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We just started Stage 9 in CLC on Monday. This is where the dative case is
introduced. We worked through the sentences at the beginning of the
chapter, did a bit of TPR to explain ostendit and elegit and other words,
and admittedly translated into English (one day I'd like to be able to
maintain it all in Latin). It went well enough, but I knew things weren't
sinking in.
Yesterday we worked at the beginning of class on the model sentences I use (see
below*) instead of a full noun ending chart (since genitives/ablatives
aren't formally introduced until Unit 2)--copying and chanting. Then we put
it away. I got out my monkey.
My monkey has these arms that can stretch with little pockets on the paws so
you can shoot it like a slingshot. He's great. I should name him. He
looks like Curious George.
So first I taught them: DA MIHI SIMIUM! They would have to say "da mihi
simium!" then I would say "da tibi simium?" and they would repeat "da mihi
simium!" and I would shoot it at them. Then the class would break out in
loud "DA MIHI SIMIUM!" 's and the "da tibi" part would repeat until each
student in the class had had a turn asking for, receiving and shooting the
monkey.
Then I taught discipulae/discipulO. I would point to a student with my
sponge on a stick and the class would have to decide whether to say "da
discipulae simium" or "da discipulO simium". We'd keep chanting the right
one until the person had the monkey ready to shoot.
At the very end of class we went to plurals, noting that the masculine and
feminine were both the same--discipulIs. So then it was a competition
between da discipulIs simium and da magistrae simium.
I think when we approach the story tomorrow we'll have better connection
with those endings, and that's what it's all about.
***
I wrote the above yesterday for the Latinteach list. I'm looking at it today and thinking a couple of things: 1) this is a game and some people will say "middle school teachers play too many games" and 2) that the majority of the games I play have to have substance, which I think this does, so I don't care what some people will say. There was no candy involved, no external reward except for the physical activity. It was a class of high oral Latin content, of using the language in context, etc.
But with that said, I wrote this after my 2nd period class and was feeling great because the cooperation level was high, the kids participated well, and I think they got the point and did internalize the endings. Unfortunately 5th period was not the same. And this sometimes happens, which perhaps is why I'm looking at this right now and wondering should I have "played a game."
As a teacher, what you can't do is totally blame students when things go wrong. That's the easy way out. Yes, 5th period is my more apathetic class but there's more to it than that. It is a larger class--was it too large for this activity to be successful? How could I have made it more a more productive activity for a larger group? Even though it was chaotic, was it really less effective than with the 2nd period? Do I think I reached more students with this activity than I would have with just reading the next story in the book? Yes, I do. And, yes, I think it will help with reading the next story today.
I didn't do this activity last year, and I do recall that one of my better students last year still didn't understand the dative case at the end of the year. I'm aiming for better results this year!
And one last thing, of course, is that there is a time to NOT agonize over why things are less successful with one class than with another. You always need to reflect upon what you do, otherwise how will you learn? But now that I've reflected, it's time to move on.
***
Model Sentences:
*These are my model sentences which can be lined up so NOM, DAT, and ACC are
in columns and thus can be used like a chart.
ancilla puellae statuam dat.
The slave-girl gives the statue to the girl.
ancillae puellis statuas dant.
The slave-girls give the statues to the girls.
dominus servo anulum dabat.
The master was giving the ring to the slave.
domini servis anulos dabant.
The masters were giving the rings to the slaves.
mater patri infantem dedit.
The mother gave the baby to the father.
matres patribus infantes dederunt.
The mothers gave the babies to the fathers.
introduced. We worked through the sentences at the beginning of the
chapter, did a bit of TPR to explain ostendit and elegit and other words,
and admittedly translated into English (one day I'd like to be able to
maintain it all in Latin). It went well enough, but I knew things weren't
sinking in.
Yesterday we worked at the beginning of class on the model sentences I use (see
below*) instead of a full noun ending chart (since genitives/ablatives
aren't formally introduced until Unit 2)--copying and chanting. Then we put
it away. I got out my monkey.
My monkey has these arms that can stretch with little pockets on the paws so
you can shoot it like a slingshot. He's great. I should name him. He
looks like Curious George.
So first I taught them: DA MIHI SIMIUM! They would have to say "da mihi
simium!" then I would say "da tibi simium?" and they would repeat "da mihi
simium!" and I would shoot it at them. Then the class would break out in
loud "DA MIHI SIMIUM!" 's and the "da tibi" part would repeat until each
student in the class had had a turn asking for, receiving and shooting the
monkey.
Then I taught discipulae/discipulO. I would point to a student with my
sponge on a stick and the class would have to decide whether to say "da
discipulae simium" or "da discipulO simium". We'd keep chanting the right
one until the person had the monkey ready to shoot.
At the very end of class we went to plurals, noting that the masculine and
feminine were both the same--discipulIs. So then it was a competition
between da discipulIs simium and da magistrae simium.
I think when we approach the story tomorrow we'll have better connection
with those endings, and that's what it's all about.
***
I wrote the above yesterday for the Latinteach list. I'm looking at it today and thinking a couple of things: 1) this is a game and some people will say "middle school teachers play too many games" and 2) that the majority of the games I play have to have substance, which I think this does, so I don't care what some people will say. There was no candy involved, no external reward except for the physical activity. It was a class of high oral Latin content, of using the language in context, etc.
But with that said, I wrote this after my 2nd period class and was feeling great because the cooperation level was high, the kids participated well, and I think they got the point and did internalize the endings. Unfortunately 5th period was not the same. And this sometimes happens, which perhaps is why I'm looking at this right now and wondering should I have "played a game."
As a teacher, what you can't do is totally blame students when things go wrong. That's the easy way out. Yes, 5th period is my more apathetic class but there's more to it than that. It is a larger class--was it too large for this activity to be successful? How could I have made it more a more productive activity for a larger group? Even though it was chaotic, was it really less effective than with the 2nd period? Do I think I reached more students with this activity than I would have with just reading the next story in the book? Yes, I do. And, yes, I think it will help with reading the next story today.
I didn't do this activity last year, and I do recall that one of my better students last year still didn't understand the dative case at the end of the year. I'm aiming for better results this year!
And one last thing, of course, is that there is a time to NOT agonize over why things are less successful with one class than with another. You always need to reflect upon what you do, otherwise how will you learn? But now that I've reflected, it's time to move on.
***
Model Sentences:
*These are my model sentences which can be lined up so NOM, DAT, and ACC are
in columns and thus can be used like a chart.
ancilla puellae statuam dat.
The slave-girl gives the statue to the girl.
ancillae puellis statuas dant.
The slave-girls give the statues to the girls.
dominus servo anulum dabat.
The master was giving the ring to the slave.
domini servis anulos dabant.
The masters were giving the rings to the slaves.
mater patri infantem dedit.
The mother gave the baby to the father.
matres patribus infantes dederunt.
The mothers gave the babies to the fathers.
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