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This is the longest of the six major Yang-style tai chi movements, taking about 25 minutes to complete. Tai Chi is known for developing balance, strength, and flexibility. It is a form of meditation in movement. In this class you will learn the first third of the forms, or about 36 moves, in a workshop environment.

This is the longest of the six major Yang-style tai chi movements, taking about 25 minutes to complete. Tai Chi is known for developing balance, strength, and flexibility. It is a form of meditation in movement. In this class we will review the first 36 forms in a workshop environment. Additional forms will be taught as the group is ready.

This is the shortest of the six major Yang-style tai chi movements, taking about six minutes to complete. Tai Chi is known for developing balance, strength, and flexibility. It is a form of meditation in movement. In this class you will learn all 24 forms and by the end be able to join other groups wherever you go.

This class for seasoned sketchers will focus on development of skills through practice using a different theme each week. There will be guidance from the instructor but not specific lessons. Prerequisite: one of the previous sketching classes.

OLLI students will have an opportunity to look at the prints in the Janet Turner collection at Chico State and write about them. This class is for beginning writers as well as experienced ones. Jean Varda and Joan Goodreau, authors and OLLI members, will guide students through the art-to-writing process. There will also be a print exhibition at the Turner gallery in the fall that we will be using to inspire our poems and short fiction/non-fiction.

Building on the techniques learned in the beginning-level class, you'll learn to transform the basic dough into more beautiful, specialty seasonal bread. Prerequisite: "Artisan Bread Making: Beginning."

The Arts of Islam introduces the architecture and arts of the western Islamic world dating from the seventh through the seventeenth centuries. We will review Islamic monuments on the Arabian Peninsula, throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Spain, Turkey, and Iran. Particularly, we will look at the art of the book, paintings, ceramics, and metalworks.

Our exploration of the Earth, Solar System, and Universe continues. This semester our topics will include the Cosmic Distance Ladder, Stellar Evolution, and Supernova. Constellation Concentration will further our in-depth look at a different constellation each week. And, we will continue with ‘Selected Short Subjects’. There will be several guest speakers from the University of Arizona's Astronomy, Planetary Sciences, and Geosciences Departments.

As always we will discuss on-going discoveries in Astronomy, Planetary Sciences, and Earth Sciences. And, Science Fiction Theatre continues, with short clips highlighting a century of Sci Fi movies and TV shows. And of course there will be ’Geo-feature-of-the-Week’, ‘What’s for Launch’, and ‘Books-of-the-Week’.

Information will be conveyed using short videos, awesome photos, understandable/fun graphics, and class discussions. Please join us for this continuing journey of discovery and adventure. Being in an earlier Astronomy/Geosciences class that I have hosted is neither a prerequisite nor necessary to understand and enjoy this class.

After America's entry into WWII, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) initiated a new concept to warfare: daylight strategic bombing. This class will explore the aircraft types used and the personalities of the people involved.

Visit the Llano Seco Viewing Platform to learn to identify the ducks and geese that spend the winter here. Then, at dusk, the waterfowl fly out from the ponds to nearby fields to feed at night. This can be an impressive sight with the large number of flocks in the air. Bring a folding chair and binoculars, and we’ll sit back and enjoy the scenic view as we watch them flying against the sunset and full moon.

Through observation and the use of binoculars and field guides, class participants learn to identify birds in their natural habitat. We will meet once a month at different birding locations for field trips that typically involve one to two miles of walking.

Through observation and the use of binoculars and field guides, class participants learn to identify birds in their natural habitat. We will meet once a month at different birding locations for field trips that typically involve one to two miles of walking.

Chico State's tradition of academic excellence goes back more than 130 years. With over 900 faculty members and 14,200 students, the University's teaching and learning community is thriving. Discover the imagination, cutting-edge research, and expertise that flourishes in our own backyard!

Chico State's tradition of academic excellence goes back more than 130 years. With over 900 faculty members and 14,200 students, the University's teaching and learning community is thriving. Discover the imagination, cutting-edge research, and expertise that flourishes in our own backyard!

