Introduction to Ancient Greek

Calder Classics invites middle through high school students to learn Ancient Greek with us online!

Over the course of this program, the Classics come alive through the study of Ancient Greek, the exploration of philosophy and classical mythology in Renaissance and modern art.  This Ancient Greek Course is offered at THREE LEVELS. We will provide a diagnostic test prior to the course to determine the student's correct Level.

Level One:

The Level 1 course is for beginners. Students dedicate sessions to learning the basics of the Ancient Greek language, beginning with the alphabet, including noun, adjective and participle declensions, verb forms, and other parts of speech, as well as the basics of Greek syntax. Those with some experience in the language can enjoy portions of the course as a review. We use textbooks designed to help students acquire an ability to read and appreciate great works of Greek literature as quickly as possible. At the end of the course students have a working vocabulary of about 150 words.

Focusing on some of the original Greek versions of popular myths, we spend time reading (in English) the translations of certain stories that have become popular in modern times. Using Greek and English parallel texts, students can test their language skills while unlocking ancient passages. The course is designed to enhance the students’ knowledge and appreciation of popular myths so that they might further develop their ability to read critically and question any source.

Level Two:

The Level 2 course is for students who have taken the Level 1 course, or already have some familiarity with the language. Following a quick review of the full article table and the active forms of verbs, this Level 2 section introduces more advanced grammatical topics. The course also introduces non-indicative verb forms such as infinitives, imperatives, and participles. Students have a chance to read short stories in Greek from their textbook, practicing accurate translations and incorporating exercises on the recognition of grammar covered in class. At the end of the course students have a working vocabulary of close to 300 words.

Level Three:

This Intermediate level course is for students who have taken our Level 2 course, or who already have sufficient familiarity with the language based on our diagnostic test. Students read passages from Odyssey 8, 9, and 10. Using worksheets that provide them with some of the more obscure vocabulary, students could get through up to 100 lines per day working with their partners and the instructor. Throughout the course, regular reviews of common grammatical features are conducted and the class culminates by looking at different versions of the Cyclops story.

Faculty

Dates and Fees

Introduction to Ancient Greek is offered throughout the summer in two week sessions, meeting weekdays for two and one half hour sessions beginning at either 10:30am EDT or 8pm EDT (Please be certain to indicate your start time preference on the application form in the space provided.). In addition we offer an intensive two-week session, meeting weekdays for two and one half hour morning and two hour afternoon sessions designed especially for students in Asian time zones. The course is organized to accommodate students who would like to continue to the next level in subsequent sessions.

Students may choose from the following sessions:

June 14 - June 25. Mon - Fri Levels 1, 2, or 3. Each class 2.5 hours. One class per day.

Start time options: 10:30 OR 20:00 EDT.

July 5 - July 16. Mon - Fri. Levels 1, 2, or 3. Each class is 2.5 hours. One class per day.

Start time options: 10:30 OR 20:00 EDT.

July 5 - July 16. Mon - Fri. SPECIAL INTENSIVE SECTION for ASIAN TIME ZONES. Covers Levels 1 AND 2.

Two classes per day: 13:00-15:30 and 18:00-20:00 UTC+8 (China Standard Time - CST).

July 19 - July 30. Mon - Fri. Levels 1, 2, or 3. Each class is 2.5 hours. One class per day.

Start time options: 10:30 OR 20:00 EDT.

August 2 - 13. Mon - Fri. Levels 1, 2, or 3. Each class is 2.5 hours. One class per day.

Start time options: 10:30 EDT.

Fee: $1200

Available Sessions listed above are subject to a minimum of 5 students enrolled per session.

The tuition includes instruction and course materials (certain additional books may need to be purchased).

Testimonials - Calder Classics Online

Calder Greek taught me an incredible amount of Greek in what felt like too short of a time frame. After two weeks of learning about the Greek language and classical history, I feel as if I have gained a whole new view into the world of classical antiquity while creating bonds with many of my classmates that will last a lifetime. While we could not explore the great city of Florence this year, I nonetheless felt immersed in our curriculum. Our incredible teachers brought a smile to my face every day, so I would like to thank them, as well as all of the new friends that I have met, for making this the highlight of my summer.

I loved the fast-pace of the class.

Calder Greek is very intensive and engaging. I'd say Calder Greek is encouraging in the sense that it tells me that I'm good enough to pursue things I thought were way beyond me.

Calder Greek introduced a challenging Greek curriculum, allowing me to stay engaged and focused the entire time while teaching me so much about the ancient Greek language and more along the way. While this year's program was certainly halted from its full potential due to the change in scenery [going online], I found the same camaraderie and abundance of knowledge that I had expected from a trip to Florence. Other classics courses I've taken were considerably more slow-paced, so I really enjoyed being challenged by an engaging curriculum and brilliant peers.

I personally find the courses they [Calder Classics] offer the most informative and interactive (and FUN!!). I learned a lot during the four weeks that I have spent here (2 weeks for reading Latin poems, 2 weeks of Intro to Greek), maybe more than I could have learned in a semester in other places. I totally loved the courses and thank you so much for providing me with such a wonderful experience!

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