Tuesday   

What makes the Great Gatsby so compelling? Published in 1925 and written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby is a treasure chest of characters, observations, and wonder. What does it say about the American Dream? Romantic love? The past? Wealth? Class? Most of all, how does Fitzgerald's stunning language affect us? We will read a portion of the book each week. Please do not read ahead! 

What can one do about climate change? A lot! This series of six 90-minute meetings is designed for people interested in learning more about climate change and climate justice, becoming more effective in communicating with others about it, and taking action to mitigate its impact on our planet and ourselves. We start with the problems, basic science, and equity issues involved, but spend most of our time understanding the wide range of available climate change solutions and how you can get involved, both individually and working with others. Course Note: This course is similar to the “Can We Stop Climate Change” course offered in previous semesters, but it is continually updated with new material. If you attended previously you're welcome to repeat! 

An engaging course that explores 30 artworks featured in Mona’s Eyes, blending literature, art history, storytelling, and the cultural legacy of the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and Beaubourg (the Centre Pompidou). Participants will examine how art shapes the novel’s meaning and discover how masterpieces can be read as both image and story. 

American politicians, policymakers, and the public battled each other for two centuries on how to supply, regulate, or even conceptually understand money, as the country progressed from an experimental, pre-industrial republic to a world superpower. This lecture series will explore early currency and banking crises, cultural attitudes about credit, the gold standard versus free silver, auto and home loans and the rise of personal finance, and the post-WWII transition to a new global and domestic role for the US dollar. The course contextualizes these debates with theory, scholarship, political and cultural history, and comparisons to the present. 

Have you ever gone to a Moth event and thought, “I would love to do that!” Then this is the class for you! Even if that isn’t your goal, this is still a fun and creative class. Students will learn the techniques of effective storytelling. Students will do activities in class to spark their creativity. Video clips of storytellers will be viewed and critiqued by students. Students will get to share their stories with fellow classmates to get their opinions. Finally, there will be a showcase in the last class where students can present their favorite story. 

Great news! There is no such thing as talent. Talent is actually skill developed by combining techniques and practice. If you’re a beginner, you’re only 60 drawings away from being good and 100 drawings away from being an expert. This introductory course is great fun because students will discover a new way of looking at shape, texture, source of light, and dimension as they uncover the optical illusions, the magic of drawing. Age or ability is not part of this learning process. How do I know this? Just watch kids stretched out at the kitchen table armed with a couple of #2 pencils, paper, and no one to disturb their concentration. You, my friends, will witness the birth of creative genius. Talent or thoughts of talent is never a consideration. Joy and enthusiasm and shared curiosity regarding each other’s masterpiece is what matters. Keys to drawing: Trust Your Eyes will rekindle the embers that have been smoldering for all these years. Are you ready to light the fire and regenerate the artist within? I know you are! 

The nineteen century saw great strides in science such as the discoveries of Alexander von Humboldt and Charles Darwin. Artist such as Frederic Edwin Church, Charles Willson Peale, and others were greatly influenced by these new discoveries. We will learn about them. 

Some trials do not end simply with their verdict. They have a power that echoes throughout history. They have shaped and transformed the social, political and legal landscape. These trials deserve the description “Great” because they serve as enduring lessons for us all on such issues as social justice, race, abuse of power, and injustice. We will examine the Boston Massacre trials, the criminal minds in the Leopold and Loeb murders, the haunting Lindbergh baby kidnapping tragedy, the Lincoln assassination conspirators’ trial, and the Lizzie Borden case.  Class Note: This course will feature new cases and is not a repeat from the one offered Spring 2026.

This film appreciation course offers a brief but in-depth ZOOM dive into four movies by America's favorite French director. Each week participants will view one Truffaut movie at home to prepare for discussion and detailed analysis of that film in class. Note: This course is not a repeat of Bernie’s previous film courses. Requirements: (1) Participants commit to 1 weekly online movie-viewing at home: on TV, pc, or tablet/laptop. (2) Must have Access to the Criterion Channel, Amazon Prime and Kanopy video streaming service (via Boston Public Library or another library e-card). Most films are free, some rentals (less than $20). 

This course is meant to be a movement class generated to the folks in the room. While we might take adapted ballet techniques, we're not rigid on meeting certain techniques. Instead, we focus on the physical/social/emotional wellness of the students in the virtual room. We believe that movement can be generated anywhere (like our homes or wherever you're calling from) while building community in virtual space (to show we can still build connection in virtual formats). This course is designed to get us in tune and connected to our bodies, develop a deeper sense of physicality, and enjoy joyful movement. Creative Movement will be a safe and inviting space to try new things and explore new forms of dance. Course Note: Since this course seeks to accommodate all participants, it is essential that students make it possible for the instructor to provide feedback. It is useful for participants to leave their Zoom camera on so the instructor can most effectively guide and encourage participants.  

Course Note: Since this course seeks to accommodate all participants, it is essential that students make it possible for the instructor to provide feedback. It is useful for participants to leave their Zoom camera on so the instructor can most effectively guide and encourage participants. 

 

This course will address the treatment of religion and religious beliefs under the First Amendment. We will first examine the evolution of the “separation of church and state”doctrine under the Establishment Clause, and explore the increasing tolerance for religious expressions in public life under recent decisions of the Supreme Court. We will also examine how the Roberts Court’s embrace of religious rights under the Free Exercise Clause, the Freedom of Speech Clause, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in recent years is redefining the traditional separation between government and religious organizations as well as the application of nondiscrimination laws, health regulations, and the regulation of corporate entities. Finally, we will touch on the current Christian Nationalist movement, the policies of Trump 2.0, and their impact on the resurgence of Christianity in public life. 

Often one runs out of ideas for new poems. This course is designed to help you find new source material to create new poems.  By focusing on a topic, such as the Boston Molasses Flood for example, or paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts, you will do research and then write poems based on this research. By the end of the course, the goal is to have about 5-6 poems that could be the steppingstone to a chapbook, book or longer length collection. We will also dabble our toes into poetical forms, such as sonnets or a villanelles which can help you learn to develop and flex your creative muscle. And write new poems! 

Fred Zinnemann was a young Austrian filmmaker when he came to Hollywood in 1929. After working as a cameraman, he began making films on his own within a few years. Although he made a wide variety of films, he was particularly gifted in featuring characters who face difficult, even impossible choices, particularly in wartime.  We will view a variety of these films, including Vanessa Redgrave and Jane Fonda in Julia, which features Meryl Streep’s first film appearance, the great Paul Scofield in his Oscar winning role in A Man for All Seasons, and one of the best American westerns, High Noon with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly.  

Creative drama is an educational art form that incorporates theatre techniques and pedagogy, such as improvisation and role-play, drawing on participants’ experiences. It is structured through hands-on interactive activities. This course aims to introduce four branches of art in a fun and engaging manner. In the first week, we will get to know one another through icebreaker activities and build a positive group dynamic. Throughout the course, we will share our stories and learn the basics each week of (1) visual arts, (2) literary arts, (3) dance, and (4) musical theater. Anyone interested in exploring these art forms in an enjoyable way is welcome to join this weekly 90-minute workshop series. This course fosters a sense of belonging within a learning community, literacy across the four art branches, and reflection on personal experiences through art.