Fall 2026 Course DESCRIPTIONS - Sorted by Start Date

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• Page Turners Book Discussion Group

  • Start
    September 02, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 02, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    4 sessions
  • Location
    Bethany United Methodist Church
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  Coordinators: Nancy Miller

  Email: nancym2079@gmail.com
  Phone: 608-320-0896 

  Registration: Required, Register Online
  

  
  

  This book discussion group meets on the first Wednesday of the month to discuss a novel. The book selections are determined in the spring of each year and assigned to a specific month. Group members volunteer to lead the discussion one month out of the year, and also select a month to bring treats to share with the group one month out of the year. Download the Syllabus.
  

  
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: First Wednesday of the Month

  Meeting Location: Bethany United Methodist Church

  Participation: Regular reading and discussion expected

  Class Size: 14

  
  

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• Second Tuesday Book Group

  • Start
    September 08, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 08, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    4 sessions
  • Location
    Stark Building - 702 N. High Point Road

  Coordinator: Sally Porter

  Email:  ssporter22@gmail.com

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

  Join us on the second Tuesday of each month for good reading and good discussion. There is a random selection of books, one to be read each month for group discussion. The expectation that each person will be a discussion leader of a book of their choice from the list during the year. Participants will receive the book list upon registration.

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Tuesday

  Meeting Location: Stark Building – 702 N. High Point Road

  Participation: Reading and discussion
  Class Size: 15

  
  

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• Classic Films Discussion

  • Start
    September 14, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 30, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    12 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual Google Meet
  • Spaces left
    2

  Register

  Coordinators:

  Martha Henderson and Baxter Richardson  

  Email: madtowntarheels@mac.com and baxter.2614@charter.net

  Registration: Required, Register Online

  
  

  This discussion class aims at discovering and exploring what makes a film classic or significant. Is it narrative, acting, plot, character development, direction, cinematography, innovation, universal themes or some combination? To do this, the class will view one film per week, chosen by the coordinators, available on the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) channel with an on-line discussion the following Monday. Prior knowledge of film history is not necessary, only the willingness to view and discuss the film we have just seen. The Google Meet app is needed for this. Films are also available as discs from the Madison Library and on the many streaming services.

  
  

  
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Monday

  Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

  Participation: Watching films & discussion expected

  Class Size: 30

  
  

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• Drawing as a Sacred Activity

  • Start
    September 14, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 16, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual – Zoom

  Register

  Coordinator: Heather C. Williams

  Email: heather@drawingtogether.com

  Phone: 760-213-6060

  Registration: Required, Register Online 

  Come draw with Heather! You will expand your visual thinking skills, and develop greater hand-eye coordination. Plus, you will experience seeing old things in new ways and you will connect your inner and outer world in a meaningful way. The big skill you will develop in Heather's drawing class is learning to observe yourself and the world around you – without naming, labeling, or judging what you see.

  Drawing is a Spiritual Practice of Being Present and Paying Attention!

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Monday

  No Class Date: N/A

  Meeting Location: Virtual – Zoom

  Participation: High Participation with assignments/possible projects

  Class Size: No Limit

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• Exploring Creativity

  • Start
    September 14, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 16, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    Christ Presbyterian Church

  Coordinator: Karen Wulff

  Email wulff.karen@gmail.com

  Phone: 608-770-8408

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 

  
  

  This class is an ongoing workshop where individuals work on their personal art goals in a sharing environment. Participants can exchange knowledge and offer “gentle” feedback to each other if they want to. Bring the supplies you will need for your own project. We are fortunate to use this space. Come and make a commitment to yourself to do art at least two hours per week. Join a group of people who enjoy working on their art together in a peaceful and supportive environment.

