Yearly Archives: 2013

Do you have your students sing silly songs about grammar points? (e.g. The Mexican Hat Dance, etc…)
I do this too…except I do something a bit different:  The students write the songs.  I was inspired by that crazy Lady Ba-Ba video that came out a few years back.  Anyway, I tell my students that not only are they writing for their class this year, they are writing for next years’ classes as well.  Yes, if they rock this grammar song, it will be used over and over again.
The assignment is to parody a song with a relatively easy tune, or one that is all over the radio and make the result about some point of Latin grammar that the students have learned.  One year, one of my students did “It’s Dative and I Know It” (to the tune of “I’m Sexy and I Know It.”)  Students can pick the same grammar point if they want. Heck, they can even pick the same song.  Songs and grammar points must be cleared with me first!
This is usually a solo project, but can work really well as a group project as well.  It can end with the students singing their songs live for the class, or making a video if them singing.  I usually give them the choice.
My students love this project.  It gives them a chance to really be creative, demonstrate their personality, and show off what they have learned about the Latin language.