A scintillating review of current themes in the media will be discussed in each class. Class members present a topic, discuss it, then open the floor for discussion and debate. Poetry, literature, scientific discovery, and educational progress are examples of the issues dealt with. Special guests are welcome to present.

A scintillating review of current themes in the media will be discussed in each class. Class members present a topic, discuss it, then open the floor for discussion and debate. Poetry, literature, scientific discovery, and educational progress are examples of the issues dealt with. Special guests are welcome to present.

Cribbage is a great card game for two people: fast, unpredictable, and portable. Though the game has many rules, this class will take you through all facets of the game, step by step. By the time you have finished this class, you will not only know the game well, but you will also know how to teach the game to others. If you already know the game, come play with us. Been looking for someone to play with? Maybe you will find a new friend and opponent here!

Chico Performances is curating a series of lectures prior to six Laxson Auditorium performances during the 2022-2023 season. These pre-show lectures, exclusively for OLLI members, will be held the Tuesday before each performance at The Social Chico.

When you sign up for a lecture, you will receive a 20% discount on two tickets for each performance. You can purchase your discounted tickets through the Chico Performances Box Office using the code in your registration confirmation email.

Chico Performances is curating a series of lectures prior to six Laxson Auditorium performances during the 2022-2023 season. These pre-show lectures, exclusively for OLLI members, will be held the Tuesday before each performance at The Social Chico.

When you sign up for a lecture, you will receive a 20% discount on two tickets for each performance. You can purchase your discounted tickets through the Chico Performances Box Office using the code in your registration confirmation email.

Chico Performances is curating a series of lectures prior to six Laxson Auditorium performances during the 2022-2023 season. These pre-show lectures, exclusively for OLLI members, will be held the Tuesday before each performance at The Social Chico.

When you sign up for a lecture, you will receive a 20% discount on two tickets for each performance. You can purchase your discounted tickets through the Chico Performances Box Office using the code in your registration confirmation email.

If you like to draw or wish you were more inspired to draw, join us for four sessions of drawing together online. Each class will feature one or more fun and inspiring drawing prompts that we will all work on at the same time. Our drawings may go in very different directions based on how we each interpret the prompts, and that is perfectly fine. Being able to draw together can help inspire us to continue drawing on our own.

Formerly "French for Travelers," this course is for those who want to focus on pronunciation, politesse, and practicalities – the vocabulary and idioms helpful as an introduction to French and for travelers in French-speaking countries. The class is conducted mainly in English, with the aim of explaining how to say and understand basic French expressions. Note: flirting WITH French, not flirting IN French!

Forgiveness is the conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment toward someone or something that has harmed you, regardless of whether they deserve it. This is a personal decision to let go of negative emotions which then enables us to move forward and leave that past behind. Forgiveness is not forgetting nor does it deny the seriousness of an offense, but it brings us peace of mind and freedom to enjoy the today. Forgiving can lead to healthier relationships and greater spiritual and psychological well-being.

This course is for people who have studied some French in the past. We study basic French grammar, usage, and vocabulary. The focus is communicating with others in written and spoken French. If you are new to French, consider enrolling in "Flirting with French" (formerly "French for Travelers") for an introduction to the sounds of, and expressions in, French.

You know a fair amount of French, but you sometimes blank on a verb conjugation or wonder when to use which preposition? You want to express your thoughts in French with more facility? Be prepared for classes that focus on grammar, usage, creating French sentences, and improving listening skills, plus reading French writings to hone our skills.

On parle français dans cette classe, sans traduction (si nous avons de la chance). On doit avoir l'envie d'entendre et de parler mieux le français, et peut-être un jour le parler couramment. Il n’y a pas de textes.

Let go of stress and come home to yourself. Over millennia, the sages of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition developed highly effective methods of movement, relaxation, and meditation. In this Study Group (SG) you will learn foundational practices from the Himalayan Yoga Tradition. Each session of this SG will have three phases: gentle movement and breathing, deep relaxation, and meditation. Members can expect to leave this class refreshed. Please note that the movements taught in this SG are not acrobatics. They are suitable for people with no yoga experience. If you've attended yoga classes and found them to be too strenuous or otherwise challenging, this SG is for you.

