Arlington Community Education

Learn more about a highly tumultuous era in American history as we study culture, politics, society, and foreign policy from the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 to the declaration of war against Japan and Germany after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Focusing on the radical changes to American culture and society in the 1920s, we’ll closely examine the presidency of FDR, the New Deal, and the many contributions of African-Americans. We will also explore the American desire for peace as Nazi Germany began to aggrandize power in the 1930s, concluding with the strong political divide between intervention and isolationism that shaped the prelude to World War II.

Explore the captivating geological features of our planet. We will delve into different geological formations and processes, learning more about mountains, volcanoes, earthquakes, glaciers, deserts, and more, and highlight stunning examples like the Himalayas, Iceland’s tectonic activity, and the Grand Canyon. Online interactive tools such as Google Earth, the USGS Earthquake Map, and EarthViewer will help us visualize geological concepts and track recent global earthquakes. No prior knowledge or materials are required—just bring your curiosity about the complexities of the natural world.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are often called “Abrahamic” religions because they each claim to worship the same god and trace their lineage to Abraham in the biblical book of Genesis. If they share this common origin, why has their history been marked by so much conflict? This class explores how each tradition uses Abraham in shaping its identity. We will examine key passages from the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and Qur’an to understand how and why claims to be “children of Abraham” emerged in specific historical contexts. Finally, we’ll discuss what this history means for Jewish, Christian, and Muslim relations today.

Generative artificial intelligence is quickly transforming the world, raising important questions about ethics and policy. ChatGPT engages in conversational dialog to help develop ideas, accelerate your work, plan a vacation, write an essay, and more. Midjourney and Sora generate realistic images and videos, making it possible to create stunning visuals with just a few suggestions. Generative AI is also being integrated into everyday tools like Microsoft Office. With up-to-the-minute material to reflect recent changes, we will explore these and similar tools, get a high-level understanding of how they work, and use them to generate text and images. We will also discuss their impact on the future of work and human creativity, along with evolving policies.

It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of climate change, but each of us can take meaningful action to make a difference. A panel of local experts will lead an insightful discussion on practical steps we can take in our daily lives. Together, we’ll explore key areas such as food choices, energy use, transportation, waste management, and recycling, identifying specific ways to create positive change both individually and as a community. Discover valuable local resources, including programs at the Robbins Library. By the end of the session, you’ll leave with a personal action plan, resource materials, and a renewed sense of hope.

Deepen your appreciation of dance as a dynamic and evolving performance art. Through readings, video analysis, and group discussions, you will gain a broader understanding of dance as a contemporary art form. Enlarge your critical perspective by exploring key issues in dance and contrasting the viewpoints of influential choreographers. We’ll examine notable 20th-century figures such as Isadora Duncan, Nijinsky, Ruth St. Denis, Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, Merce Cunningham, Twyla Tharp, and many others, considering their contributions to shaping modern dance.