GREEK 300 A: Introductory Greek, Accelerated

Winter 2026
View in MyPlan View in Time Schedule
Meetings:
MTThF 1:30pm - 2:20pm
W 1:30pm - 2:20pm
SLN:
15319
Section Type:
Lecture
Syllabus Description (from Canvas):

Greek 300-Winter 2026: Introductory Greek, Accelerated

INSTRUCTOR: Michael Ritter, Department of Classics

email: mritte@uw.edu

Office hours: M: 12:30 pm or by appointment. Email is preferred for logistical matters and in person is preferred for course content questions. Zoom is also an option.

Office: Denny Hall, Classics Meeting Room, Denny 255.

Classics Department Telephone/Message:  206.543.2266

If you have questions about adding coursework in Classics, Latin or Greek to your UW program of study, please email us at clasdept@uw.edu or stop by Denny 262 E! Classics would love to have you!

Class Meetings

MTThF: 1:30-2:20 pm DEN 110

W: 1:30-2:20 pm DEN 210

Required textbooks: 

Anne Groton, From Alpha to Omega (5th ed.) 

Anne Groton and James May, 46 Stories in Classical Greek 

Recommended:

Bruss, Jon. From Alpha to Omega Ancillary Exercises, 2nd ed.

Mondi. A Student Handbook of Greek and English Grammar

Resources for Greek Study

Screencast videos for From Alpha to Omega: Screencasts for From Alpha to Omega

Description:

Welcome to Greek 300, an accelerated course that combines in one term material covered in Greek 101 and 102. After completing Greek 300 students can take Greek 103 in the spring term and complete the year-long sequence designed to introduce students to Ancient Greek (Classical and koine). 

By the end of the course you will be able to: 

-read and translate simple selections from ancient Greek authors and compose simple sentences in Greek. 

-understand and explain literary, historical, and cultural context of ancient Greek texts 

-analyze and explain ancient Greek grammar and syntax 

-analyze and explain ancient Greek’s influence on and connection to other languages and literatures 

By the end of the sequence (Greek 101, 102, 103 or Greek 300, Greek 103) you equip yourself to read any Greek author. In our second-year courses (Greek 304, 305, 306, 307) students read selections of Xenophon (306), Plato (307), Homer (307), and biblical texts (304). 

Note: GtE = ‘Greek to English’; EtG = ‘English to Greek’

*Please note that the syllabus is subject to change

Course Components

Homework: this should be prepared to the best of your ability and in writing. We will go through all or part of the assigned homework together in class. You should feel free to correct any mistakes then. Please submit your homework via Canvas no later than 1:30 pm of the day it is due on the syllabus. You can do this by uploading a photo or scan of your homework or uploading a Word or PDF file. I will then assign a grade for completion and effort of the work.

Participation: this assumes regular attendance in class but is assessed rather in terms of engagement with the class. This might be shown through interactions (constructive involvement in group work, discussion, translation, questions, comments, curiosity about the material) both inside and outside of class. I try to call on all students in class and create an open and supportive atmosphere where students are comfortable responding even if they feel they do not have an answer or the “right” answer. 

Quizzes: these are taken in class. They will ask you to produce paradigms, mainly translate from Greek into English, and possibly answer questions about vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. They are designed to take you 20–30 minutes to complete.

Final examination: this will have the same format as a typical quiz but will be somewhat longer. It will test knowledge of work done throughout the term including work done since the last quiz.

Grade Distribution

Quizzes: 220 pts 

Homework: 93 pts

Participation: 46 pts

Final Exam: 41 pts

ResourcesLinks to an external site.

 

Policies on Conduct

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an environment where the free exchange of ideas is an integral part of the academic learning environment. Disruption or domination of discussions can prohibit other students from fully engaging and participating. Any student causing disruption may be asked to leave the discussion and, depending on the severity and frequency of that behavior, an incident report may be filed with Community Standards and Student Conduct. As a condition of enrollment, all students assume responsibility for observing standards of conduct that will contribute to the pursuit of academic goals and to the welfare of the academic community. For more detailed information on these standards, please visit this page.