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Monday
  No Class Dates: N/A
  Meeting Location: Christ Presbyterian Church

  Participation: High participation on personal art projects

  Class Size: 10

  
  

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• Money Skills for Retirees

  • Start
    September 14, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 23, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    11 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual – Zoom

  Register

  Coordinator: Tom Eggert 

  Email: tleggert@wisc.edu

  Phone: 608-279-8608 

  Registration: Required, Register Online 

  Retirees have different financial challenges than younger people.  In general, we are no longer saving for retirement, but we are continuing to grow and use the money that we saved. We’ll cover topics such as the importance of diversification, passive vs active investing, taxes and investment decisions, the challenge of beating the market, creating a personal investment plan and using tools (like the Morningstar rankings) in making investment decisions.  The class is designed so that we’ll learn just as much from the experiences of our classmates as we will from guest speakers or videos.    

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Monday

  Meeting Location: Virtual – Zoom

  Participation: High participation with assignments and/or

  possible presentations by participants

  Class Size: No Limit

  
  

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• Novels Old and New

  • Start
    September 14, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 16, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    Fitchburg Senior Center
  • Spaces left
    5

  Register

  Coordinators: Cindy Collins & Jane Stimac

  Email: cindaa0812@gmail.com & jstimac242@gmail.com

  Phone: 608-220-3812 & 608-347-7819

  Registration: Required, Register Online

  
  

  This fall our book club will read the six novels listed in the syllabus. Download the Syllabus.

  
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Monday

  No Class Date: N/A

  Meeting Location: Fitchburg Senior Center

  Participation: Regular reading and discussion expected

  Class Size: 25

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• Short Stories and Essays

  • Start
    September 15, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 24, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    11 sessions
  • Location
    Covenant Presbyterian Church

  Coordinator: Irv Klibaner

  Email: ihklibaner2@yahoo.com (New email address!)

  Phone: 608-628-6154

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

  For those who love reading and discussion, this is the perfect 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.
  
  Texts to be used: 

  • The Penguin Book of the International Short Story - edited by Rabbi Alameddine and John Freeman (copyright 2026). Available in Hardcover, Audio Book and Kindle

  • The Best American Essays 2025 edited by Jia Tolentio. Available in paperback, audio book and Kindle. 

  Additional Information
  

  Meeting Day: Tuesday
  

  Meeting Location: Covenant Presbyterian Church
  Participation: Reading & discussion
  Class Size: 15

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• Biography

  • Start
    September 15, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 17, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    Vista West

  Coordinator: Chuck Pils
  

  Email: cmpils3304@gmail.com
  Phone: Chuck Pils 608-772-8575
  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator
  

  We are biography readers who enjoy sharing their experiences. Presentations are participants’ responsibility. It is optional for participants to do a presentation. We look at biographies of widely different people in various contexts – historical, political, show business, environmentalists, etc. 
  
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Tuesday
  No Class Dates: N/A
  Meeting Location: Vista West
  Participation: Reading & discussion
  Class Size: No Limit
  
  
  

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• History of the Hollywood Musical

  • Start
    September 15, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 15, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    14 sessions
  • Location
    Capitol Lakes

  Register

  Coordinator: Michael Troudt

  Email: mgmfanatic@aol.com

  Phone: 920-279-1846

  Registration: Required, Register Online

  This is a chronological history of the film musical beginning with Sailor Beware and ending with Young at Heart. Each week, we will watch a musical and discuss it. The films have been chosen due to their historical significance as well as their popularity at the box office. Download the Syllabus.

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day & New Time: Tuesday, 12:00 – 2:30pm

  Meeting Location: Capitol Lakes

  Participation: Watching films and discussion

  Class Size: No Limit

  
  

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• Jazz Appreciation

  • Start
    September 15, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 24, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    UMB Bank
  • Spaces left
    6

  Register

  Coordinator: David Shaw

  Email: dshaw.hpr@gmail.com

  Registration: Required, Register Online 

  We are a congenial group of jazz enthusiasts ranging from eager newcomers to seasoned aficionados. All jazz genres are thoughtfully presented through class participation; documentaries and visiting jazz musicians and scholars. We welcome all levels of jazz knowledge and no musical skills are required.

