical languages such as Latin and ancient Greek are primarily concerned with the
interpretation of texts and historical and cultural understanding. Therefore, classical
language study functions in the interpretive mode. Occasionally the oral and aural
dimensions of the study of classical languages, especially in the context of poetry,
provide for deeper understanding of the language and culture.
II. Instructional Organization
Units vary in duration, purpose and range of content. The primary objectives of
International Baccalaureate program are:
 the development of the student’s ability to read, translate, analyze, and critically
interpret original Latin texts.
 the development of competency in sight reading and translation of previously
unseen texts.
 the development of an understanding of and appreciation for the classical literary
forms and the historical, cultural, social and political context of particular pieces
of literature representing those forms.
Students my take either the Standard Level (SL) or the Higher Level (HL) IB
examination in May. Students who are not participating in the IB diploma program may
take the examination for the IB certificate. Many colleges and universities award credit
or advance standing in Latin to students who have performed well on the HL test. Most
colleges and universities use the SL test results for placement purposes in college level
Latin.
The IB examinations assess:
 a student’s learning in two genres of Latin literature
 a student’s ability to translate the Latin language through previously unseen Latin
literature of a prescribed author
 a student’s learning of the societal, political, cultural and literary context of an
author or text from a particular genre of Latin literature
The primary difference between the HL and SL is the extent of material covered within
each genre. For the prescribed readings, the HL students will read approximately 200
lines more of text per genre than the SL students. Both HL and SL students will take the
IB examination and complete the internal assessment. Students may sit for the
examinations after Latin III, Latin IV or Latin V.
For the prescribed readings, the texts and, to a small degree, the genres of literature
change over time. Each year over a three year cycle will focus on the prescribed readings
of two of the genres. In this fashion, students who are in Latin III will have studied two
genres. Students who are in Latin IV will have studied four genres. Students who are in
Latin V will have studied five or six genres. The genres and authors are as follows:
Elegiac and lyric poetry:
Epic:
Historiography:
Letters:
Satire:
Philosophy:
both Catullus and Horace
Vergil
Livy or Tacitus
Pliny the Younger
Juvenal
Lucretius
The IB curriculum will substitute Philosophy for Satire for examinations beginning in
2013. The selections from each author are prescribed for HL and SL and will change
every three years.
In addition to the prescribed readings, a student will study the Latin language through
general reading and translating of selections from either the speeches of Cicero or Ovid’s
Metamorphoses. An element of the IB examination requires the student to translate a
previously unseen passage from one of these authors.
III. Course Content and Sequencing
The course is divided into content modules to correspond with the IB Latin genres of
literature. Typically the school year will start with a brief review and practice in
grammar and morphology. This period will last approximately three weeks. Then the
balance of the year will be divided into four modules. Two modules will focus on the
prescribed genres and will last approximately two months each with adjustment based on
progress achieved and the composition of the class (viz. the ratio of SL to HL students).
The class will be differentiated based on the composition of the class to account for the
divergence of the scope of material to be covered. The third module will last
approximately one and one-half months and will focus on the general study of the Latin
language and particularly the prescribed author for the relevant student level. The fourth
module will extend for approximately one and one-half months and will focus on a
comparative examination of the prescribed authors and genres. The fifth and last module
will occur after the conclusion of the IB assessments and will serve as a culminating and
summative experience for the year. Throughout the progress of the modules, there will
be a simultaneous and parallel module devoted to the IB internal assessment project.
The following are the prescribed authors and genres with suggested readings for the
prescribed authors and prescribed readings for each genre.
