Summer 2015 Course Schedule

 SUMMER SCHEDULE 2015
Updated 4/28/2015 Exploring Creativity June 1 – August 24 No meeting June 8, July 13 and August 10th (10 sessions) Mondays, 1:00 – 3:30 Capitol Lakes, 333 W. Main St. A weekly gathering of people to do art together, share techniques, and encourage each other’s creativity. While I will do some demonstrations, I hope others might also share their skills with the primary focus on doing art, working from photos, and some still life. Maybe even a model on occasion, depending on interest of participants. Our objective will be to build art skills, enjoy the creative experience and produce art in which we will take pride. No experience needed! Required materials: paper and drawing pencils. Bring other materials you have or want to work with. We will discuss materials at our first meeting. (4)* No registration required. Coordinator: Diane Hughes [email protected] 608 205‐2667 Short Stories and Essays June 9 – August 11 Tuesdays, 10:00 to Noon The Gardens (Independent Living), 602 N. Segoe Rd. For those who love reading and discussion, this is the perfect summer entertainment. One hour each is devoted to a short story and an essay. There is always a lively, opinionated, and friendly atmosphere with a welcome for all participants. Come join us as we delve into the ever‐fascinating world of short stories and essays created by some of the best writers who have put pen to paper. Course texts are Best American Short Stories 2000, eds. Katrina Kenison, E. L Doctorow and Best American Essays 2001, eds. Kathleen Norris, Robert Atwan. For the first meeting on June 9th read “He’s at the Office” by Allan Gurganus and “On Impact” by Stephen King. (4)* No registration necessary. We’ll meet for 8 to 10 weeks. Coordinator: Irv Klibaner [email protected] 608‐274‐4089 Continuing Philosophy June 10 – August 12 Wednesdays, 10:00 to Noon Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St. Having explored The Meaning of Human Existence (by Edward Wilson) in the spring semester, Continuing Philosophy will take on the question of Why Does the World Exist? in the first place during the summer session. In the book by Jim Holt, an essayist on science and philosophy, the author moves from dealing with the usual suspects ‐ God versus the Big Bang ‐ to new, old, and sometimes bizarre ideas advanced by philosophers, theologians, particle physicists, mystics and others who have been and are perplexed by the “mystery” of existence. Intrigued? Curious? Buy the book and join the discussion. (3)* No registration necessary. Coordinators: Ed Cothroll [email protected] 608‐831‐4493 and Jim Halloran [email protected] 608 238‐7201 Reminiscence Writing June 10, 17, 24, and July 8 & 15 (5 sessions) No meeting July 1st Wednesdays, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St. Participants write stories about their pasts and share them with the class. Sometimes they’re funny; sometimes they’re sad; and sometimes they’re fleeting memories that we want to capture with our pencils. We choose our topics from our childhood, our family life and our careers to express who we are. (4)* No experience required! No class size limit. No registration necessary. Coordinator: Mary DeWolf [email protected] 608 318‐0556 International Film Series June 18 – August 6 (8 sessions) Thursdays, 9:30 to Noon Capitol Lakes (Grand Hall), 333 W. Main St. PLATO Summer Film Festival: “Artists on the big screen.” Eight films portraying painters of various types from Rembrandt to street artist Banksy and ‘artist’ Margaret Keane of “Big Eyes” fame. Parking is available on the top floor of the lot across from the Capitol Lakes entrance. Treats include Bob Fry and Jim O’Brien. (1)* No class size limit. No registration necessary. Coordinators: Jim O’Brien [email protected] 608‐271‐2808 and Bob Fry [email protected] 608‐233‐0622 Science of Happiness: Positive Psychology Thanks!: How the new science of gratitude can make you happier June 11 – August 6 (8 sessions) No meeting July 16th Thursdays, 10:00 to 12:00 Noon Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St. We will read and discuss the book (one chapter/week) Thanks! by Robert A. Emmons, PhD (Houghton Mifflin, 2007). The class will also do written exercises from his new book, Gratitude Works! “Robert Emmons, Ph.D. is the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude.” He is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis and the founding editor‐in‐chief of “The Journal of Positive Psychology.” He claims that his research will help people learn to be happier. Participants will need to buy the book Thanks!: How the new science of gratitude can make you happier. There will be a discussion guide provided. (4)* Limit 20. Pre‐registration required. Coordinator: Jan Fulwiler [email protected] / 608‐831‐4073; 608 347‐6274 Call or email Jan to register. News and Music of the Swing Era 1939‐1942 May 28 – June 18 (4 sessions) Thursdays 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Oakwood – University Woods, 6201 Mineral Point Rd. The class will listen to the most popular songs of the Swing Era, 1939 to 1942. Accompanying lectures will describe news of the times and point out the extent to which the music reflected events – the Depression, the coming of war, and the popular response to the outbreak of World War II. (1)* No class size limit. No registration necessary. Coordinator: Norman Risjord [email protected] 608 233‐2526 Potpourri of Poetry May 28 – June 25 (5 sessions) Thursdays, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St This is a course on the “mixed media” of poetry, including literary analysis and writing. Participants will read and listen to music and lyrics from Broadway, the poetry of Black America, the poetry of the here and now (mindfulness), the poetry of Americana and hip hop/rap and slam poetry. The fundamental question we will ask is “Is this stuff poetry or not?” Answers forthcoming… Participants are not required to have written poetry before. A written assignment – a poem – is required for each of the five sessions. (4)* Limit 10. Many handouts prepared at nominal copying charge to participants. A registration form is required. Coordinator: Lewis Bosworth. Contact Lewis for more details and to pre‐
register ‐ via email at [email protected] If you phone please leave a message at 608‐238‐3648 Imperial Spain: Fact or Fiction? June 5 – July 10 (5 sessions) No meeting July 3rd Fridays, 10:00 to 12:00 Noon Capitol Lakes, 333 W. Main St Don Snyder returns with a third course on the meaning and politics of empire. This time we deal with Spain whose long reach during the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries encompassed much of Europe and extended to the Americas and the Far East. Prominent were the policies and personalities of Charles V and Philip II whose reigns comprised the later years of the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, far‐
flung expeditions around the world, and bitter struggles with France, the German princes and the Ottoman Empire. The stage will be set with a brief discussion of Iberia from Roman rule to the Moorish period, and the course will conclude with the emergence of the Bourbon family on the Spanish throne in 1700 and Spain in the 19th and 20th centuries. (2)* Limit 45. Pre‐registration required. Coordinator: Don Snyder. Contact Don at [email protected] (preferred) 608 285‐5092 *Numbers in brackets indicate class participation expectations: (1) = Minimal or no reading/discussion expected. (2) = Some reading/discussion expected. (3) = Regular reading/discussion expected. (4) = High participation with assignments and/or presentations by participants. PLATO Program (www.platomadison.org) University of Wisconsin‐Madison Continuing Studies | 21 N. Park St, 7th Floor Madison, WI 53715‐1218 Email: PLATO‐[email protected] | Telephone: 608 262‐5823