  NOTE FOR PARTICIPATION: We encourage class participation. There are no assignments, however, your enthusiasm is deeply appreciated and presentations are welcome.  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Tuesday

  No Class Date: October 6

  Meeting Location: UMB Bank

  Participation: See note above

  Class Size: 30

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• The Civics Class you wished you had paid more attention to in High School

  • Start
    September 15, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 10, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    8 sessions
  • Location
    Oakwood Village University Woods Campus

  Register

  Coordinator: Douglas Alexander

  Email: douglasWI1957@gmail.com

  Registration: Required, Register Online

  The course objective is to start with the basic documents: The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States, and get familiar with them. Then we’ll move on to the dynamics of our current government. The emphasis will be on the federal government, but we will invariably get into state and municipal government as well. Class topics will easily spawn conversions about current politics.
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Tuesday – Note no class on November 3

  Meeting Location: Oakwood Village University Woods Campus - Nakoma/Westmorland Rooms

  Participation: Reading and active participation expected

  Class Size: No Limit

  
  

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• Current Events - AM

  • Start
    September 16, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 16, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    14 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual – Google Meet

  Coordinator: Mert Corwin

  Email: mdcorwinjr@gmail.com

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

  This class will discuss local, national, and international events, both hot and current. Some topics will be very current and others will be ongoing issues. Topics will be determined each week, at the start of the session. All viewpoints are encouraged. The format will be very casual and interactive. Participants are encouraged to forward relevant links during the week for discussion.
  
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Wednesday

  No Class Dates: N/A
  Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet
  Participation: Active discussion group – video conference capability and email are required
  Class Size: 20
  

  
  

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• Global Affairs and the Media

  • Start
    September 16, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 25, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    Hybrid – Capitol Lakes & Google Meet

  Coordinators: Leon Lindberg and Kirk Elliott

  Email: lnlindberg204@gmail.com and kirk_elliott@hotmail.com 

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

  
  We focus on international events and concerns, addressing American issues only as they relate to the rest of the world. An invited speaker or a member of the group will make a presentation of about 40 minutes followed by your questions and comments for perhaps 20 minutes. We'll take a break and then pull some chairs into a circle, and discuss items of interest that members have brought to the meeting (members are invited to bring a news clipping or news item summary). We hope to increase our exposure to high-quality sources of news and information.
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Wednesday
  No Class Dates: N/A

  Meeting Location: Hybrid: Capitol Lakes and Google Meet

  Participation: Active discussion group

  Class Size: No Limit

  
  

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• Discussions on Philosophy

  • Start
    September 16, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 02, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    12 sessions
  • Location
    Hybrid: Bethany United Methodist Church & Google Meet

  Coordinator: Ed Cothroll & Bill Colwell

  Email: cothroll@tds.net or wscacct@live.com

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 

  
  We will be reading and discussing Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life by Agnes Callard, available in hardcover, paperback, and eBook formats, W. W. Norton & Co. The author recovers Socrates’ radical approach to questioning how we should live, revealing how his method helps us confront love, death, and politics. 

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Wednesday

  No Class Date: N/A

  Meeting Location: Hybrid – Bethany United Methodist Church & Google Meet

  Participation: Regular reading & discussion expected

  Class Size: 25

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• Film History

  • Start
    September 16, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 18, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    Oakwood Village University Woods Campus

  Register

  Coordinator: Mary Klink

  Email: jgmk10@gmail.com

  Registration: Required, Online Registration

  Back by popular demand! I hope you will join me again or for the first time to watch and discuss movies. I look forward to lively discussions of the films which we will watch in class. There are no reading assignments or homework for this class. Come, enjoy and learn about the history and evolution of cinema along with enthusiastic fellow cinephiles! Download the Syllabus.
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Wednesday

  Meeting Location: Oakwood Village University Woods Campus – Arts & Education Center

  Participation: Watching movies and discussion

  Class Size: No Limit

  
  

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• Current Events - PM

  • Start
    September 16, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 02, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    12 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual – Zoom
  • Spaces left
    1

