Latin Alive! Book 1

Latin Alive! Book 1 Bundle

Authors:  Karen Moore and Gaylan DuBose

Publisher:  Classical Academic Press

Website:  www.ClassicalAcademicPress.com

Price:  $139.95 includes Teachers edition, student book, and DVD&CD set

Age Range:  Middle to High school students

About the Study

From the publisher:

Latin is an elegant and ancient language that has been studied for many generations. It is also quite alive in our culture, and in the languages we speak today. Latin Alive! is a series of Latin texts for junior high or high school Latin study. Written by experienced and enthusiastic Latin teachers, Latin Alive! is an excellent introduction to the classical language. With an emphasis on grammar and solid understanding of the language, it goes on to frame the study of Latin in Roman culture and mythology, and also to remind us of the many ways Latin is present in our culture today. Latin Alive will be a three year series.

Thirty six weekly chapters including twenty nine new content chapters and seven review, “reading” chapters.

Pronunciation Guides

Weekly introduction of vocabulary

Thorough grammar explanations including all five noun declensions and cases, all verb conjugations, irregular verbs, various pronouns, adjectives and adverbs

United States state seals and their Latin mottos

Extensive study of the Latin derivatives of English words

Substantial Latin readings and translation exercises

Lessons and stories of Roman culture, myths and history

Exercises and questions to prepare students for the National Latin Exam and the Advanced Placement Exam

Includes historical contributions from Christopher Schlect, historian and Academic Dean at New Saint Andrews College, Moscow, ID

 

ClarkClan Viewpoint

• User Friendly
• Interesting, engaging instructor
• Easy to use student book
• Excellent teachers edition with extra interesting information to share with your student.
• Fun extras on the Headventureland website.
• Roman history and facts sprinkled throughout each lesson
• Oral practice

     Sarah (13) is the student in our homeschool who has exclusively been using this product. Sarah has been wanting to learn Latin. She first mentioned it to me last fall. Then I found a paper on which she had written Latin words and their meanings that she had found in our church hymnal. After I found this I figured she was serious about wanting to learn Latin and started looking around for which program to use. She was ecstatic when she found out we were reviewing the Latin Alive! Book one bundle.

     The excitement has not dimmed even weeks after starting the program. She willingly picks up her Latin each day. We have decided to go through each chapter as slow or as fast as needed, not on any timetable.  This means that we usually finish a chapter in about a week, but on occasion it has taken a little bit longer. We watch the video together and stop it to do the exercises, then turn it back on. Each chapter is divided into sections. We do one or two sections a day. Each day that we start Latin we re-watch the previously watched parts of the chapter as a review.  

     One feature that Sarah and I find fascinating is the introduction to each chapter. Each chapter begins with one of the great seals of the United States and each individual state. The great seals display mottoes with images that go back to Greece and Rome. We would read the Latin quote and then its meaning and this would also be taught on the DVD lessons.

     I am often asked how I teach high school subjects that I do not know well myself. Latin Alive! is one example that I can use to show it can be done. While it includes a teacher edition, it also includes a DVD of each lesson being taught by a qualified, engaging instructor. I do not have to “teach” the lesson, only be there to help and mentor.  I enjoy sitting and watching the DVD presentations as much as Sarah does.

     This is a very thorough high school level program. The student is expected to work hard to learn the language. They are expected to: practice, practice, practice. Sentence translation exercises are given and the student is expected to analyze the grammatical structure of the sentence. By chapter four the student will have a Latin reading to analyze and  translate. Reading aides are given in order to assist these readings. Unit reviews help to build students reading skills, while also teaching a little history or culture of Rome. Assesments are also included in the teachers guide.

     Another help that Classical Academic Press provides is a website geared to their language books. Sarah enjoys going to the Headventureland website and practice what she is learning.  She enjoys playing the “Flash Dash” game to help with her vocabulary and watching some of the videos from the younger kids program as well.

Recommendation

    We would recommend the Latin Alive! program. Sarah has really enjoyed it. I like that it has caused her to think hard and work harder than she has to on other subjects. In my opinion this is not a subject that you can let your child do independently. I feel that the parent needs to stay involved and actively know what the student is learning. Listening and practicing with your child will help them tremendously, even if you do not speak the language yourself. It has been fun to try and figure out together how we would pronounce something, where to accent a word or where to divide a word into its syllables. This is a good program, but needs supervision to get the full benefit.

     Classical Academic Press products were reviewed by many TOS Crew members. Visit the Crew Blog and read what others are saying about Latin Alive! as well as younger level products.

As an Independent contractor for The Old Schoolhouse and member of TOS Homeschool Crew I received the Latin Alive Bundle for free from Classical Academic Press, in exchange for my honest review of their product.