Religious Accommodation 

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at the Registrar's Religious Accommodations Policy page. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form available at https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/.

Plagiarism/Academic Dishonesty

Plagiarism and cheating constitute academic misconduct and will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is the use of other people's words, thoughts, and/or ideas without properly citing their source. Plagiarism may involve any of the following: 1) blatant copying the work of others including your classmates; 2) paraphrasing the words or ideas of another without acknowledging the source; 3) using other peoples' theories or ideas without acknowledging the source; 4) utilizing any fact, not of your own creation/discovery, that is not already common knowledge; 5) turning in another person's work as your own. Plagiarized work will result in a “0” for the assignment. If you have any questions concerning this issue, please see me immediately and/or see the Statement of Academic Responsibility.

How to read this syllabus

The ΑΩ Lessons and the homework assignments should be read and completed before the listed date. For example: on January 6th, come to class having already completed Lesson 1 Exercises A & B and having read and taken notes on Lesson 2

Week 1

Monday: 1.5

    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 1: Introduction: Ancient Greek and Indo-European, The Greek Alphabet, Parts of Speech

Tuesday: 1.6

    • HW due: Lesson 1: Exercises A (write out the names as written in Greek and transliterate the names into the English alphabet) 
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 2: The Greek Accents (Don’t panic! This is an introduction and we will work on building your understanding as we go)
    • Accents Powerpoint 

Wednesday: 1.7

    • HW due: Lesson 2 Exercise A (1-10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 3 (Ω-Verbs: Present Active)
    • Lesson 3 PDF

Thursday: 1.8

    • HW due: Lesson 3 GtE (1–6)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 4 (Parts of speech; first declension feminine nouns pt. 1)
    • Lesson 4 PDF

Friday: 1.9

    • Quiz 1

Week 2

Monday: 1.12

    • HW due: Lesson 4 GtE (1, 2, 4, 5, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 5 (First declension feminine nouns pt. 2)
    • Lesson 5 PDF

Tuesday: 1.13

    • HW due: Lesson 5 GtE (5-10) AND EtG (3)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 6 (Future Active Indicative and Infinitive)
    • Lesson 6 PDF

Wednesday: 1.14

    • HW due: Lesson 6 GtE (1-5) AND EtG (3)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 7 (Second declension masculine nouns) 

Thursday: 1.15

    • HW due: Lesson 7: GtE (1-5, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 8 (Second declension neuter nouns)

Friday: 1.16

    • Quiz 2

Week 3

Monday: 1.19

    • MLK Day (No Class)

Tuesday: 1.20

    • HW due: Lesson 8: GtE (1, 2, 6, 8, 9)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 9 (First Declension Masculine Nouns; Substantives)

Wednesday: 1.21

    • HW due: Lesson 9 GtE (1, 2, 4, 5-8, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lessons 10 (Ω-Verbs: Imperfect, Correlatives)

Thursday: 1.22

    • HW due: Lesson 10 GtE (1, 5, 8, 10); read, copy, and translate The Bear Tells All (p.62)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 11 (Middle/Passive)

Friday: 1.23

    • Quiz 3

Week 4

Monday: 1.26

    • HW due: Lesson 11 GtE (1, 4, 5, 7, 8)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 12 (εἰμί, Enclitics)

Tuesday: 1.27

    • HW due: Lesson 12 GtE (1–4, 9, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 13 (Demonstratives)

Wednesday: 1.28

    • HW due: Lesson 13 GtE (4–8)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 14 (Personal Pronouns)

Thursday: 1.29

    • HW due: Lesson 14 GtE (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 15 (Contract verbs, Contract future)

Friday: 1.30

    • Quiz 4

Week 5

Monday: 2.2

    • HW due: Lesson 15: GtE (3, 4); read, copy and translate Mighty Mouse (p.93)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 16 (3rd Declension nouns) 