  Register

  Coordinators: Meg Taylor & Jerry Burns 

  Email: taylome@charter.net & geburns@facstaff.wisc.edu

  Phone: 608-369-3578 & 608-556-2924

  Registration: Required, Register Online

  This is an in-depth discussion course on current events in Wisconsin, the United States and the world. Course members choose the topics, lead and moderate a discussion or two. We email readings and website links prior to each discussion. Each presenter may invite a guest with some first-hand knowledge or experience on the topic for the discussion.
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Wednesday

  No Class Date: N/A

  Meeting Location: Virtual – Zoom

  Participation: High participation – Zoom and email required

  Class Size: 25

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• Writer's Workshop

  • Start
    September 16, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 02, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    11 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual – Google Meet
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  Coordinator: Andy Millman

  Email: mill60062@yahoo.com 

  Phone: 847-275-6251 

  Registration: Required, Register Online 

  “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ~ Louis L’Amour
  
  Whether you’ve yet to write the first word or are deliberating over the last, our writers group will provide you with the feedback and support to bring out your best. All writers are welcome, regardless of experience or the type of writing pursued. 
  
  The workshop is facilitated by Andy Millman, a writing coach and editor whose own stories and essays have appeared in over two dozen publications, including Whistling Shade, Points in Case, Midwest Review, The Big Jewel, Zest Literary Journal, Black Heart Magazine, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Helix, and Pif Magazine.

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Wednesday

  No Class Date: November 25

  Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

  Participation: High participation with assignments

  Class Size: 15

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• Mindfulness & Health Challenges: Meeting Life’s Challenges with Awareness & Compassion

  • Start
    September 17, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 12, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    9 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual – Google Meet

  Register

  Coordinator: Craig Wille

  Email: craigwille6@gmail.com (New email address!)

  Phone: 608-692-3163

  Registration: Required, Register Online
  
  

  Health challenges touch nearly every family. We may be living with illness ourselves, supporting someone we love, or adapting to the uncertainty that accompanies changes in health and aging. This nine-session course explores how mindfulness can help us meet these experiences with greater steadiness clarity and compassion. Through guided meditation, reflective discussion, and practical everyday practices, participants will learn skills for working with stress, uncertainty, difficult emotions, caregiving, and change while discovering greater resilience and well-being. No previous experience with meditation or mindfulness as needed – only a willingness to begin where you are.

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Thursday

  No Class Date: N/A

  Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

  Participation: Active participation expected

  Class Size: No Limit

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• What in the World Happened

  • Start
    September 17, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 19, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    Vista West

  Coordinator: Chuck Pils

  Email: cmpils3304@gmail.com

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 

  
  This course is made up of presentations on eclectic historical topics of interest. Examples of topics come from natural disasters, historical battles, assassinations, political events etc. Presentations last 45 minutes to an hour (or more, depending upon presenter and topic), with time remaining for questions and answers. Enthusiastic Q & A’s are the norm. Topics this semester are determined by the group. 

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Thursday

  No Class Date: N/A

  Meeting Location: Vista West

  Participation: High participation & discussion

  Class Size: No Limit

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• Civil Rights in America: After 1967

  • Start
    September 17, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 19, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    Covenant Presbyterian Church
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  Coordinator: Tim Otis  

  Email: tierneyotis@gmail.com

  Phone: 608-279-2853

  Registration: Required, Register Online
  

  The course will provide an overview of the long, varied, and complex evolution and struggles of civil rights efforts for the last 60 years.  We will explore the breadth of issues that have been addressed during this period, as well as the challenges and backlash that is an ongoing part of this process. Links to recommended reading will be emailed to participants each week. Classes will include video presentations, guided discussions, and active participation by the members. Download the Syllabus.
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Thursday
  

  No Class Date: N/A

  Meeting Location: Covenant Presbyterian Church

  Participation: Reading and discussion expected

  Class Size: 15

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• We Love a Mystery

  • Start
    September 17, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 03, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    7 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual – Google Meet

  Coordinator: Barbara Evans

  Email: evansbj@charter.net

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

  
  

  The focus of this course is to read and critique contemporary mystery novels. Members take turns leading the discussion focusing on the author, the settings, the characters, plot development and story conclusion. Stories are chosen at the end of each semester for the following semester. The group reads five novels each semester and meets every other week to discuss the novel. The last two meetings are held consecutively to nominate and select novels for the next semester. There is an expectation of high participation and possible presentations by participants. Download the Syllabus.

