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Latin Adjectives — Adiectīva

Eighth graders learn Latin adjectives — magnus, parvus, bonus, malus, novus — the roots of English words like “magnify,” “bonus,” and “novel,” and how they describe nouns.

Grade 8Adiectīva50 minutes1 class periodClassical LanguagesExplicit teaching4 StandardsACL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name Latin adjectives.
  • ✓Describe with adjectives.
  • ✓Match to roots.
  • ✓Spot English words.
Essential Question

Adjectives bring Latin to life — big, small, good, new. What are they, and what English words come from them?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Adjective

Project this and match each Latin adjective to its English meaning — tap the Latin, then tap the English.

📏 Match each adjective to its meaningTry it
Latin
English
Now tap the English!
The Lesson · Classical Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Bring Latin to Life

5 min

Adjectives bring Latin to life — what are they, and what English words come from them?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Describe an object.
  • Ask its Latin adjective.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Share.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Adiectīva

12 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Present each adjective.
  • Say them aloud.
  • Note “magnify, novel.”

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Repeat.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Match Them

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Adjective.
  • Match each one.
  • Name the root.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Name it.
  • Explain.
4

Speak — Speak

12 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say “magna urbs.”
  • Describe an object.
  • Ask a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Describe.
  • Ask.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name an adjective.
  • Say what it means.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the Standards for Classical Language Learning (ACL/ACTFL, Introductory).

ACL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand adjectives.

ACL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare adjective agreement.

ACL
Comparisons 4.2

Find Latin roots in English.

ACL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: describe things.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Adjective + root cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ means ___.”
  • Use paired opposites.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with magnus and parvus.
  • Match one pair at a time.
  • Repeat aloud.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Find “magnify, malice.”
  • Describe five things.
  • Match adjective to noun.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 📏Adjective cards
  • 💻Match the Adjective
  • 🗣️Audio
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

adiectīvumadjectivemagnusbigparvussmallbonusgoodmalusbadnovusnewlonguslongaltushigh/deep
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What does “magnus” mean?
Big/great (gives “magnify”).
QUESTION 2
What does “bonus” mean?
Good (gives “bonus”).
QUESTION 3
What English word comes from “novus”?
Novel.

Reflect: adiectīva.

Have students name two Latin adjectives and one English word each gives (like magnus → magnify). A printable adjectives sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Latin Adjectives (Adiectīva)Flip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Latin Adjectives (Adiectīva)Quiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Latin Adjectives (Adiectīva)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: adiectīvum, altus, bonus, longus, magnus, malus, novus, parvus
  1. long
  2. good
  3. bad
  4. new
  5. high/deep
  6. adjective
  7. small
  8. big

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does “magnus” mean?
  2. What does “bonus” mean?
  3. What English word comes from “novus”?
Answer key — Part A: 1) longus · 2) bonus · 3) malus · 4) novus · 5) altus · 6) adiectīvum · 7) parvus · 8) magnus
Part B: 1) Big/great (gives “magnify”). 2) Good (gives “bonus”). 3) Novel.