PRESCRIBED AUTHORS:
Ovid: Metamorphoses
Cicero: speeches. Selections from among Pro Caelio, Pro Milone, Phillipicae and In
Catalinam
LATIN GENRES
HIGHER LEVEL
Genre
beginning in 2010
beginning in 2013
Elegiac and lyric poetry
Catullus Carmina
1, 4, 7, 10, 12, 14, 40, 41
42, 44, 46, 50, 58, 70, 75,
84, 87, 96, 109
Catullus Carmina
3, 5, 8, 11, 13, 31, 43
45, 49, 51, 64, 116-201,
72, 76, 85, 92, 101
Horace Odes 3
1, 7, 9, 13, 15, 26, 29
Horace Odes 3
2, 6, 8, 10, 14, 21
22, 24, 28, 30
Epic
Vergil Aeneid 6
154-476, 679-901
Vergil Aeneid 4
1-552
Historiography
Livy Ab Urbe Condita 1
1-8, 55-60
Tacitus Annales 14
1-22, 33-45
Letters
Pliny the Younger Letters
1.6, 3.5, 3.14, 3.16, 4.13
4.19, 5.19, 6.16, 8.16, 9.6,
9.23, 9.33, 10.96, 10.97
Pliny the Younger Letters
1.9, 1.12, 1.13, 2.1, 2.6,
2.20, 4.22, 5.9, 7.17,
7.27, 7.33, 8.24, 10.32, 10.33
Satire
Juvenal Saturae
1, 3, 16
Philosophy
Lucretus De Rerum Natura 3
1-547
STANDARD LEVEL
Genre
beginning in 2010
beginning in 2013
Elegiac and lyric poetry
Catullus Carmina
1, 4, 10, 12, 14,
42, 46, 70, 75,
87, 96, 109
Catullus Carmina
3, 5, 8, 11, 13, 31,
45, 51, 72,
76, 85, 101
Horace Odes 3
1, 9, 15, 29
Horace Odes 3
2, 6, 8, 14,
22, 28, 30
Epic
Vergil Aeneid 6
154-476
Vergil Aeneid 4
198-552
Historiography
Livy Ab Urbe Condita 1
1-8, 55-56.3
Tacitus Annales 14
1-22
Letters
Pliny the Younger Letters
3.5, 3.16,
4.19, 6.16,
9.33, 10.96, 10.97
Pliny the Younger Letters
1.9, 1.12, 2.6,
5.9, 7.17, 7.27,
8.24, 10.32, 10.33
Satire
Juvenal Saturae
3
Philosophy
Lucretus De Rerum Natura 3
50-397
For each genre and for the prescribed authors, the students will learn:
1. the characteristics and the literary problems of each genre of literature
2. the style of each author and the techniques utilized by each author to address the
literary problems of each genre
3. Latin vocabulary for each author
4. grammatical and syntactical structures peculiar to each author or genre
5. meter and scansion for poetry
6. figures of speech (e.g.: chiasmus, enjambment, synchysis, pleonasm, metonymy,
personification, anaphora, polysyndeton, litotes, onomatopoeia, praeteritio,
tmesis, zeugma, etc)
7. the historical context of the author and the works of the author
8. the cultural significance of the various pieces of literature
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
Every student will undertake a project, selected from one of three options, that
encourages students to reflect upon which aspects of classical study most interest them,
combining this with a consideration of students’ personal strengths. The options
available for the project are:
A Research Dossier. This option is by design very broad in its possibilities and is
intended to allow the student wide latitude in topic and format options. Students may
annotate just about anything relevant to their personal interest in classical language,
history or civilization.
An Oral Presentation. A recording of a piece or pieces of authentic Latin limited in
duration (7 minutes for SL and 10 minutes for HL). Students should prepare poetry to be
read with the meter in mind, and prose should reflect the tone of the piece as the author
may have intended it. There is no one correct form of pronunciation but the choice must
be consistent and the student should aim to give the listener a clear sense of what is being
said. The student will prepare a written annotation addressing several aspects of the oral
presentation.
Composition. This option gives the student an open choice of material for translation. It
is important to note, however, that any poetry must scan and that, whatever the student
chooses, the finished product should be in the style of the classical author. The student
must also prepare a commentary with the translation which should indicate which
stylistic points are included in the student’s translation.
IV. Critical Thinking
Students will develop critical thinking skills through:
1. Daily translation from Latin to English requiring the application of knowledge of
vocabulary, grammar, syntax and context
2. the analysis of literary forms and genres
3. the analysis of historical and cultural context
4. the exploration of the subject matter of the authentic Latin
V. Instructional Resources
The students will read the original Latin from suggested selections of the prescribed
authors and from required readings from the selected genres. Modern academic
commentaries may accompany some of the materials. In addition, students will utilize
electronic data banks of peer reviewed scholarly material related to the subject matter.
Students will develop a facility in the proper use of dictionaries. Students will also utilize
reliable internet sources.
VI. Suggested Teaching Strategies
Classroom activities will include but not be limited to:
1. Teacher presentations
2. Collaborative small group activities
3. Small group translation sessions
4. Student presentations
5. Research of scholarly material
6. Oral recitation (especially of poetry and speeches)
7. Critical thinking exercises
8. Translation