We have been building up to it in Bite-Sized Great Books. In February we discussed Sir Thomas More’s Utopia. Mrs. Peterson, the parent who had the most experience with this book, introduced it to us. (Utopia is an 11th grade “Great Book.”)
“Utopia is a novel whereby St. Thomas More imagines a distant land where no one owns anything and everyone shares what they have. He lays out a political and social structure where this might be possible but never tells us whether he's actually serious about implementing it or not.”
In March we read a segment of Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville (a 12th grade “Great Book”) and discussed if there was any beauty in utility. De Tocqueville comments on the greater equity of access to academics and the arts that Americans have, but there seems to be less specialization and achievement. Was this the result of democracy or something truly American in character?
Today, (April 24th) we will take a “bite” out of Plato’s Republic (a 9th grade “Great Book.”) Is his political philosophy a utopia, or a dystopia? In our reading we’ll cover the allegory of the Cave, and how easily we can be fooled by things that seem real, and how surprising the real truth can be when we first learn it. We’ll discuss the difference between that which we grasp with our senses, and that which we grasp with our minds.
As soon as the school year ends, summer reading begins! And summer reading is for the WHOLE family, plus friends, neighbors, and extended family. It is free and open to the community, and participants do not need to be current CHA students or families.
Summer Reading Book Club
Parents and teens can join us for lively discussions of Brave New World (June 26), Fahrenheit 451 (July 31) and 1984 (August 21). Older children and tweens can come too, and watch episodes of On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness from The Wingfeather Saga (Angel Studios, TV-Y7).
Summer Reading Trivia Night
Last year the Akchin family dominated the Kahoot podium at Trivia Night when they had a living room full of friends and everyone had perfectly executed a “divide and conquer plan” for the eleven featured books. Who will give them a run for their money this summer??? Sign-up on Google Forms! https://forms.gle/gzcqRpVFPdim6ZfJ7
This is part of the Board Bits: Tips, Tricks, and Hacks series. Is there a question about CHA or homeschool that you would like answered?
Submit inquiries to Tracey at [email protected]