COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is a two-in-one course that offers 56 hours of live instruction and combines a study of classical literature with a high school composition course. It could count for 1.5 - 2.0 high school credits. Students will read the oldest stories we have in Western literature, dating back to 1200 B.C. They'll start with the epic poems of Homer, The Iliad and The Odyssey, and move on to the Greek tragedies of Aeschylus and Sophocles.
The class will meet online twice a week: on Tuesdays for literature discussion and on Wednesdays for writing instruction and workshop. Students will learn techniques of argumentative and analytical writing and will write 6-8 essays by the end of the year. They will also practice public speaking through in-class discussions, debates, and a presentation or two. It's going to be epic!
COURSE SCHEDULE & LOGISTICS
Course Duration:
- September 8, 2026 - April 28, 2027 (28 weeks)
- 1st Semester: Sep. 8 - Dec. 16, 2026 (No classes week of Thanksgiving)
- 2nd semester: Jan. 12 - April 28, 2027 (No classes March 1-5 for Spring Break and no classes March 22 - 26 for Holy Week)
Live Online Class Schedule:
- Tuesdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Pacific, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Eastern (Literature)
- Wednesdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Pacific, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Eastern (Composition)
Office Hours:
- Upon request
Teacher-Student Interaction (Weekly):
- Two, 60-minute live classes, facilitated by either Mr. Kays or Ms. Finnigan
- At least one graded assignment
- 6-8 essays with detailed feedback
Class Size:
- 18 student maximum, 6 minimum
Co-Teaching Model:
- This class will follow Ms. Finnigan's time-tested curriculum, and students will have access to her Iliad and Odyssey study guides as well as her lectures on Homer.
- Mr. Kays will follow Ms. Finnigan's course plan and will be in charge of leading literature discussions and administering the course, while Ms. Finnigan will lead the writing instruction classes and grade all major writing assignments.
- Students can expect to have more classes with Mr. Kays as the year goes on, but Mr. Kays and Ms. Finnigan will be in close communication about the course to assure student growth and progress toward defined learning objectives!
Questions? Email
Course Texts
Not included with course
Literature
The Iliad by Homer
translated by Richmond Lattimore
The Odyssey by Homer
translated by Richmond Lattimore
The Oresteian Trilogy by Aeschylus
translated by Philip Vellacott
The Theban Plays by Sophocles
translated by E.F. Watling
One more literary text TBD, if time allows.
Composition
The MLA Handbook
Two Study Guides
Included with Course
Let's Read The Iliad! Study Guide
written by Ms. Finnigan
Let's Read The Odyssey! Study Guide
written by Ms. Finnigan
These study guides, written by your instructor, will aid literary analysis, reading comprehension, and critical thinking and help you prepare to write the papers.
WEEKLY WORK FLOW AND CREDIT HOURS
Monday:
Complete reading assignment and study guide questions; watch short lecture; take quiz (2-3 hours)
Tuesday:
Meet for literature discussion (1 hour)
Wednesday:
Meet for writing class (1 hour)
Thursday or Friday:
Optional Office Hour; complete writing assignment (1-3 hours)
WRITING CURRICULUM
We'll be learning (and reviewing) the fundamentals of writing: skills that are easy to learn but hard to master. Some skills, such as quote integration and MLA conventions, will be new to most students. Students will practice and practice (and practice) throughout the year. Being graded on a consistent rubric, they will be able to track their progress toward specific goals.
Literary Analysis
Every great paper begins with active reading, note-taking, and subjective interpretation.
Thesis and Brainstorming
You need to write a solid thesis and brainstorm your reasoning and support.
Organizing Ideas
Specific techniques can help you arrange your ideas and see relationships between them.
Concrete Support
Find the best evidence for your position and integrate it well.
Drafting
Turn your outline into a polished essay in accordance with academic conventions.
Critical Thinking
Practice these skills over and over and develop awesome critical thinking skills!
Learning Objectives
Improve Active Reading and Note-taking Skills
Develop Excellent Reading Comprehension
Hone Critical Thinking Skills such as Analysis, Inference, Reflection, Comparison and Contrast
Improve Powers of Insight and Skills of Argumentation
Formulate Original Ideas and Explain Them Well
Express Ideas with Confidence by Practicing with Peers in a Supportive Atmosphere
Master Conventions of Academic Writing (MLA) Expected at a College Level
Identify over 30 Literary Devices
Understand the origins and foundations of Western Literature
Write convincingly with confidence!