"Great Decisions" is the Foreign Policy Association's public education program about U.S. foreign policy and global affairs. Topics include energy geopolitics, war crimes, China and the US, economic warfare, politics in Latin America, global famine, Iran and the US, and climate migration. We will select four topics each term, plus additional topics of interest to the class.

"Great Decisions" is the Foreign Policy Association's public education program about U.S. foreign policy and global affairs. Topics include energy geopolitics, war crimes, China and the US, economic warfare, politics in Latin America, global famine, Iran and the US, and climate migration. We will select four topics each term, plus additional topics of interest to the class.

This lecture series consists of distinct classes, each designed to address a unique area of health-related issues. Presented by highly-qualified physicians and other caregivers, these classes will provide you with an opportunity to learn more about staying healthy and active. Each class is a complete topic and participants are invited to attend any combination of the offerings during the series.

Bidwell Park is to be enjoyed and protected. Experienced hikers will get a strenuous workout and learn about Bidwell Park and its flora, fauna, volunteerism, and history. We will hike up to six miles, with 1,000' elevation change on less familiar trails. Get your endorphins pumping and meet some new hiking friends in your own Bidwell backyard.

This class picks up where Part 1 left off. There is so much more to cover! We will look at illustration history in Japan, China, and Korea, with emphasis on fashion illustration and illustrators who concentrated on cartooning. I'll also talk about nature illustrations, the human body, and whatever else strikes our collective class fancy!

Over the past three years, OLLI has been exploring issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. These classes have provoked many questions, around which much stimulating conversation has followed. We agree that looking at unconscious racism is a self-examination that requires other voices. In this class we will read the book Caste by Isabel Wilkerson and use, at least in part, a study guide prepared for Oprah's Book Club. We plan to focus on how this book is and can be relevant to our daily lives.

Knitting with others is a wonderful learning environment. This class is designed to give knitters who have mastered the basic stitches of knit and purl a chance to work on a project of their choosing while we hang out online with other knitters. All levels of ability are welcome! Gale contributes to the class by offering tips and suggestions for patterns, yarn, and tools based on her years of knitting experience.

We will slow-read eight speeches and additional selections from Lincoln on Democracy, edited by Mario M. Cuomo. We will follow Lincoln’s development as a politician, how he responded to the threat of the spread of slavery in the 1850s, and his delicate balancing act between constitutional rule of law and emancipation during the Civil War. As we confront autocratic challenges from Russia, China, and others, we are well served revisiting how Lincoln articulated his struggle to preserve and strengthen American democracy.

Each week we'll view a feature-length documentary or two shorter films. The films will generally feature a performer or composer, the impact of their environment on their music, and the impact of their music on other musicians and on society. Or the focus might be on a style of music from swing to country, jazz to rock. This is a class for the open-minded and intellectually curious because, paraphrasing Mick Jagger, you might not always hear what you like, but sometimes you just might like what you hear.

The original Carter Family recorded over 300 songs between 1927 and 1943. They would become known as the “First Family of Country Music,” their old-time Appalachian songs and musicianship profoundly impacting the bluegrass, country, folk, gospel, pop, and rock musicians who followed. In each class, we will trace some Carter Family history, then learn a few of their songs. Musicians bring your instruments, but you don’t need to be a musician to participate. Interest and enthusiasm will suffice. We’ll do it jug-band style!

W.B. Yeats, in his essay "The Celtic Element In Literature," spoke of visions of a world expressed by people who "believed that trees were divine, and could take a human or grotesque shape and dance among the shadows." Once a powerful people who dominated much of Europe, the Celts were reduced to a few small groups after the Roman invasions. However, their mythology survived, thanks largely to the efforts of medieval Irish and Welsh monks who wrote down the stories.