  
  

  
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Thursday

  Location Directions: Virtual – Google Meet

  Participation: Regular reading and discussion expected

  Class Size: 18

  
  

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• PLATO Travel

  • Start
    September 18, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 20, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    Capital Lakes

  Register

  Coordinator: Annette Bollig, Kevin Bollig, Lois Baseler, Linn Roth

  Email: acbollig@gmail.com

  Registration: Required, Register Online 

  PLATO Travel is your opportunity to experience world-wide travel from the comfort of a chair and in the presence of others who possess extensive knowledge of where, when and how to travel. Participants in this group are past, current and future travelers who love to learn about cultures near and far. PLATO Travel members and guest presenters provide photographic, historical, geographic and cultural information about specific destinations where they have traveled. Knowledge exchange and discussion by all members is welcome and encouraged. Download the Syllabus updated on 10-07-26.

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Friday
  Meeting Location: Capitol Lakes
  Participation: Participation level depends on the participant
  Class Size: No Limit
  

  
  

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• The History of MGM

  • Start
    September 18, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 18, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    13 sessions
  • Location
    Oakwood Village University Woods

  Register

  Coordinator: Michael Troudt

  Email: mgmfanatic@aol.com

  Registration: Required, Register Online 

  This course will cover the history of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) movie studio from its inception in 1924 through the 1960s, utilizing a three-part documentary titled MGM: When the Lion Roars, as well as films it discusses, such as The Big Parade, Dinner at Eight, etc.    

  Download the syllabus here

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Friday
  Meeting Location: Oakwood Village University Woods Campus – Arts & Education Center
  Participation: Watching films and discussion

  Class Size: No Limit
  
  

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• The Enduring Legacy of Chicago’s South Side

  • Start
    September 18, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 13, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    8 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual - Google Meet

  Register

  Coordinator: Brenda Ward

  Email: Brenda.ward@platomadison.org

  Registration: Required, Register Online

  With the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, it’s time to visit the rich history of Chicago’s South Side. We can’t cover it all – the South Side encompasses 100 square miles and 30 neighborhoods with a history that transformed America’s industries and enriched our nation’s arts and culture. We’ll start at Prairie Avenue, home of gilded age titans including Phillip Armour and George Pullman. We’ll discuss the wave of immigrants who made Chicago hog butcher to the world and how the residents of Pullman advanced worker and civil rights. We’ll visit Bronzeville, once the Harlem of the Midwest, and home to gospel greats, the blues, and Chess Studio. We’ll talk about how massive public housing projects transformed the South Side and the heroes who bring South Siders hope and pride.

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Friday

  No Class Date: October 2

  Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

  Participation: Reading and discussion expected

  Class Size: No Limit

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• Reading US History: The American Revolution

  • Start
    September 21, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 16, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    9 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual – Google meet

  Coordinator: Michael Stevens

  Email: michaelstevens50@gmail.com 

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

  Read and discuss two books examining the American Revolution, one focusing on the years before the war and the other on the post-war outcomes. We begin with Alfred Young’s The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution. Follow a poor shoemaker who was in the crowd at the Boston massacre and threw tea in the harbor in 1773. Joseph J. Ellis’s The Great Contradiction: The Tragic Side of the American Founding centers on missed opportunities at the end of the Revolution regarding slavery and Indian relations. Both authors reflect on how Americans have and possibly should remember the Revolution. Download the Syllabus.

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Monday
  No Class Dates: N/A
  Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

  Participation: Regular reading and discussion expected 

  Class Size: 20

  
  

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• Prose and Cons Book Discussion Group

  • Start
    September 22, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 22, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    4 sessions
  • Location
    Christ Presbyterian Church
  • Spaces left
    2

  Register

  Coordinator: Barbara Drake

  Email: barbaradrake21@gmail.com

  Registration: Required, Register Online

  
  

  This book discussion group will meet monthly throughout the year on the fourth Tuesday. Book titles for each month have been selected through February, 2027. Members of the group are included in the book selection process, and both fiction and nonfiction titles will be considered. Participants will be expected to read the book selection for each month and will be asked to lead one discussion group per year. Download the Syllabus.

