Nyansa’s curriculum helps students develop
moral imagination and foundational cultural knowledge.
The following “day in the life” depicts students rotating through our modules on Greco-Roman literature, Bible study, and Latin for English literacy.
Opening convocation
Students gather as a large group and begin with prayer and a song. Instructors make any announcements they have for that day, including the virtue they’ll focus on in their activities. Students are then divided into age groups so they can rotate through their three lessons for the day: Literature, Bible, and Latin.
Literature
Students learn a new story from Greek mythology. The instructor then teaches them a memory sentence to help them recall the story, retain key attributes of the main character, and remember a critical moral that the story was designed to show. Students then draw, act out, or re-tell the story individually or as a group. The instructor summarizes and brings them back to their memory sentence to end the session.
Bible
Students learn a story from the Bible associated with that day’s virtue. The instructor teaches them a memory sentence to help them recall the story and understand a critical issue of faith that it conveys. Next, they participate in a dictation activity to improve their listening, writing, and spelling abilities (depending on their age) and to discuss what that day’s story teaches them about virtue and vice.
Latin
To keep the group from getting restless, this session begins with a game of “Grus, Grus, Lupus” (lit.: “Crane, Crane, Wolf,” but played like “Duck, Duck, Goose”). Students next hear a story from Aesop’s Fables read aloud in Latin and English. For volunteers who do not know Latin, a video is provided. Next, the instructor teaches Latin vocabulary that speaks to the story’s moral or serves as the root of English words. The Latin lesson ends with a discussion of the fable and the moral it conveys.
Closing convocation
Students gather in a large group again to share a meal or snack and discuss what they have learned together. This communal activity reinforces the day’s lessons, helps students learn to take turns in conversation, and lets them practice speaking in mixed-age groups.
To actually go above and beyond the standard — I think that’s awesome. Because my daughter is going to be an amazing person, and to have her be more than they expect her to be, I’m excited!
— Quintesha Lee, Nyansa Parent
Nyansa strives to educate the whole person, to help students understand why their world looks the way it does and to teach them cultural literacy so they can explore that world confidently. The older I get, the more I appreciate what a gift it was to have that as a central part of my own education. I support Nyansa because it lets me share that gift with others.
— Christopher L. Caterine, Nyansa Board Member
To receive a one-week sample lesson plan, please sign up for our interest list:
Nyansa Classical Community 