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Curious about the wild political scene in the United States over the past ten years? (Twenty years? Fifty years? Two hundred years?) This class will explore some fundamentals of human thought such as perceptual bias, avoidance of uncertainty, and the use of mental models to make sense of a complex world. We’ll talk about key thinkers in America’s ongoing give-and-take between economic priorities and humanist values. We’ll consider the influence of social changes in demographics, Supreme Court composition, legacy and social media, and concerns about voter fraud and voter suppression. We’ll pay special attention to the influence of the radical right and Donald Trump's efforts to tear down public trust in democratic institutions in favor of autocratic rule and how the resulting anger has led to mean-spirited scapegoating and alternate realities. Finally, we’ll explore how we can tone down the fear and anger and begin to talk and listen to each other with curiosity and respect.

This class will be a discussion of lectures by Marv Weatherstone and Noam Chomsky published as Consequences of Capitalism: Manufacturing Discontent and Resistance. This book consists of the lectures for a class they co-taught at the University of Arizona, and those lectures will form the basis of our class discussions. LIMIT 20

This class will be a survey of flight from early dreams and myths of flying, through the invention of the airplane and aviation developments in World Wars I and II. Participants will learn how modern airline transportation was developed and conclude with the aerospace age of rocket development and landing on the moon. 

It can be daunting to think about getting into birding, but, with a little bit of knowledge, it's much easier to begin! This class will introduce you to where to bird in the Northland; migration and natural history/phenology of the birds who live here; how to choose and use binoculars, bird books, and birding apps; and backyard bird feeding tips and ethics. We'll end the class with a morning of birding in the Bagley Nature Area, weather permitting.

Learn to play disc golf at UMD! Participants will meet in the classroom each week for instruction and videos and then head outside for an hour on the UMD course. This is a fun, leisurely course, great for all ages. Learn about the basic rules of the game, throwing technique, disc choice, equipment, etiquette, and Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) competition. Wear comfortable, active shoes. LIMIT 20

This class is a survey of all of the elections for U.S. President from 1788 to the present, with a focus on candidate choice and electoral patterns. Participants will explore the changes in presidential campaigns and elections over that timespan.

This class will examine the ideal of democracy and discuss the challenges that democracies face, both in the United States and worldwide. We will consider how to support and nurture democracy in our era of dark money, disinformation, and unchecked inequity. The class will also explore the “guardrails” of democracy: attitudes, traditions, and standards of behavior that enable democracy to thrive. Participants will improve their understanding of democracy and the conditions necessary for its continuation.

Be prepared to learn enough economics to be able to understand and add to friendly conversations with non-specialists, for example, at a cocktail party. We will start with some basic terms and ideas and move to some more specific areas such as how to combine capitalism and socialism, jobs of the future with some specific issues, money and banking, and income and wealth inequality.

Learn how the sky works and identify favorite spring constellations and bright planets. Special topics include the northern lights (on Earth and elsewhere!), the Milky Way, and how stars made life possible. One of the four classes will be held at the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium. We'll also spend an optional night out on Skyline Parkway near Hawk Ridge observing with a telescope.

Prepare to have fun with writing. Practice observing, using your imagination, and expanding your use of language. Explore several different types of poetry and prose styles including memoir, fiction, and creative non-fiction. Practice using the senses in your writing, and discover different methods to increase creativity. LIMIT 15

Even those familiar with just the usual anthology poems by Emily Dickinson recognize the unique quality of her writing. In this class we will explore a wide selection of her more than seventeen hundred poems, poems often difficult, oblique, enigmatic, brilliant, and startling. Prepare to be puzzled at times as well as awed. Members of the class will choose some of the poems we explore. We will use a simple kind of “close reading” method that will allow us to build understanding and appreciate the verbal textures and intricacies that demonstrate Dickinson’s stature as the greatest American poet.

Join us to explore general geology topics, local geology, and interesting or unique global geologic topics. Topics including igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks; minerals, crystals, agates, and zeolites (thomsonite); mineral collection; geologic features including folds, faults and jointing; geologic time; glaciers; volcanoes; earthquakes; plate tectonics; fossils; dinosaurs; asteroids; and extinctions. Class will include an optional half-day geologic field trip to examine local geology.

The intended outcome of this class is implementing a system for organizing all of your important documents and other important information for the time when someone may need to manage your affairs if you are incapacitated or manage your estate after you die. When you “get it together,” you will have organized your bank records, credit cards, secure places and passwords, past/present employment records, insurance policies, real estate records, tax records, retirement accounts, estate planning documents, funeral and burial arrangements, and more.

This class will read and discuss works of fiction and poetry from western civilization. Writers include John Donne, Nikolai Gogol, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, and Christina Rossetti and from the Bible. No special background is required beyond an interest in reading and discussing. LIMIT 16

Explore the many trails in the Duluth area. Participants determine the pace of walking. Some set out on a brisk walk; others take their time. All are welcome. The trails and walkways we choose will be dictated by what nature allows us in the spring. Easy hikes on paved or smooth paths will be included. There will be options for shorter distances for most hikes.

Trace the history of African-American gospel music from its origins in the American South to its modern origins in 1930s Chicago and into the 1990s mainstream and beyond. Participants will explore different types of music groups and have the opportunity to view statewide African-American gospel artists and the work they are doing in Minnesota and across the world. Primary focus will be on the four major historical eras from which African-American gospel music developed: the Slave Era, Reconstruction, the Great Migration, and the Civil Rights Era. If time permits, important reading material will be explored from various authors on the topic.