  
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Fourth Tuesday of Each Month

  Meeting Location: Christ Presbyterian Church
  Participation: Regular reading and discussion expected
  

  Class Size: 12

  
  

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• The Play’s the Thing

  • Start
    September 24, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 12, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    8 sessions
  • Location
    Madison Senior Center
  • Spaces left
    10

  Register

  Coordinator: Tess Mulrooney

  Email: tlmmdsn@aol.com

  Phone: 608-257-5595

  Registration: Required, Register Online
  
  Each semester we do cold readings (aloud) from a large collection of plays that the group owns. During classes, we will discuss three or four plays using an integrated approach which allows everyone to participate. Participant volunteers will each present a brief background of each play and playwright before reading begins and a recap for plays extending over multiple weeks. This semester we’ll read Golden Boy by Clifford Odets. Other plays we will choose from include The Apple Cart and Anna Christie. 

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Thursday

  Meeting Location: Madison Senior Center
  Participation: High participation
  Class Size: 16

  
  

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• How to Read, Interpret (and Write) Poetry

  • Start
    September 25, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 20, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    9 sessions
  • Location
    Madison Senior Center

  Coordinator: Thomas Schlicht

  Phone: 608-831-6593 

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 

  
  Want to better understand both serious and humorous poetry? In this class we rely on several experts, professors who clearly explain the techniques needed to improve our reading and interpreting skills with many poems explained. Those who want to use these skills creatively may volunteer to write their own poems. This writing project is purely voluntary and so is reading your work aloud to the group. Poetry terms/definitions to aid discussion are provided. Those not writing may read aloud to the class short poems and/or brief bios of their favorite authors. Learning and laughter guaranteed.

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Friday

  No Class Date: N/A

  Meeting Location: Madison Senior Center

  Participation: Participation level is optional

  Class Size: 7

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• It's TV Series Time!

  • Start
    October 01, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 17, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    11 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual – Google Meet

  Coordinator: Tobey & Wes Marsceill

  Email: platoclassicfilms@gmail.com

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 

  
  Join us every Thursday night for eleven weeks to critique the critically acclaimed Netflix series Adolescence followed by Baby Reindeer. With thirteen Emmy nominations and eight Emmy wins, Adolescence is a cinematic masterpiece worthy of a group discussion and analysis. Baby Reindeer garnered eleven Emmy nominations with six wins all in major categories. A Netflix subscription is necessary to watch one episode a week in the convenience of your own home. 
  
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Thursday

  No Class Date: November 26

  Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

  Participation: Watch Netflix shows & discussion

  Class Size: 15

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• Gentle Chair Yoga for Stress Reduction

  • Start
    October 02, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 20, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    7 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual - Zoom

  Register

  Coordinator: Stephanie Steigerwaldt

  Email: steph.steigerwaldt@gmail.com

  Registration: Required, Register Online

  Gentle Chair Yoga for Stress Reduction is accessible to people at all stages of life, offering the many benefits of yoga to promote mental, physical, and emotional health.

  This 45-minute class requires an armless, sturdy chair to provide support during seated and standing shapes and movements. Over time, this practice can improve strength, flexibility, and balance; enhance proprioception; and promote a sense of relaxation and wellbeing.

  No previous experience with yoga is necessary to attend this class. Even people with limited mobility can participate. 

  Members are welcome to treat this class like a drop in class – it's just fine to miss a class when need be. 

  Stephanie is a certified yoga teacher (RYT-200) through Perennial’s Wisdom Yoga Teacher Training in Madison, WI. 

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Friday

  No Class Date: November 6

  Meeting Location: Virtual – Zoom

  Participation: Physical movement while seated in a chair

  Class Size: No Limit

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• What’s Going Wrong for Boys and Young Men?

