COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course offers 43 hours of live instruction: 28 literature classes and 6 composition seminars. Students will explore the Golden Age of Latin (Roman) literature, from the earliest days of the Republic through the Ciceronian and Augustan Age. Writing seminars will prepare students to write papers that will push them beyond the limits of the five-paragraph essay, while helping them to refine their style. In addition they will have access to a (supervised) discussion board through which it is hoped they will avail themselves of the opportunity to discuss the literary works with their peers, practicing their writing, honing their logic, and learning from each other's insights and observations.
COURSE SCHEDULE & LOGISTICS
Course Duration:
- September 3, 2025 - April 29, 2026 (28 weeks)
- 1st Semester: Sep. 3 - Dec. 10, 2025 (No class week of Thanksgiving)
- 2nd semester: Jan. 14 - April 29, 2026 (No classes March 2-6 for Spring Break and no classes March 30-April 3 for Holy Week)
Live Online Class Schedule:
- Wednesday classes, 10:00-11:15 a.m. Pacific, 1:00-2:15 p.m. Eastern
- Thursday seminars: September 25, October 23, November 20 (2025); January 29; February 26, March 26 (2026); 10:00-11:15 a.m. Pacific, 1:00-2:15 p.m. Eastern
Office Hours:
- Thursdays, 8:30-9:15 a.m. Pacific, 11:30 a.m. -12:15 p.m. Eastern
Teacher-Student Interaction (Weekly):
- One, 75-minute live class
- Supervised discussion board
- Office hour for additional coaching (optional)
Class Size:
- 18 student maximum, 5 minimum
Questions? Email
Course Texts
Not Included with Course
Literature (Tentative)
(A final list will be available in July. Ms. Finnigan needs to re-read a few things to make sure they are appropriate!)
Makers of Rome by Plutarch
translated by and with an introduction by Ian Scott-Kilvert (Penguin Books)
Fall of the Roman Republic by Plutarch
revised edition, translated by and with an introduction and notes by Rex Warner (Penguin Books)
Coriolanus by William Shakespeare
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
The Aeneid by Virgil
Students will read additional texts, but most of those should be available for free online and will not need to be purchased.
Composition
The MLA Handbook
WEEKLY WORK FLOW AND CREDIT HOURS
Monday & Tuesday
Complete reading assignments (50-80 pages with some lighter weeks sprinkled throughout) and take quiz (3 hours)
Wednesday
Meet for literature discussion
(1 hour, 15 minutes)
Thursday
Meet for optional office hours
(15 minutes) and/or writing seminar (1 hour, 15 minutes)
Friday
work on next paper (1-2 hours)
LITERATURE CURRICULUM
Students will be introduced to five great historical figures of ancient Rome (Coriolanus, Cicero, Brutus, Julius Caesar, and Marc Antony) in Plutarch's biographies and will read three plays written by William Shakespeare, who used Plutarch's biographies as primary sources. We'll read one epic by Virgil, The Aeneid, which hearkens back to Homer and the myths of ancient Greece to tell the story of the founding of Rome. To balance out Plutarch's biographies, we'll read a collection of letters written by Ovid in which he gives voice to the famous heroines of Greek and Roman mythology. Peppered throughout will be short units based on primary texts (excerpts, essays, poems, speeches) that will illuminate some of the major literary movements and historical events of the time, including the invention of satire, the birth of propaganda, and the writing of at least one of the earliest Christian martyrs. Reading comprehension will be assessed by a weekly quiz.
The Fall of Troy
One Trojan must escape Troy after it has been sacked and take his people to found a new home.
The General vs. the Politicians
In the earliest days of the Roman Republic, one proud General saves Rome, only to turn against it.
The Battle of Alesia
Julius Caesar was victorious, but is what he wrote about the Gallic Wars true?
Cleopatra
Femme fatale? Diva? Political genius? Drama Queen? You decide.
Virgil
The best poet is commissioned by the Emperor to write a story about Rome. Does he dare to write a true one?