In class, practice communicating with courage, clarity, and charity!
Why Read The Iliad
Not convinced? Give me five minutes...(actually six and a half...)
Co-Teacher
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 high school at Kolbe Academy Online for nine years, and before that at a hybrid school called St. John Bosco in Atlanta.
Stand alone writing courses and impersonal "scoring" services are, from what I've seen, not very effective at the high school level.
I know what is.
Check out the testimonials and the video that explains what makes this course unique -- and truly epic!
I am looking forward to co-teaching this course in the 2026-27 school year with Mr. Kays. We will be following my time-tested curriculum, but Mr. Kays will be in charge of literature discussions and some grading, while I will be stepping in to prove the writing instruction and grading of papers.
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!
Co-Teacher
Andrew Kays received his B.A. in Literature from Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts, and his M.A. in Humanities with a concentration in Classical Education from the University of Dallas.
His studies under Dr. Mary Mumbach led him to interpret the writings of Dr. Louise Cowan on the nature of poetry and the poetic genres of literature, according to Aristotle, in his undergraduate thesis at Magdalen.
Additionally, he has also studied the Beowulf Poet, Dante, Shakespeare, as well as an assortment of other Medieval and modern writers under Dr. Anthony Esolen at Magdalen College, and Drs. Joshua Kinlaw and Paul Weinhold at the University of Dallas.
His prior teaching experience includes independently developed courses on Shakespeare and Beowulf which were offered to homeschooled students remotely. Having been homeschooled, alongside his two brothers, all the way through high school, he has a deep knowledge and appreciation of the homeschool and privately schooled communities.
More Student Testimonials
"This course was an absolute delight! I loved the close reading that we did in class. Going through the lines individually really enhanced my appreciation for the richness that is found in ancient Greek literature. I also enjoyed how we explored multiple genres of Greek literature, especially by the end of the year. The course also allowed for a wide variety of projects, which I really enjoyed. ...This course was such an enriching experience! Ms. Finnigan is a compassionate and skilled instructor, and it was such a blessing having her as a guide in improving my writing and analytical skills this year. I grew so much from this writing course!"
-Caitlin, 2026
“The class is easily one of the best I’ve ever taken! It goes in depth with creativity, writing and analyzing skills as well as learning how to write argumentative and effective papers/essays. I am for sure coming back next class! It was a lot of fun and meeting all the classmates was great! The class is great if you are looking to improve your writing skills and learn how to create good and effective essays and papers! Another thing that really stuck out was learning how to be argumentative while keeping things on a professional level.”
-Landon Picou, 17 years old, 2025
"I loved how interactive it was. The class was more than a lecture, we got to ask questions and make our own points as well. It was great! I learned so much from it about how mankind works, which is essentially what history and literature are all about! If you like history, reading, writing, or deep thought this is the coolest class out there! It breaks free from the average online class monotony of 'lecture, reading, assignment, quiz, repeat' which I have frequently found in all other online classes I've taken. And not only is the class about Greeks, but it also reminds me of Greek philosophers in that it takes multiple subjects and combines them into this one fun 'subject glob.' There's not only literature and writing, but also history, philosophy, and even a teeny bit of linguistics. Just don't trust all of Ms. Finnigan's pronunciation ;)."
-Annabella Salvucci, Effort, PA, 2025
"I would highly recommend this course! The readings were great, as were the study guides that went with them. We had lots of great discussions and we did some fun stuff, too, like debates and creative projects. I also loved the writing workshops. My writing really improved throughout the year! Ms. Finnigan is a great teacher! I really enjoyed this course! the only warning I have for you is that the work load is a lot at first, but don't worry! You will get used to it!" --Rose H., Lafayette, Indiana, 2026
"This was my first online class experience and I enjoyed it very much! The classes were something to look forward to. Ms. Finnigan is a great teacher. It was a good experience to read the Ancient Greek tragedies/epic poetry. I enjoyed the special art project opportunity and have really improved my writing, as well as getting a taste of MLA formatting... I also learned how to participate in class with other students, was exposed to the socratic method of study. Both the readings from class and writing prompts have helped me to delve more into Church Teaching and learn more as well. Ms. Finnigan is a great teacher! The Ancient Greek Literature and Composition class was an awesome online experience and very helpful for improving writing, reading and note taking skills!"
