Course #213
Dates, times and locations:
Cost-$30 or $25 if registered before September 23
Course objectives: Students will gain a deeper understanding of the game of football, what occurs behind the television screen, coaching, terminology, and the organization of the National Football League.
Course #212
Dates: Tuesdays and Thursdays, Sept. 22-Oct. 18
Times: 10 am to Noon
Location: Mercer Library
Cost: $48 or $43 if registered before September 8
Objectives: Through a study of the process of molecular replication and the components of living cells and their functions, the student will be able to understand and discuss the process of evolution.
Requirements: A previous exposure to the concepts of elemental biology will be helpful but not necessary.
Course Description: A short review of cell biology with emphasis on the processes of cell duplication and differentiation. Use of the concepts of genetics in a discussion of evolution.
Course Duration and Structure: The course will meet 8 times for two hours each over a period of four weeks. Classes will consist of varying amounts of lecture, lab and discussion. Continue reading
Course #211
As of 8/29/2016, we have reached capacity and are no longer taking registrations for this course. For more information, call 715-476-2881.
Dates: Sep 1,6,8,13,15,20
Time: 9:00 am – Noon
Location: Mercer Public Library Conference Room, (and various field sites to be announced), Margaret St. Mercer, WI
Cost: $60, you may deduct a $10 discount if you send your reservations by August 18.
Objectives: Students will gain an understanding of the unique relationship between geology, ecology and human settlement in the Northern Highlands region of northern Wisconsin.
Course structure: The course will be given in six sessions, each 3 hours long, The course will be facilitated and taught by naturalist/biologists, John Bates and Terry Daulton, with guest speakers for many sessions covering the following topics: Continue reading
Course #210
Thursday, May 5th Springstead Town Hall, 3pm-5pm
Tuesday May 17th ClearView Nursery, Springstead, 3pm-5pm
Objectives: Plants can be studied from many perspectives. Our goal in this class will be to help students understand how plants are categorized, and how they fit into natural (ecological) and unnatural systems (“unnatural systems” means gardens). We will discuss the five factors that allow plants to thrive (or fail) in a specific location. And we will talk about specific plants, both in the natural landscape and in the home landscape and garden. Continue reading
Course #208
Wednesdays, April 6-27, 4pm-6pm, Iron County Courthouse, Hurley, WI
Objectives: Students should come away from the class with a greater understanding of the often overlooked Kingdom of Fungi. They will get a look at how fungi plays a role in human culture, health, food and industry. Continue reading
Course #209
Dates: Thursday April 28th 6-9pm, and Saturday April 30th 9am – 12pm
Mercer Public Library, Mercer, WI
Objectives: Participants should gain an understanding of electrical safety requirements in rules promulgated by the State as well as the requirements of the adopted National Electrical Code. Various electrical devices, their installation, use, testing and replacement will be discussed. Students should have a better understanding of the devices they rely on for safety on a daily basis. Continue reading
Course Title: Democracy and Issues in Contemporary Political Development
Course #207
4 Tuesdays, Mar. 22-April 12, 4-6pm, Iron County Board Room, Hurley, WI
Objectives: This course is designed to help students develop a deeper understanding of what democracy is, and is not, in context of contemporary political issues. Participants will learn about the origins of democracy and the differences between parliamentary, presidential, and semi-presidential models of democracy. Sessions will explore how executive, legislative, and judicial institutions vary across countries, emphasizing the concepts of freedom and equality. Upon course completion, students will be able to identify how elites, society, culture, modernization, and international relations shape modern-day democratic development. Continue reading
Course Title: Intro to Human Behavior
Course #206
Wednesdays, January 27 – March 9, 2016 at 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Iron County Board Room, Hurley, Wisconsin
Objectives: Students will learn about the science of Psychology, what it involves and what it tells us today about human behavior. We will talk about Nature/Nurture, what constitutes learning, what dreams are made of, the difference between correlation and causality, what comprises personality and intelligence and what exactly is “abnormal”? Expect to be respected for what you already know, intellectually stimulated by things you don’t already know, and have some laughs. Continue reading
Title: International Order and the Impact of Foreign Assistance
Instructor: Gary Theisen
Course #204
Tuesday, January 5 and January 12; Tuesday, February 2 and 9 at 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Haines Civic Building, Railroad Street, Mercer, Wisconsin
Objectives: This course is designed to provide participants with a better understanding of the issues underlying global change and development. Emphasis will be placed on the so-called “developing world” by examining political and systemic causes of poverty, disease and corruption and why they are of concern to more advanced countries such as the United States. Sessions will identify misconceptions of and progress made through international assistance programs and US tax dollars. Specific examples of successes and failures in development efforts will be examined in light of the instructor’s professional experiences in over 60 countries. Continue reading
Title: Investing 101
Instructor: Joseph Lemke, AAMS
Course #205
Thursdays, January 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2016; time to be determined
Mercer Public Library, 2648W Margaret Street, Mercer, WI 54547
Course structure: The course will be given in 4 sessions, each 2 hours long, covering the following topics:
Week 1: Intro/Foundations of Investing
Week 2: Stocks
Week 3: Bonds/CDs/Fixed Income
Week 4: Mutual Funds/Investing Fees and conclusion of class activity
Title: The History of Iron County and its role in the Gogebic Range, Part I
Instructor: Larry Peterson
Course #203
Tuesdays, December 1 – December 22, 2015 at 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Iron County Courthouse, Hurley, Wisconsin
Course structure: Instructor Larry Peterson will use both lecture and discussion to explore Iron County’s history as seen through the stories of its residents, past and present, and investigate what distinguishes Iron County’s Penokee Range from the Gogebic Range and what the two ranges have in common. Study how natural resources have shaped the county’s history, from mining to forestry, to attempts at farming, to the eventual transition to tourism. Finally the class will investigate how this understanding can be used to develop a partnership for various historical projects across the entire Gogebic/Penokee Range. The course will be given in 4 sessions, each 2 hours long. Continue reading
This course will explore aspects of general Botany including plant anatomy, plant physiology, naming and classifying, plant ecology and biomes, and will conclude with basics of gardening. Knowledge of basic biology and/or chemistry concepts are not necessary to participate in the course as relevant information will be included and discussed throughout the course. Practical skills such as using a plant identification key, how to control invasive plants, seed starting and other basic gardening skills are a focus of the course. Continue reading
Identify and understand Earth materials, understand how we use geologic materials, how tectonic forces change rocks, and how the Earth’s surface is sculpted by water and surface processes. Students will also learn to compile stories from Earth’s past by deciphering rock records, to discern geologic features in maps and to know the major geologic events recorded in the rocks of Northern Wisconsin. All materials for the weekly readings and discussions will be provided. Students will be required to have or purchase a magnifying lens, available from the instructor for $16. Continue reading
General rules of investing, preparing for the unexpected, stocks, fixed income, mutual funds, designing your retirement, and tax free investing will be among the topics covered with time allotted for discussion on any phase the class wants to explore. Handouts will be distributed and some homework assigned. The session will wrap up with a final project determined at the end of the class. Continue reading