OLLI Winter 2025 - Flipbook - Page 12
5. The Golden Age of Islamic Science
Thursdays, January 9 3 30
You9ll Love
2:00 3 3:30 p.m.
the
Winter
Peoria Next Innovation Center
Seminar
The Golden Age of Islamic Science
was a historical period from the 8th
to the 13th century. It was a time of innovation,
learning, tolerance, high culture, and inquiry into
the natural world. Scholars undertook a great
translation movement, collecting, translating, and
extending the works of classical civilizations. What
is not as widely recognized in the West is the
high degree of original scholarship and scienti昀c
achievements of Islamic natural philosophers
and inventors. The height of global scienti昀c
inquiry during the medieval era was the House of
Wisdom, a.k.a. the Great Library at Baghdad. Class
participants should obtain and read The House
of Wisdom, by Dr. Jim al-Khalili, a British-Iraqi
theoretical physicist and broadcaster.
$45 – Facilitated by Kathryn Eissfeldt, a freelance
science writer with an academic background in
the history of science. (RF/NG)
6. A New Look at Citizenship
You9ll Love
Fridays, January 10 3 31
February
9:30 3 11:45 a.m.
Class #6
Goodwill Commons
Everyone knows about the Bill of Rights in the
US Constitution, but what are your obligations as
a citizen of this country? Using Richard Haass9s
book, The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of
Good Citizens, we will explore this topic in depth.
Do we, as citizens, owe anything to our country?
If so, what? Have our duties changed over time?
Are some more important than others? Are there
obligations Haass has not identi昀ed? Should some
of these obligations be implemented? If so, how?
Join us for a lively discussion of what it means to be
a citizen of the United States. Registrants should
purchase or borrow Haass9s book, available at local
and online retailers and libraries.
$45 – Facilitated by Roberta Parks, retired
fundraiser and Chamber executive, and Gary
Nelson, retired attorney and frequent OLLI
facilitator. (RFs/RG)
12
STUDY GROUPS
7. Dynamic Forces 101 3 The Reading of the Rocks
Tuesdays, January 14 3 February 18
10 a.m. 3 12:00 p.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center
Learn the basics of practical geology that will allow
you to envision the past, understand geological
evolution, and grasp the amazing processes that
resulted in the rocks and landscape around you.
We will learn how the titanic forces and earthshattering events 3 earthquakes, volcanic eruptions,
glaciations, 昀oods, the collisions of continents, and
the disappearance of seas 3 have left their mark
on these incredible landscapes. We will use the
drama and sublime beauty of the natural wonders
preserved in America9s national parks to better
understand our geology. Required for this course:
computer with internet access to view lectures (1
hour) and do research for one presentation as part
of a subgroup. Please plan to purchase or borrow
the book Geology for Kids by Meghan Vestal,
available at local and on-line retailers and libraries,
which will be used as a reference to vocabulary
terms and Earth9s unique geological features.
$45 – Facilitated by Patricia Melaik, University of
Illinois Extension Master Gardener and Master
Naturalist and Bob Yonker, retired Caterpillar
engineer, will facilitate via Zoom. (NG/RFs)