This class will offer a description of the 17 intelligence agencies that comprise the US intelligence community. It will include the five basic intelligence sources and a description of the six steps of the intelligence cycle. We will drill down into several of the intelligence agencies, such as the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency). Relevant books and periodicals will be recommended. Time permitting we will examine the polygraph examination, detection dogs, and contemporary spies and traitors.

Each week the class will read poems by an individual poet, a collection of poems on a specific subject, or a collection of poems in a specific style. A class member once said that she liked reading poetry because it was like opening Pandora's box – one never knew what one would find inside. A wide range of poets and poetry will be presented, from classic to contemporary, and we will discuss them from the perspective that the poet creates the work, but the reader activates it.

Reading poetry helps you to know things more fully; it commands your attention; and it can sustain good conversation. In this class, participants select poetry from favorite sources to read aloud with fellow enthusiasts.

In nine sessions we will look into events in America's journey from the seventeenth century to the twenty-first century, guided by literary and artistic materials. Why do many of us know little of Black Americans' lives, nor much about Black American history? Questions we raise in this course will help answer that. Our inquiry will include asking: When did slavery start in America and when did it end? Why are monuments being targeted in protests? Do differences in skin color really matter?

This class will discuss favorite science fiction authors, their books, and the human, political, and scientific issues they raise. The books and authors will be chosen by Sydney from suggestions by participants. This is a fun, free-flowing gathering of science fiction enthusiasts. Please join us and bring your ideas, insights, and suspension of disbelief.

Sing and/or play popular gospel songs. Bring your voice, guitar, violin, cello, harmonica, squeeze box, or other instrument and join a group of people singing and playing for fun. This is not meant to be religious. It's just a place to enjoy great music. Join us!

Once again, we will try to take apart a Shakespeare play and figure out how and why it works. As You Like It is one of the most congenial of all Shakespeare offerings, with plenty of opportunities to explore its place in the culture of its time. I'll do some talking as necessary to sketch background and add context, but will try to let it function as a group discussion. No prior exposure to Shakespeare necessary.

TED Conferences, LLC is a media organization that posts talks online for free distribution under the slogan "ideas worth spreading." TED's early emphasis was on technology and design, consistent with its Silicon Valley origins, but it has since broadened its repertoire to include talks on many scientific, cultural, and academic topics. Join us for the opportunity to view and discuss various TED Talks and get to know fellow OLLI members better.

In this class, we explore how seven of the world's religions shaped the lives of one or two of their greatest followers, and in return how the religions and the cultures that gave birth to these disciples were challenged and changed by the vision and the sacrifices made. Perhaps the deepest question we will raise is how this could have happened unless the disciples were responding to a mystical force that challenged all three: the disciples, their religions, and their cultures.

Most American PBS viewers know Sue Perkins as one of the original hosts on the Great British Baking Show. She has also presented a number of travel series on British television. Over nine class meetings, we'll view her travels down the Ganges from its source and up the Mekong through South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. We'll also take a whirlwind tour through Japan or travel along the TransAlaska highway, one of the worlds' most dangerous roads.

The Writer's Workshop serves a community of writers interested in sharing their writing and responding to other writers' work. We will focus on fiction, memoir, creative non-fiction, poetry, travel writing, stories for children, and other types of writing. Following a workshop format, this class will be an opportunity for students to receive feedback for their written work and provide meaningful support to fellow writers.

Learn to write a short 10- to 20-minute play. We will cover the basics of playwriting, including format, structure, character, conflict, and dialogue. This is a workshop-style class in which we discuss concepts and techniques, share what we have written, and write short exercises to develop skills. Prompts will be offered to stimulate your ideas. There will be an opportunity for some of the plays to be performed in the annual OLLI Play Festival.

Start your Tuesday with music and songs. Join us in a fun, informal weekly sing-along. Bring your voices and/or musical instruments. The operative word is "fun." If you like music, you will like this class. All levels welcome!

Start your Tuesday with music and songs. Join us in a fun, informal weekly sing-along. Bring your voices and/or musical instruments. The operative word is "fun." If you like music, you will like this class. All levels welcome!