Workshop goal (short):
Close-read and parse the first lines of Book 19 of Augustine's City of God using a T-model (Michael Clay Thompson-style). Then memorize and perform a short mock-court speech in a playful Ally McBeal cadence, using legalese and theatrical delivery. Age: 13.
Text to study (opening line used for parsing & performance)
"It remains for us now to treat of the resurrection of the flesh."
(Standard public-domain translations begin Book 19 with a line like the one above. Teachers may substitute a preferred translation.)
1) What we will do — step by step
- Read the sentence aloud once for sense.
- Break the sentence into words and put each word into the left column of a T-model (parts of speech column).
- Label each word's part of speech (noun, pronoun, verb, preposition, article/determiner, adverb, infinitive marker, etc.).
- Mark the parts of the sentence (subject, predicate, object/complement, modifier) in the middle column.
- Identify phrases and clauses on the right (noun phrase, prepositional phrase, infinitive clause/extraposed subject, etc.).
- Decide sentence structure (simple/compound/complex/compound-complex) and sentence type (declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory).
- Practice memorizing the line and then perform a short mock-court speech (Ally McBeal cadence = sing-song legalese, playful pauses, rhetorical questions, and sudden soft-loud changes).
2) Blank scaffolded worksheet (T-model)
Write one word per row in the left column. Use the boxes to fill in labels.
| Word | Part of Speech | Part of the Sentence / Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1. ____ | [____] | [____] |
| 2. ____ | [____] | [____] |
| 3. ____ | [____] | [____] |
| 4. ____ | [____] | [____] |
| 5. ____ | [____] | [____] |
| 6. ____ | [____] | [____] |
| 7. ____ | [____] | [____] |
| 8. ____ | [____] | [____] |
| 9. ____ | [____] | [____] |
| 10. ____ | [____] | [____] |
| 11. ____ | [____] | [____] |
| 12. ____ | [____] | [____] |
At the bottom: Phrase/clause IDs: ________________________. Sentence structure: __________________ (simple/compound/complex/compound-complex). Sentence type: __________________ (declarative/interrogative/imperative/exclamatory).
3) Exemplar (filled T-model) — detailed
Below is a fully filled example for the sentence. Each line shows the word, the part of speech, and the function in the sentence. Comments explain why.
| Word | Part of Speech | Part of the Sentence / Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1. It | Pronoun (anticipatory/pleonastic "it") | Grammatical subject (anticipatory); stands in for the real subject (the infinitive clause) |
| 2. remains | Verb (present, intransitive) | Main verb / predicate |
| 3. for | Preposition | Begins prepositional phrase 'for us' that shows the person affected |
| 4. us | Pronoun (object form) | Object of the preposition 'for'; indicates who must do/consider the action |
| 5. now | Adverb | Adverb modifying 'remains' (time marker) |
| 6. to | Infinitive marker | Introduces the infinitive clause that functions as the extraposed subject |
| 7. treat | Verb (infinitive) | Head of the infinitive clause: 'to treat of ...' — the real action under discussion |
| 8. of | Preposition | Begins prepositional phrase that complements 'treat' (treat of = discuss) |
| 9. the | Determiner / article | Determiner for 'resurrection' |
| 10. resurrection | Noun | Object of the preposition 'of' — head of noun phrase 'the resurrection of the flesh' |
| 11. of | Preposition | Begins prepositional phrase modifying 'resurrection' ('of the flesh') |
| 12. the | Determiner / article | Determiner for 'flesh' |
| 13. flesh | Noun | Object of 'of' — completes noun phrase 'the resurrection of the flesh' |
Phrase/clause IDs (exemplar): 'It' = anticipatory subject; extraposed subject = infinitive clause "to treat of the resurrection of the flesh"; 'for us' = prepositional phrase (indicates the agents); 'of the resurrection' = prepositional phrase; 'the resurrection of the flesh' = noun phrase; 'of the flesh' = prepositional phrase modifying 'resurrection'.
Sentence structure (exemplar): Simple sentence (one independent clause). Sentence type: Declarative (stating something).
Exemplar comments — detailed thinking aloud (teacher model)
1) I notice "It" doesn't point to a real thing — it's the dummy subject. So I label it 'anticipatory pronoun.' 2) "remains" is the main verb; it tells what happens. 3) The phrase 'for us' answers "for whom?" and is a prepositional phrase. 4) The real thing being talked about is not 'it' but the action 'to treat...': that's an infinitive clause acting like the subject (extraposed subject). 5) Inside the infinitive clause, 'treat of' takes a prepositional object 'the resurrection of the flesh,' a noun phrase in which 'of the flesh' modifies 'resurrection.' Finally, since there's one main verb and one clause, this is a simple declarative sentence.
4) Short, playful mock-court speech (memorize & perform)
Performance opening line (memorized):
"It remains for us — now — to treat of the resurrection of the flesh."