Tuesday: 2.3

    • HW due: Lesson 16 GtE (1, 2, 4, 6-9)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 17 (3rd Declension Adjectives)

Wednesday: 2.4

    • HW due: Lesson 17 GtE (1, 5, 6, 9)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 18 (Ω-Verbs: First Aorist Active and Middle)

Thursday: 2.5

    • HW due: Lesson 18 GtE (2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 19 (Ω-Verbs: Second Aorist; Reflexive Pronouns)

Friday: 2.6

    • Quiz 5

Week 6

Monday: 2.9

    • HW due: Lesson 19 GtE (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 20 (Ω-Verbs: Perfect, Pluperfect Active)

Tuesday: 2.10

    • HW due: Lesson 20 GtE (1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 21 (Interrogative τίς and Indefinite τις)

Wednesday: 2.11

    • HW due: Lesson 21 GtE (1, 2, 3, 4, 7)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 22 (Ω-Verbs: Perfect, Pluperfect, Pluperfect Middle/Passive)

Thursday: 2.12

    • HW due: Lesson 22 GtE (1–5, 9)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 23 (Relative Pronouns, πᾶς, Expressions of Time)

Friday: 2.13

    • Quiz 6

Week 7

Monday: 2.16

    • President's Day (No Class)

Tuesday: 2.17

    • HW due: Lesson 23 GtE (3–5, 9, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 24 (Ω-Verbs: Active Participles)

Wednesday: 2.18

    • HW due: Lesson 24 GtE (1, 5, 6, 8, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 25 (Ω-Verbs: Middle/Passive Participles)

Thursday: 2.19

    • HW due: Lesson 25 GtE (1-5, 7)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 26 (Direct and Indirect Questions; Alternative Questions)

Friday: 2.20

    • Quiz 7

Week 8

Monday: 2.23

    • HW due: Lesson 26 GtE (1-10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 27 (Aorist passive, οἶδα)

Tuesday: 2.24

    • HW due: Lesson 27 GtE (1, 4-8) and EtG (5)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 28 (Future passive, future perfect active and middle/passive)

Wednesday: 2.25

    • HW due: Lesson 28 GtE (1-4, 6, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 29 (Third declension—vowel stems, syncopated stems)

Thursday: 2.26

    • HW due: Lesson 29 GtE (1-6, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 30 (Deponent verbs. Genitive absolute. εἷς, οὐδείς/μηδείς)

Friday: 2.27

    • Quiz 8

Week 9

Monday: 3.2

    • HW due: Lesson 30 GtE (1-6) and EtG (4)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 31 (Adverbs, positive degree; Result Clauses)

Tuesday: 3.3

    • HW due: Lesson 31 GtE (1-5, 7, 8)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 32 (Comparatives and superlatives of adjectives and adverbs. Genitive of comparison. Partitive genitive)

Wednesday: 3.4

    • HW due: Lesson 32 GtE (3-6, 8, 10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 33 (Irregular comparative and superlative adj. and adv.. Adj. in -υς, -εια, -υ; Dative of Degree of Difference)

Thursday: 3.5

    • HW due: Lesson 33 GtE (2-10)
    • Read: ΑΩ Lesson 34 (Numerals)

Friday: 3.6

    • Quiz 9

Week 10

Monday: 3.9

    • HW due: Lesson 34 GtE (1-6)

Tuesday: 3.10

Wednesday: 3.11

Thursday: 3.12

Friday: 3.13

    • Quiz 10
 
Final Exam: 3.16
  • 2:30-4:20 pm DEN 110
Catalog Description:
Intensive introduction to Attic Greek. Not accepted as upper-division credit toward a major in Greek or classics. Does not satisfy foreign language proficiency requirement. Course overlaps with: GREEK 101. Offered: WS.
GE Requirements Met:
Arts and Humanities (A&H)
Credits:
5.0
Status:
Active
Last updated:
January 13, 2026 - 2:17 pm