After reading reading the letters of Pliny the Younger in the original Latin and learning Latin words for animals, students from Dr. Morgan Palmer's Latin 301, "Latin Prose," class toured Morrill Hall. They discussed connections between the names of species on exhibit and their Latin and ancient Greek roots and participated in a scavenger hunt using a display labelled with animals' names in English and a list of Latin names.
"Studying the ancient roots of species names opens up new opportunities for exploring interdisciplinary connections between Latin and the sciences," Palmer, an associate professor of practice in the Department of Classics and Religious Studies, said. "A lot of species were named after prominent features that students can observe firsthand in the exhibits on display in Morrill Hall, which creates a wonderful experiential learning opportunity."
In "Elephant Hall," the group read an excerpt from Pliny the Elder's Natural History, which includes observations about the intelligence and behavior of elephants. Palmer said this sparked an interesting discussion about how Pliny the Elder is valuable as an ancient source for natural history and how much scientific methods have evolved. Inspired by his uncle's writing, Pliny the Younger's letters provide a detailed account of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, which buried Pompeii under ash, and the death of his uncle as a result.
Palmer said she aims to help students make connections between the material and other disciplines and show them how classical languages are relevant to modern communities, such as the terminology used in various professions. The process can improve students' vocabulary while increasing their appreciation for Latin's usefulness today. This knowledge can be applied in other courses, in professional contexts, and while engaging with community resources.
"I also encourage them to come back and explore the museum more on their own because there is so much more to learn, and it's fun!" Morgan said.