Justin the Philosopher
One of the first Christian apologists tries to convince the Roman Emperor to abandon his persecution of the Church.
WRITING SEMINARS
This course will give students more challenging essay prompts by asking them to accomplish more than one goal and to analyze and discuss more than one text. Seminars will help them tackle these assignments by giving them new organizational strategies and teaching advanced quoting techniques. Other seminars will introduce elements of style that will help them improve their writing at the sentence level. Students may have the chance toward the end of the year to experiment with other forms of writing, such as satire or creative writing. Students will be expected to spend 2-3 weeks working on each paper.
Your Teacher, Ms. Finnigan
Hello! I received my B.A. in English from Boston College and my M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. I like to say "I was teaching online before it was cool." I taught in the high school English and Literature department at Kolbe Academy Online for nine years, and before that at a hybrid school called St. John Bosco in Atlanta. I started Teach to the Text in 2003 to promote contemplative learning.
I heart classical literature.
Check out the testimonials below and the video (coming soon) that explains my Top 5 reasons why you should take this course!
If you have any questions about whether this course is right for your student, please email me and tell me a little bit about him or her. I want my students to be successful and I will give you my honest assessment. I have another course called Ancient Greek Literature and Intermediate Composition that might be a better gateway into classical literature.
I hope to hear from you!
Email:
[email protected]
Parent Testimonials
“I have known Ms. Finnigan for almost 10 years, and she has taught all four of my children in an online school setting. Before we began the high school online curriculum, I was fearful of being able to pass on the knowledge of a classical education – Greek Literature, Roman Literature, The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Great Dialogues of Plato, Creative Writing, poetry, etc…. I had never read those Great Books, nor was I a strong writer. Ms. Finnigan assuaged my fears, and she began the process in my children’s minds of them being able to think critically about a piece of literature. By her ability to bring their own viewpoints out in class by participation and discussion, without any particular bias on her part, she opened their minds to a deeper analysis of these works, along with a deeper analysis of themselves. How fortunate a student is to have Ms. Finnigan as a teacher!”
-Elyse Williams
"Ellen Finnigan is an educator in the truest sense of the word. My two high school age children have flourished under her mentorship, both in her literature and writing classes. Her use of primary texts...provides a unique and challenging curriculum for any high school student. Ellen masterfully guides students through this rigorous material with enjoyable and thought-provoking discussion. She engages her students, going out of her way to connect with them personally and creates a camaraderie within the class to facilitate thoughtful discourse. Equally as impressive is Ellen’s ability to teach writing. From inviting topics to prompt feedback, Ellen provides professional critique in a naturally supportive manner that coached my teens to communicate their thoughts and ideas with clarity, creativity, and skill. I cannot thank her enough for her influence in my teens’ intellectual development and life."
-Bernadette Reidy
"Ms. Ellen Finnigan is one of those rare teachers who effectively combines deep subject knowledge, abundant joy, engaging inspiration and captivating creativity in her approach to teaching children. For over six years, Ms. Finnigan instilled a love for literature and writing to four of my children through her classes in Greek literature and creative writing. Her writing tutorial has been indispensable to preparing my children for college level writing. Ms. Finnigan’s joy for teaching is genuine and made every class exciting and enjoyable for the children. She enabled her students to recognize the deeper meaning of the great literature of the past and draw on its impact on their lives and its meaning in the modern world. I would sincerely and enthusiastically recommend Ms. Finnigan to any parent as their child’s teacher."
- Greg Simia
"In Ms. Finnigan you have the stellar combination of a great teacher and an amazing person. Being at the same time professional and warm-hearted, she inspires her students to bring their best into her literature and writing classes. She meets students where they are ability-wise, and brings out the best in them with her encouraging and detailed feedback. She has a great grasp of the literature she teaches and the human nature that lies behind it. She came alongside my daughter in many ways in her life during her high school years, and we are forever grateful."
- Amy Grasso
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