  • Start
    October 06, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 10, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    6 sessions
  • Location
    Bethany United Methodist Church
  • Spaces left
    1

  Register

  Coordinator: Mary Klink

  Email: jgmk10@gmail.com

  Registration: Required, Register Online

  What happens to a society when its boys grow up without a script for becoming men? Within the past 60 years we tore up the script of masculinity (for good reasons) but failed to replace it with a compelling vision of what it means to be a man in society today. In that vacuum, some young men retreat to screens, pornography and gaming. Others gravitate toward louder, angrier answers. How serious is the issue? Is it really a problem? Are some boys more at risk than others? If so, why? What can we do about it? What really are the biological differences between boys and girls? 

  
  

  In this class we will discuss the status of boys in education, employment, the family and society in general. Possible solutions to the issues raised will be discussed. We will use the book “Of Boys and Men” by Richard Reeves, founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men as the “textbook” for the course.  
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Tuesday

  Meeting Location: Bethany United Methodist Church

  Participation: Reading and active participation expected

  Class Size: 15

  
  

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• Wisconsin Writers: Capturing Our Histories and Our Culture

  • Start
    October 06, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 17, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    4 sessions
  • Location
    Attic Angel

  Coordinator: Terry Mouchayieh

  Email: terrymouchayleh@gmail.com 

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

  
  During this course participants will read assigned texts and engage in discussions about history and social change, as well as reflect and reminisce about personal experiences. They will also discuss the quality of writing, the topic’s relevance today, setting, character development and point of view. Books include: The Coincidence of the Coconut Cake, by Amy E. Reichert, and South of Luck, by Jim Guhl. Download Terry's Bio here.
  
  Note that this course meets every other Tuesday as follows:

  October 6: Overview of Midwestern History and Literature

  October 20: Discussion of Literary Devices

  November 3: Discussion of 1^st book

  November 17: Discussion of 2^nd Book
  
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Every other Tuesday

  Meeting Location: Attic Angel Place – Small Dining Room
  Participation: Reading and discussion

  Class Size: 8
  
  

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• Reading the Classics: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

  • Start
    October 09, 2026
  •  
  • End
    December 18, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    Fitchburg Senior Center & Hybrid via Zoom

  Coordinator: John & Jan Kinar

  Email: jrkinar@gmail.com

  Phone: 608-238-2826

  Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 

  
  This semester we will be reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. We will use the Penguin Classics edition with an ISBN of 9780141441146. For the first class please read the first four chapters, up to page 48.
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Friday
  

  No Class Date: November 27

  Meeting Location: Fitchburg Senior Center & Hybrid via Zoom

  Participation: Reading & discussion

  Class Size: 14

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• Getting Through: The Language and Logics of Autism, and Other Difficult Communications

  • Start
    October 15, 2026
  •  
  • End
    November 19, 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    6 sessions
  • Location
    Madison Senior Center
  • Spaces left
    9

  Register

  Coordinator: Douglas Maynard  

  Email: dwmaynar@wisc.edu

  Phone: 608-213-0126 

  Registration: Required, Register Online
  
  

  The purpose of this course is to explore the language and logics of autism, which are often very different from “commonsense” ways of communicating. The main issue is how to get into the “world” of an autistic person. The more general problem: how to relate to another person (autistic or not) whose world of experience seems foreign or alien.
  
  I draw on my own experience as a father of an autistic son, my sociological research in autism clinics, and stories about autistic involvements from biographies, autobiographies, and the blogosphere. We will hear audio or view videos from these sources, and read non-technical autism papers or articles (one per week or so) that help us address the language-logic-other world issues. I aim for lots of questions and discussion. Class members who have family members “on the spectrum” are encouraged to share their experiences, as are others who may have work, neighborhood, or other relevant involvements and activities.
  
  I view the “language and logic” problem as connected not just to autism but to a wide variety of everyday encounters in which there is a challenging communication issue because of someone’s differences.
  

  Additional Information

  Meeting Day: Thursday

  Meeting Location: Madison Senior Center
  Participation: Some reading and discussion expected
  Class Size: 18

  
  

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