Latin Camp

I'm hosting a Latin camp this week for 13 kids ages 6.5 to 11. It's only for 3 hours a day but it seems to swallow whole days. I'm just going to note what I've done each day for future reference:

Day 1

Kids got nametags as they came in.

Sat in circle. Led them in sign of the cross and Ave Maria (in Latin) Practiced it a couple of times.

Played an ice breaker game - batted balloon around and each kid said his/her name, age and either what their favorite food was or their favorite animal. Balloon turned into volley ball game. Too rowdy.

Learned short poem by Sara Coleridge - Father is Pater. . .

Learned about what a verb is and what a noun is. Stood up and we chanted Amo, amas, amat to the tune of the Mexican Hat Dance (got this from Latin for Children). Kids loved it.

Played a game. I had written out 50 nouns in Latin on one side and English on the other on post it notes. The kids broke into two or three in a group and went around sticking sticky notes on different things around the house. They liked this.

Made lunch while the kids had indoor free time. Chicken nuggets and fries, apples and carrots.

Served lunch, kids ate. Before I let them go outside to play we recapped what we had learned in the morning.

Then the kids went out and played on slip and slide and sprinklers. Some kids put on a show in the basement.

Day 2
Name tags, kids got here early so played downstairs for a few minutes.

Gathered in circle. Practiced prayers again. Did another icebreaker because a new child who hadn't made it on Monday was here.

Kids enjoyed getting up and reciting the poem. Many offered to stand up and recite. Others didn't want to.

Stood up and sang Amo, amas, amat song.

Broke into three groups. Then they rotated through 3 stations. 1) Latin bingo game - for some reason this didn't work. Not enough bingo cards were alike) 2) Me reading Quot Anamalia out loud. 3) The sticky post game from day 1.

Free time while I made lunch.

Lunch and recap.

Free play outside with slip and slide and sprinklers.

Day 3

Boy did I over plan this day. You would think by Day 3 I'd have a better idea of what I can fit into our little teaching time, but I don't seem to have that instinct. Also, the mood of the children is slightly different from day to day and that can affect their attentiveness and attention spans.

Did the nametag and folder thing

Sat in circle - practiced sign of the cross. Showed the kids a youtube video of the words of the Ave Maria while monks chanted it beautifully.

Did ice breaker - favorite book.

Kids took turns reciting poem. Reviewed Amo song.

Taught the kids Sum - I am, etc. Did the sum, es, est chant with arms punching the air.

Did animal game - had kids stay in the basement (Josh keep them in order) while Becky, Sean and I hid stuffed animals/puppets all over the mainfloor. Each child was given the name of an animal in Latin and English. They were supposed to each look for their animal. Some kids are great lookers and others, not so much!

Free play while I made lunch - bacon and pancakes and oj.

Kids played outside with squirt guns, water soaker balls and in too big storage tubs full of water.

Day 4

No nametags today.

We did a review of everything learned so far. Went over everything to make sure the kids were really pronouncing each word correctly and that they really understood what everything meant.

Played history game - put out cards I have from a homemade timeline game that had to do with Ancient Rome and early Church history. Each child got to pick a card. Then I would talk about whatever picture was on the card - Julius Caesar, roman ship, etc, whatever it was and then we'd pass it around. Kids got hungry and bored about halfway through.

Free play while I made lunch - frozen pizzas.

After lunch more of the same squirt gun/water play. But it was very hot and most of the kids lingered over lunch just chatting or they chose to play indoors or read books.

Day 5

Kids did a 5 minute tidy up of the downstairs (we had mostly set it up night before)

We went over the order of the show verbally. Then we went down to the stage and practiced one time.

The kids played while I got busy with making mac and cheese, tuna salad, put out baby carrots.

Moms came at 12. Brought food - water melon, homemade raisin bread (yummy!), cookies, donuts, fruit salad. One dad was late because his poor wife is recovering from surgery. Put on the show. The kids processed from the bedroom to the stage. Becky was the announcer. First they sang the amo song, then chanted sum, es, est. Then they recited the poem. Then they sat down and each child picked out the animal they had found the day before and took turns saying the word for their animal. Then we all stood up and said the sign of the cross and the Ave Maria.

Had lunch and kids played.

All in all, things went well. There was a lot more I could have taught them if I'd had another hour. However, I don't think I have the stamina to do another hour at this point! So be it!