Founders Classical Academy of Fort Worth
Week of August 24 - 28
Sententia Hebdomadis (Quote of the Week)
"Repetitio est mater studiorum."
(“Repetition is the mother of learning.")
Salvēte!
About Mr. Laurence
Mr. Ethan Laurence-Gauglitz earned his Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of North Texas, also studying a semester at Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität in Hannover, Germany. After graduation, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kosovo, working as a grant writer for the local municipal government and teaching English in local schools. These experiences deepened his appreciation for cultural exchange, global perspectives, and the power of language to connect people.
Mr. Laurence's education background also includes being the Academic Coordinator and Lead English Instructor at Excel Academy in Henderson, Nevada, where he developed curriculum, supported teachers, and helped students reach their full potential. He brings to the classroom a love for languages, literature, and learning, and is excited to share these passions with his students this year.
UPCOMING EVENTS!
September 3rd - Ice Cream Social
September 4th - Student Holiday (Teacher Development Day)
September 7th - Labor Day
October 30th - Family Blast!
Hebdomadis Recapitulatio (Week in Review)
This week, students began their formal study of first- and second-conjugation verbs in Latin. Using the verbs introduced in Chapter 1 of Wheelock’s Latin, students practiced identifying the patterns that distinguish these two conjugations. They learned how personal endings change a Latin verb to indicate who is performing the action. Students then practiced conjugating verbs through all six persons of the present active indicative. This work builds an essential foundation for reading Latin sentences and prepares students to recognize verb forms quickly and accurately.
Prospicientia in Proximam Hebdomadam (Looking Ahead to Next Week)
Next week, students will build upon their knowledge of conjugation by learning how to parse Latin verbs. Parsing requires students to identify and list the five grammatical characteristics of a verb in the correct order: person, number, tense, voice, and mood. Students will practice looking at a conjugated verb and using its form to determine each of these characteristics. This process encourages students to move beyond simply translating a verb and instead understand precisely how and why it functions within a sentence. As parsing becomes more familiar, students will develop an important analytical skill that we will continue using throughout their study of Latin.
laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum — to praise
The verb laudō means “I praise” or “I commend” and is a first-conjugation verb introduced in Chapter 1 of Wheelock’s. Students can use it to practice the present-tense pattern they learned this week: laudō, laudās, laudat, laudāmus, laudātis, laudant. The English words laud, laudable, and applaud ultimately come from the same Latin root. It is an excellent example of how learning a single Latin word can illuminate several words that we still use in English today.
Did you know that Romans kept track of time differently from the way we do today? The daylight period was divided into twelve horae, or hours, beginning at sunrise and ending at sunset. Because the amount of daylight changes throughout the year, a Roman daytime “hour” was therefore longer in summer and shorter in winter. The Romans also divided the night into watches, which were especially important for soldiers and guards. Our English word hour ultimately comes from Latin hora, although our modern hours remain a fixed sixty minutes throughout the year.
Valēte!
Latin I
2026 - 2027
Instructor: Mr. Ethan Laurence-Gauglitz
elaurencegauglitz@responsiveedtx.com
COURSE OVERVIEW
Salvete, discipuli! Welcome to Latin I! In this course, students will be introduced to the fundamentals of Latin grammar, vocabulary, and translation. We will be using Wheelock’s Latin as our primary textbook, supplemented with classroom exercises, group activities, and occasional projects to deepen understanding and appreciation of Latin language, as well as Roman culture and history. By the end of the year, students will be able to translate simple Latin passages, understand key grammatical concepts, and be able to recognize Latin roots in English vocabulary.
CLASS MATERIALS (INSTRUMENTA)
Each student should bring the following materials to every class:
A 1½ -inch binder exclusive to Latin
Four binder dividers
Loose-leaf, college-ruled notebook paper
Index cards - at least two packs to start with (we’ll need many throughout the year!)
An assignment planner to write down the homework
Pencils
** We follow the structure and content of Wheelock’s Latin (7th Edition), but there is no need to
buy a copy of the book.
Tests – 50%
Quizzes – 30%
The lowest quiz grade per quarter will be dropped.
