Level: Form III (7th–9th grades), Form IV (10th–12th grades)
Subject(s): History, Literature, Logic, Philosophy, Theology
Description:
Current for 2026–27
In this precursor class to our original upper-level Inkings & Classics Socratic discussion course, students will develop critical thinking, listening, and discussion skills as they grapple with foundational questions of God, humanity, faith, and imagination. Students will read and discuss a variety of classic literature along with selected works of the writers known as the Inklings, such as C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, as well as similar-minded contemporaries such as Dorothy Sayers and G. K. Chesterton. This course is designed to be taken prior to or instead of our upper-level Inklings & Socratic Discussion course, not concurrently.
Students will be expected to complete reading assignments in preparation for class as well as some writing assignments. The writing will focus on crafting thesis statements and body paragraphs in response to class discussions of the texts the class is reading so that students can practice and hone their ability to craft and build arguments in writing.
In 2026–27, the focus will be on the Inklings and great works of ancient literature.
Materials:
2026–27: Families purchase the following required supplies: (Unless otherwise indicated, the listed ISBNs are required, and each sibling needs their own copy. Used books are fine as long as the ISBN matches. Some books will be used again throughout the Intro to Inklings/Inklings & Classics class cycles, and siblings in different classes may share copies.)
- The Epic of Gilgamesh, Hillsdale College Abridged PDF
- Proverbs, any Bible translation (not a paraphrase), NKJV preferred
- Herodotus, The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories*, selections ISBN-10: 1400031141/ISBN-13: 978-
1400031146 - Holmes, Michael W., The Apostolic Fathers in English, ISBN: 0801031087
- Plato, Crito, Five Dialogues, trans. G. M. A. Grube* ISBN: 0872206335
- The Ramayana, retold by R. K. Narayan drawing on Kamban, ISBN: 0143039679
- Sayers, Letters to a Diminished Church,* selections, ISBN: 0849945267
- Lewis, The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, The Chronicles of Narnia boxed set*, Collectors Edition ISBN: 0064409392
- Beowulf, trans. Seamus Heaney ISBN: 0393320979
- Poetic Edda, trans. Jackson Crawford, selections ISBN: 1624663567
- Tolkien, Silmarillion, selections ISBN: 0544338014
- Tolkien, The Hobbit ISBN: 054792822X
- Lewis, Weight of Glory,*selections ISBN: 0060653205
- Lewis, Mere Christianity, ISBN: 0060652926
- The Gospel of Mark, any Bible translation (not a paraphrase), NKJV preferred (1 week)
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Lined paper in a 3-ring notebook (can be in a dedicated tabbed section in a multi-subject binder)
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Pens, black ink, 2 or more
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Pencils, 3 or more, pre-sharpened and ready to use
- Erasers
- Optional: Colored pencils, erasable, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, and brown
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Recommended: Dictionary—for home use. Consider an app such as the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
Students will need access to a word-processing interface, and printer services. Students will need to be able to type, print, and email assignments using a sharable word processing program compatible with Microsoft Word.