Fascinated with criminal justice? Do we know and understand the complexities of the humans in the system? Throughout this class we will put human faces on those incarcerated, understand how we got here as a society, explore our justice system and alternatives, and discover how we can improve such situations as individuals and broader society.

Dancing is an excellent activity for both the body and the brain. Physical activity protects the brain, learning lets it grow, socialization helps it thrive, and, most of all, it is fun. Dance to music from many countries. All are welcome to join, and no partners are needed.

This group will "do lunch" and get acquainted with some restaurants in Duluth’s Canal Park. Participants can look forward to hearing from owners/managers of four establishments about running a food business in this "park." And, of course, we’ll explore the food offerings at each venue. It's a "going Dutch" affair, but we can get creative in sharing menu selections. LIMIT 15

This class is the follow-up to the class that was offered in Winter 2025. It will cover such topics as monsters of lakes and lochs, animals that are extinct (or are they?), the disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370, dragons and giant snakes, unusual things that fall from the sky, huge figures cut into the landscape, ball lightning, boulders that move by themselves, and other strange things in the sky. Explore in detail these and other mysteries while delving into the mind of one of humankind's greatest thinkers: the celebrated author, scientist, and futurist Arthur C. Clarke.

Participants will view four full-length operas with the theme of tragic love stories. All four are among the most popular in the entire operatic repertoire and will be shown with English subtitles. Those shown will be Verdi’s La Traviata, Bizet’s Carmen, and Puccini’s La Boheme and Madama Butterfly. Some background information will be included, and classroom discussion will be encouraged.

Every family history includes some migration stories. Participants will be invited to look at their own migration stories and also be introduced to historic and present-day migrations, some chosen and some forced. As a class, we will be learning together and from each other. LIMIT 20

Was there really a King Arthur, and what about Robin Hood? Did the Pied Piper really lure away all the children in Hamelin? Did William Tell shoot an apple off his son’s head? Did Amazon warriors fight at Troy? This class will look at these people and more. Did they exist, and if not, why do we have these stories? This class will use material from the 2023 offering Real Places and People Who Did Not Exist.

Feeling intimidated on our roadways today? This class will review the newest laws, local roadway challenges, and methods to maintain our driving independence. Course completion will include a certificate to obtain an insurance discount. Materials to receive an insurance discount will be available at the first class session for $15. LIMIT 20

"In just spring, when the world is mud- luscious and puddle-wonderful..." (E. E. Cummings). We will do our best to enjoy April and May mud and puddles with walks and maybe hikes. Spring weather is unpredictable, but the plan is that participants will walk along the lake and the bay and then head inland and upland as the ground dries. We will stop along the trails to enjoy signs of spring in the Northland. LIMIT 30

Tai Chi is a slow, graceful exercise that is sometimes called a moving meditation. Its many benefits include reduced stress, increased flexibility, improved balance, and cardiovascular fitness. Try Tai Chi for yourself! All ability levels are welcome. 

Tai Chi is a slow, graceful exercise that is sometimes called a moving meditation. Its many benefits include reduced stress, increased flexibility, improved balance, and cardiovascular fitness. Try Tai Chi for yourself! All ability levels are welcome. 

Words that are positive, uplifting, and inspiring have influenced millions throughout history. Participants will examine these words and seek to understand how they helped shape history. We will consider the words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself" and how these words influenced public opinion. Be willing to share your favorite words.

The struggle for the Civil and Voting Rights Acts was long and bloody, but with perseverance, patience, television, faith, and political pressure, they were passed in 1964 and 1965. In honor of the 60th anniversaries of the passage of these acts, this class will review their historical background, the events leading up to their passage, the leaders of the movement, what the acts say, how they changed America, and what is happening now.

With Ukraine in the headlines every day, how much do you really know about the country, the people, and their history? Would current events make more sense if you knew more? In multimedia presentations and films dramatizing the various subjects, this class will attempt to glean facts, details, and data about Ukraine that are interesting and entertaining.

This is a class for beginners, those at the intermediate level, and anyone who just wants to get together to paint. The weekly sessions consist of a demonstration, a time for questions, and personal paint projects touching on the principles of art, with guest artists sharing their work. Basic watercolor supplies are required. LIMIT 18

The popular press frequently refers to issues with supply chains, assuming the average citizen understands what a supply chain is and how it works. This class introduces the concepts, functions, processes, and objectives of logistics and supply chain management activities, including procurement, manufacturing, transportation, and logistics. During this class we will discuss the history of supply chains and supply chain management. We will learn how supply chains work and why they break. Key elements that drive the management of today’s supply chains such as bullwhip effect, just-in-time delivery, lean manufacturing, inventory management, total cost, and in-transit visibility will be examined. The complex global nature of supply chains will be explored using games, models, video clips, and other methods of engaged learning.

What are the differences in the same grapes grown in different regions? Why can wine be $5 a bottle, or $500? Let's discuss! This class will cover grape varieties, geography, winemaker influences, and international tendencies of wine. The final class will meet at the Duluth Tap Exchange, where wine will be paired with spices from The Spice and Tea Exchange in Lincoln Park.

NOTE: There will be a fee of $25 for people coming to the tasting event.

Anyone interested in continuing the study of Spanish at whatever level should join this class. Communicating with one another is the most valuable aspect of this class. Join to improve your Spanish language conversational skills, and enjoy others doing the same. Share in the exploration and fun. LIMIT 12