Homework/Assignments – 20%
GENERAL COURSE OUTLINE (CURSUS HONORUM)
Quarter I
● Introduction & Parts of Speech
● Chapter 1: Verbs, 1st & 2nd Conjugation, Translating
● Chapter 2: First Declension Nouns and Adjectives, Prepositions, Conjunctions, Interjections
● Chapter 3: Second Declension Masculine Nouns and Adjectives, Apposition, Word Order
● Chapter 4: Second Declension Neuter Nouns and Adjectives; Present tense of Sum, Predicate Nominatives, Substantives
● Olympian Gods and Stories
Quarter II
● Chapter 4: Second Declension Neuter Nouns and Adjectives; Present tense of Sum, predicate, nominatives, substantives
● Chapter 5: First and Second Conjugations of Future and Imperfect; Adjectives ending in -er
● Chapter 6: Sum and Possum; Complementary Infinitive
● Chapter 7: Third Declension Nouns
● Olympian Gods cont., Creation & Titanomachy, Aeneas
Quarter III
● Chapter 8: Third Conjugation: Present System; Introduce Synopsis
● Chapter 9: Demonstratives Hic, Ille, Iste; Special -ius Adjectives
● Chapter 10: Fourth Conjugation and 3rd -io Verbs
● Chapter 11: Personal Pronouns Ego, Tu, and Is; Demonstratives Is and Idem
● 7 Kings of Rome
Quarter IV
● Chapter 12: The Perfect Active System; Synopsis
● Chapter 13: Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns, Reflexive Possessives
● Chapter 14: 3rd Declension I-stem Nouns; Ablative of Means, accompaniment, and
Manner
● Chapter 15: Numerals; Genitive of the Whole; Ablative of Numerals and Ablative of
Time
● Early Roman heroes, Roman houses, Roman family.
Latin II
2026 - 2027
Instructor: Mr. Ethan Laurence-Gauglitz
elaurencegauglitz@responsiveedtx.com
COURSE OVERVIEW
Salvete, discipuli! Welcome back to the study of Latin. This year, we shall return to Wheelock’s
Latin and cover chapters 17-30 over topics such as indirect statements, comparative adjectives,
participles, and subjunctives. In addition to our study of the Latin language, we will also cover
cultural topics from Roman history and mythology.
CLASS MATERIALS (INSTRUMENTA)
Each student should bring the following materials to every class:
A 1½ -inch binder exclusive to Latin
Four binder dividers
Loose-leaf, college-ruled notebook paper
Index cards - at least two packs to start with (we’ll need many throughout the year!)
An assignment planner to write down the homework
Pencils
** We follow the structure and content of Wheelock’s Latin (7th Edition), but there is no need to
buy a copy of the book.
Tests – 50%
Quizzes – 30%
The lowest quiz grade per quarter will be dropped.
Homework/Assignments – 20%
GENERAL COURSE OUTLINE (CURSUS HONORUM)
Quarter I:
-Review of Ch. 1-16
-Ch. 17: Relative Pronouns
-Ch. 18-19: Passive Voice/Ablative of Agent
-Culture and History: the Roman world, early Roman history, Roman Deities, Jason and
Medea, Roman education
Quarter II:
-Ch. 19: Interrogative Adjectives and Pronouns
-Ch. 20: 4th Declension/Ablative Usage
-Ch. 21: Passive Voice of 3rd and 4th Conjugations
-Ch. 22: 5th Declension/Review of Ablative Usage
-Ch. 23: Participles
-Brief Review of Semester Material
-Culture and History: major bodies of water, Punic Wars, major mythological heroes,
Roman baths and recreation centers
Quarter III:
-Brief Review of Semester Material
-Ch. 24: Ablative Absolute/Passive Periphrastic/Dative of Agent
-Ch. 25: Infinitives/Indirect Statement
-Ch. 26: Comparison of Adjectives/Declension of Comparatives/Ablative of Comparison
-Ch. 27: Special and Irregular Comparison of Adjectives
-Culture and History: Roman provinces, Caesar’s conquest of Gaul, heroes of the Iliad
and Odyssey, mythological monsters, gladiatorial combat, amphitheater
Quarter IV:
-Ch. 28: Intro to Subjunctive/Jussive Subjunctive/Purpose Clauses
-Chapter 29: Imperfect Subjunctive/Present Imperfect Subjunctive of Sum and Possum/Result Clauses
-Chapter 30: Perfect and Pluperfect Subjunctive/Indirect Questions/Sequence of Tenses
-Review of Semester Material and Translation
-Culture and History: Roman government, late Republican history and civil war, the Underworld (deities, geography, etc.), chariot races, triumphal ceremony