Thursday Session 2   

Fire is more than heat and flames; it is a chemical reaction that behaves in predictable yet complex ways. This course is an introduction to the science behind combustion, exploring how fuel, oxygen, and heat interact to create fire. Learn why understanding these principles is critical for anyone, from predicting fire behavior to staying safe in your own home and hazardous environments. This course is for members interested in fire safety, community preparedness, or simply curious about the science behind flames.

This introductory course is designed to help beginners feel comfortable using a personal computer, either a desktop or laptop. The course will cover the basics of how to interact with a computer, including the differences between hardware and software, and how to exchange information with the machine. Members will learn how data is stored and used within a computer and how they can utilize basic computer productivity tools to complete specific goals.

Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, and a handful of other U.S. presidents are household names. Their impact on American society is unquestionable. However, there are a handful of lesser-known chief executives whose decisions changed the course of American history: Martin Van Buren, James K. Polk, Rutherford B. Hayes, William McKinley, and Calvin Coolidge. This course will study their presidencies and explain why they matter.

HOW OLLI SPANISH COURSES WORK TOGETHER

Because OLLI Spanish courses only meet once a week, moving from one level to the next may not always be automatic. Each course has a different focus, but all courses practice similar core skills such as speaking, listening, and vocabulary development. Repeating a course at a certain level is a normal and helpful part of learning a language as an adult. Instructor guidance may also help participants choose the course that best fits their current level and learning goals. Members may only take ONE level of Spanish at a time.

This course is appropriate for participants who are comfortable and successful at communicating in Spanish and want to further develop their reading and conversational skills. Participants are expected to be able to use present, past, and future tenses, and have significant vocabulary and understanding of syntax (or have successfully completed Spanish: Intermediate Level). The course is taught in Spanish and focuses on analyzing and discussing reading material. Weekly class material is provided.

NOTE: This summer course will be taught in two five-week sessions at different times by different instructors. You may register for just one session, or for both sessions.

Beginning in 1430, the muralists of central Italy used the new tools of perspective, anatomical study, and the science of optics to bring Bible stories, heroes, and political ideals to life in the walls of churches and palaces.

Artists have long painted and sculpted figures from classical myth and legend. We will be looking at a wide range of such art. We will talk about some ancient Greek and Roman art but will spend most of our time on Medieval and Renaissance art, such as Titian’s The Death of Actaeon, Veronese’s Venus and Mars, Dürer’s Hercules at the Crossroad, Botticelli’s Primavera and The Birth of Venus, and many others. Classes will concentrate on how artists interpreted the meaning of myths.

Many actors have said they prefer playing villains to heroes; portraying characters unfettered by moral inhibitions frees them up, gives them wider range, and is more fun. We will watch films with likable villains, then analyze how a talented actor can make an antisocial psychopath someone we would like to bring home to dinner. Films will include: Raising Arizona, The Sugarland Express, The Sting, Thelma and Louise, and Bonnie and Clyde.

The present site of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was land once coveted by three nations: Britain, France, and American Indian tribes. The mid-18th century conflict, the French and Indian War, would drastically alter the world. This course will explore the key figures and pivotal events in the fighting over the forks of the Ohio River. Members will gain an understanding of the important role this region played in directing Europe’s colonization of North America as well as sowing the seeds for the American Revolution.