Title Where Are You Going
Level 1 (easy)
Number of Students More than 3
Organization Class or Groups
Length 10 -15 minutes
Materials One building card per student

Procedure:

Download and print the Latin Buildings Cards.

Pre-teach if necessary the vocabulary. The forms needed are Accusative and Ablative. Try to get the pronunciation right before beginning.

  1. Make groups. If there are more students than building cards then make another group. Each student should have a unique card for his/her group. Groups should stand / sit in a circle.
  2. Explain the rules:
    Show your card so everyone can see it.
    Everyone practices the target form of the words, (e.g. the accusative)
    If your card is called, it's your turn. You must use another student's card.
  3. Do the game once in English so that the meaning is clear and the instructions have been understood.
  4. Proceed with the game in Latin. Encourage the students to go faster and faster. Clapping a rhythm might be helpful.
  5. When students have mastered one level, move on to another.
  6. After finishing all the levels. Randomly call on a few pairs of students to present this dialogue quickly. You may use the pictures to prompt.

Level 1. Partial sentences. Write in large letters on the board "Quo?"
English Latin
all Where? omnes Quo?
(The teacher may wish to start) S1 the Theater S1 Ad theatrum.
all Where? omnes Quo?
(who holds the theater card) S2 the library. S2 Ad bilbliothecam.
all Where? omnes Quo?
(who holds the library card) S3 the Hospital. S3 Ad valetudinarium.


Level 2. Full sentences.Write in large letters on the board "Quo te agis?"
English Latin
all Where are you going? omnes Quo te agis?
S1 I'm going to the Theater S1 Ad theatrum eo.
all Where are you going? omnes Quo te agis?
S2 I'm going to the library. S2 Ad bilbliothecam eo.
all Where are you going? omnes Quo te agis?
S3 I'm going to the Hospital. S3 Ad valetudinarium eo.


Level 3. The conversation becomes longer. Now students say where they are coming from (their own card) and where they are going to (another person's card). Write in large letters on the board "Unde venis?" and "Quo hinc abis?"
English Latin Note
all Where are you coming from? omnes Unde venis?
S1 From the Theater S1 A theatro. S1 has the Theater card
all Where are you going? omnes Quo hinc abis?
S1 I'm going to the library. S1 Ad bilbliothecam eo. S1 chooses another person's card
all Where are you coming from? omnes Unde venis?
S2 I'm coming from the Library. S2 A bibliotheca.
all Where are you going? omnes Quo hinc abis?
S2 I'm going to School. S2 Ad ludum eo.

NOTE: Domus (home) is special. To home is "domum" and from home is "domo". You can choose to teach this point before doing the activity or afterwards. (Personally I would point it out first and forgive any mistakes later). You might also write the forms on the card in bright blue or red letters to draw attention to them.

Variation: Have pairs of students work together to make a short dialogue building on this exchange. Students who know the past and future tenses can add exchanges such as, "What did you do there?" and "What will you do there?"--Quid fecisti? Quid facies? (encourage students to have fun--such as eating books at the library or stealing food from the market.)


©Thomas McCarthy MMIII