Short mock-court speech (Ally McBeal cadence + legalese):
"Honourable Court, may I be so bold as to say — in the plainest terms — it remains, for us, now, to treat of the resurrection of the flesh. We stand here, not as idle spectators, but as petitioners for the truth: is the body to rise? I submit to you, with all due theatrical modesty, that this question demands our attention, our reason, and yes — our compassion. Consider the witnesses: scripture, argument, and human experience. Consider them, I say, with open ears and a slightly dramatic pause."
Delivery notes (Ally McBeal cadence & tips):
- Cadence: use sing-song ups and downs — short, dramatic pause after "it remains"; stretch "now" slightly; soften before "to treat" and then step forward on "the resurrection."
- Legalese: sprinkle polite, formal phrases — "Honourable Court," "I submit," "with all due respect" — but keep playful tone.
- Gestures: hands open when saying "we stand here," index finger for emphasis on legal points, slight head tilt for rhetorical questions.
- Pacing: slow for main clause, quicken for list ('scripture, argument, and human experience'), then slow for final line to leave impression.
- Voice: vary volume — soft for confidential aside, louder for the claim "it remains for us now to treat..."
5) Rubrics & comments — Sentence parsing levels
Use these to mark student work (parsing). Each level includes what the student should have done and short comments to guide improvement.
Exemplar (A-level)
- All words labeled correctly with part of speech (including 'it' as anticipatory pronoun; 'to treat' recognized as infinitive clause).
- Parts of sentence correctly assigned (anticipatory subject vs. extraposed subject identified); all phrases labeled (noun, prepositional, infinitive).
- Correctly identifies sentence as simple and declarative, with clear annotation of why.
- Comments: Precise and complete. Shows metalinguistic awareness (can explain why 'it' is anticipatory).
Proficient (B-level)
- Most words labeled correctly; recognizes infinitive clause as the main idea and 'for us' as a prepositional phrase.
- May label 'it' simply as pronoun (might not use the term 'anticipatory').
- Identifies sentence type and structure correctly.
- Comments: Good control. Encourage using the phrase 'extraposed subject' or 'anticipatory it' next time for precision.
Meeting (C-level)
- Basic parts of speech mostly correct (nouns, verbs, articles, prepositions). Some confusion with pronoun function or infinitive clause.
- May call everything a 'subject' without distinguishing 'it' vs. the infinitive clause.
- Identifies sentence as declarative; might mislabel structure.
- Comments: Solid start. Work on spotting when 'it' is a dummy subject and when an infinitive clause is the real subject.
Beginning (D–E level)
- Many parts of speech confused (e.g., calling 'to' an ordinary preposition, missing prepositional phrases).
- Doesn't separate phrase vs. clause; parts of sentence not clearly marked.
- Comments: Revisit definitions: what's a preposition? What's an infinitive? Practice by underlining prepositional phrases and circling infinitives in simpler sentences first.
6) Rubrics & comments — Oral mock-court performance levels
Assess memorized performance using these practical criteria:
| Criterion | Exemplar | Beginning |
|---|---|---|
| Memorization | Recites the lines fluently, with no prompts. | Often looks at text or hesitates; needs several prompts. |
| Cadence & style | Uses sing-song Ally McBeal rhythm, well-timed pauses, playful legalese. | Monotone or rushed; few or no effective pauses. |
| Projection & clarity | Clear diction, varied volume, and good pacing. | Mumbles or is too quiet; words are unclear. |
| Stagecraft & gestures | Appropriate gestures, eye contact, playful but controlled movement. | Frozen or overly fidgety; gestures unrelated to speech. |
| Use of legalese & rhetorical devices | Uses polite legal phrases, rhetorical questions, and dramatic timing effectively. | Either no legalese or forced use that distracts from meaning. |
Performance comments (teacher language): Give at least two strengths (what the student did well) and one focused target (one thing to improve). Example — "Great dramatic pause on 'it remains' and confident eye contact. Next time, practice slightly softer volume on 'now' to make the phrase 'to treat' land with more force."
7) Quick practice activities (10 minutes each)
- Word-sort: cut the sentence into word cards. Sort into 'nouns', 'verbs', 'prepositions' piles and then rebuild the T-model.
- Role-play: one student is the judge (asks a short rhetorical question), one is the orator who answers in Ally Cadence using the memorized line as opening.
- Explain aloud: have students explain why "it" is anticipatory to a partner in one minute (teacher listens for correct terms).
- Mini-revision: rewrite the sentence in modern phrasing (e.g., "Now we must discuss the resurrection of the body.") and compare structure — are the parts of speech the same or changed?
8) Teacher cheat-sheet (two lines)
When students hesitate on "it" vs. the infinitive clause, ask: "Which thing actually does the treating? Is it the word 'it' or the action 'to treat of...'?" This question helps them see extraposition.
If you want: I can produce printable PDF layout of the worksheet, or create an alternate version using your preferred translation of Augustine's line. Tell me which translation or whether you'd like a Latin line added for extra challenge.