-Philomena, 2026
Parent Testimonials
"After an endless search for what I thought was a 'unicorn' online literature class, I found the perfect course in Teach to the Text's Ancient Literature I. I loved how varied the activities were, so that students were comprehensively developing multiple important skills and not doing the same thing every day. Beyond Ms. Finnigan's incredible knowledge, she brings a warmth, patience, and personal encouragement to her classroom in a way that makes every student feel valued and inspired. I cannot recommend this class highly enough!"
- Laura Manuel, 2026
"Ms. Finnigan is wonderful in many ways. She is tough and demands excellence. This is important for character formation as well as forever formation. We appreciate the high bar. My older two took the Ancient Greek Literature class with Ms. Finnigan when she was teaching at Kolbe. They still say she was their best teacher and their most demanding teacher. After Ms. Finnigan left Kolbe, we didn't know where to find her! Word was passed along that Ms. Finnigan is teaching her own courses now. I couldn't register my number 5 fast enough. If there is a teacher out there that can pull the maximum out of a B student, it is Ms. Finnigan...As for 'accredited,' I have not run into that issue at all. My oldest just graduated from law school. My number 2 is a religious Sister. It is more important that the student knows how to write, than if a class is/was accredited. I cannot recommend Ms. Finnigan enough. 5 stars."
- Lynne P., Mother of many out on the West Coast, 2026
"The study guides are fantastic; they really help guide the reading of the difficult texts--the first time Michael had read anything 'ancient'. I liked the quizzes and the study guide questions that forced careful reading."
- Beth Gath, 2026
"When Ms. Finnigan invited my daughter to this class, I took pause. We've not done much in the way of Ancient Literature in our homeschool. I knew it would be deep and wide and hard and maybe even frustrating. It was all of those things. HOWEVER - it was incredible to watch my student develop her understanding of language and literature and analysis through this class. She would regularly storm in the kitchen to scream at Agamemnon or mourn Astynax and Hector and Priam. She would create modern connections to ancient issues around women, children, marriage and politics. It was so beautiful to see her natural intelligence refine and become tangible through writing and note-taking. We had incredible conversations because of this class and I'm so grateful that it was taught in a challenging, but approachable fashion that kept her coming back for more. My student felt that using personalized annotation was crucial. She found ways to use post-it style notes and different colored ink to manage the flow of constant information in her books. She would also outline as she read - really crucial for her information retention! This is an amazing course for any high school student. It's intense - but you absolutely get so much value from the all-encompassing education that Ms. Finnigan provides!"
-Julia Hill, 2025
"My daughter is a much more confident writer after taking [this class]. She thought the class was hard work but always looked forward to it. She also enjoys thoughtful discussions more than before and encourages her siblings to be quiet and listen when we’re talking together!"
-Sarah Albright, 2026
Notes to Parents
On Recordings
Recordings will not be sold nor made available to anyone outside of class.
On Religion
The Study Guides and video lectures are "Catholic and Classical". They deal with moral, spiritual, and philosophical questions from a Christian perspective, and they draw on the 2,000-year-old intellectual tradition of the Catholic Church to articulate and present that perspective. However, this is not a theology course. The religious content is very general and should be acceptable to any Christian, whether Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant.
Not a believer? Perhaps, you will find the religious content interesting from a cultural or historical perspective. After all, the pagans who told these stories for hundreds of years were religious people: They believed in divine beings, they engaged in religious rituals, they worshipped, they prayed. Most of them eventually converted to Christianity. The materials will sometimes ask you to think about differing concepts of the divine, make connections with Sacred Scripture, or engage in introspection and spiritual reflection. If these exercises are not valuable to you, you can skip them, and you will still get a lot out of this study!
Non-Christians are welcome to take this course, as long as the Christian religion is respected.
Most paper topics will not require you to consider the Christian point of view, and will certainly not require you to write from that point of view, although you are welcome to incorporate this point of view if you desire. If Ms. Finnigan suggests a "Christian" paper topic, she will always provide an alternative for students who want another option.
