Year 8 Latin

All students start Latin in Year 8. We follow the Cambridge Latin Course, covering Book 1 and the beginning of Book 2 during this first year. Students are introduced to some basic language features and to about 320 words of vocabulary.

The course is built around a narrative in Latin about the family of Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, who lived in the Roman city of Pompeii shortly before the eruption of Vesuvius. Key features of the course are the sections focusing on Roman life, and including material on daily life, slavery, gladiators and other forms of entertainment.

Activities in class focus on translating Latin stories into English, learning vocabulary, and discussing and writing about the Roman life material. A DVD accompanies the course and includes video clips and interactive materials. There is also a web site available at www.cambridgescp.com, which incorporates a useful vocabulary tester that students may find helpful when revising vocabulary at home.