Class Updates for September-October 2025

Algebra (Melanie) We began the year by playing the game Charty Party to familiarize ourselves with interpreting line graphs. Then we learned a little about the mathematician Al Khwarizmi, whose name gave us the word algorithm, and the origins of Algebra. We have been using the game “Dragon Box” and adapted it to paper and counters. We reviewed (Melanie)positive and negative numbers and then, using the concept of zero-pairs, we created simple equations and solved for x. Additional resources we are using include Amplify online activities (formerly Desmos) and Kuta worksheets.

Bread and Desserts (Loran) Our small group has been meeting over Zoom each Wednesday morning. So far we have made Peach Upside Down Cake, Savory Zucchini Bread, Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, Pāo de Queijo, Apple Crumb Cake, Dinner Rolls, Blueberry Muffins, and Cottage Cheese Bread.

Chemistry (Melanie) This class is focusing on a simplified version of the periodic table (the first 20 elements) in order to understand atomic structure and bonds. We have been discussing various topics such as electromagnetism, phosphorescence, and chemical reactions. Members have been using Lewis dot diagrams to model molecules. We have done several labs to explore the concepts in a hands-on way. We are starting to write balanced chemical equations for some of the reactions we have done. Members are also keeping folders with handouts and lab sheets as well as taking notes.

Chronology (Josh) We've been bouncing around history in this class. We began with a survey of all believed-to-be-known time. We followed with days on the 20th century, the Renaissance, and ancient Greece.

Dungeons and Dragons (Jace and Yarrow) Class has been going great. So far the players have fought many hellish beasts and have started obtaining magical artifacts to take down Asmodeus, the ruler of the 9 Hells, who has gone crazy. Everybody seems to be having a generally good time, and it’s very silly and fun.

The First Hundred Numbers (Josh) In this class we're trying to look into the essence and qualities of numbers. We've discussed and compared Roman Numerals to our base 10 numerals. We've discussed the ideas of bases, including base 12 and base 60 (clocks). One day was devoted to a guest teacher presenting math puzzles. Currently we're filling in a table of numbers 1 - 100 and examining them closely in terms of their geometry and how they break down into their prime factors.

Hiking Group (Loran, Saleem and Ben) We’ve had a large, enthusiastic group this fall, and we’ve already hiked in many wonderful places. We’ve only had one day when it was raining hard enough that we needed to change our plans; on that day we had a soggy walk to and around Riverside Cemetery. So far our hikes have included Sugarloaf Mountain, Bright Water Bog, Rattlesnake Gutter, White Rock, Mt. Warner, Mineral Hills, and East Leverett Meadow. We have 16 “regulars” in our group. We’ll keep hiking all winter long

Hot Topics (Josh) This is an open discussion forum for discussing what's on people's minds and varies on any given day. Thanks to Emme and Loran
for their presence in the weekly discussions.

How do we know it’s true? (Airlie) In this class, we've been developing critical awareness of the ways we come to know and believe what is true about the world around us. We began the class with what appeared to be (and indeed was) a rock in the middle of the table and a philosophical discussion of perception and reality. We agreed that, for the sake of this class, we will assume that there is a world external to ourselves and we are all able to access and make judgments about what is in that world through our senses. Since then, the students have chosen fascinating topics: Is anything truly random? Are there alternate universes? Did Google really make a computer that uses alternate realities to perform calculations? We've used these questions to learn about scientific meaning making and how to evaluate the quality of YouTube videos when we have to rely on experts to explain complex topics like Quantum Mechanics. We used the press walk-out of the Pentagon on 10/15/25 to discuss journalistic ethics and how the new rules that prompted the walk-out violated them. My use of AI to research and summarize materials for that class was a source of concern to several students. So, we will be spending the next few weeks doing a deep dive into the mechanism, hazards, and ethics of generative AI. The fact students questioned the information I gave them and asked me to justify my use of AI suggests the class is going well.

Immersive Explorations (Saleem) Our classes started with a brief introduction to the art movements that influenced immersive multimedia art, including surrealism, dadaism and bauhaus. We created some collaborative drawings through the process of playing a game called The Exquisite Corpse. Most recently our group has been creating mixed-media art inspired by an Emily Dickinson poem, Hope is the thing with feathers.

Inside Out Sculpture (Emily) We began this class by discussing the concept of what might be considered a sculpture that references the interior and exterior at the same time, and we looked at several examples. The group was most inspired by the work of Rachel Whiteread, which led to an exploration of plaster gauze (which is plaster pre-applied to gauze that you dip in water to activate and then apply to surfaces to create solid forms). Some students used chicken wire as a base for their form; other students made plaster casts of their own body parts; still others used cups, balloons, and bowls as shapes for casting, and later re-assembled those dried plaster parts into new forms. The next material we might use to make sculpture will be determined by group interest.

Lunch Class (Ellen) Such a sweet group of dedicated folks! We’ve been working our way through a variety of meals including: Caribbean-Inspired Breakfast Bowls, Spaghetti & Garlic Bread, Veggie Stir Fried Rice, Creamy Potato Leek Celeriac Soup, Bean Burritos, Pasta in Rich Sauce, and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Soup. Everyone is developing excellent teamwork, knife, and cleaning skills.

Making a Scene (Saleem) So far in movie making class we have learned about the basic elements of film making, including camera angles, lighting, and composition. We've also broken into smaller groups to create original scripts based on an object prompt. These ideas have been further developed over the last few weeks by creating outlines and storyboards. This week we worked as a whole class to write and shoot our own short horror film!

Markers and Water (Emily) We began this class with using the most common type of marker: washable markers. We used broad tip and fine tip markers, then "painted" our marks with water, turning the process into a new way of making watercolors. From there, we experimented with acrylic paint markers with brush tip and broad tip; then, moved on to ultra fine tip permanent markers. Currently, we are experimenting with grayscale markers, which are alcohol markers. In class, we supplement our experimentation by watching videos of various techniques, examining professional artists' finished works, and giving feedback on each other's creations.

Montague Sing (Josh) In this class, we travel to Montague Town Common from 2-3 every Friday. We learn songs sung by the group there and occasionally some of us bring a song or two to teach! Some members (and a volunteer teacher - thank you, Teresa!) have invited friends or family to join us some days. Everyone is welcome and this event happens every day (including weekend and holidays) from 2-3 for those who want to attend on their own!

Mysteries of the Mind and Spirit (Ann) The class is off to a great start! We have four dedicated members who are engaged, curious, and reflective. We have been focusing recently on techniques for developing awareness of our intuition and of the energies within us and around us, with the idea of honing an awareness of self and fostering self-confidence.

North Star Band (Josh and Saleem) Band has been working on performing two original songs written by different members of the group. We have also been
reviewing and have tried out other song possibilities.

Open Studio (Saleem) So far some folks have been using Open Studio to prepare performance pieces for our upcoming Winter Celebration performance. These have primarily been musical numbers including drumming, voice, guitar and keyboard. This is an open format class that anyone is welcome to drop-into on Fridays from 10-11am.

Open Maker Room (Melanie) The Maker Room has been buzzing with all kinds of activity this fall. There’s been woodworking, glasswork, sewing, painting, sculpture, costume making, drawing, jewelry making, beading, and collage. We have also been discussing shop safety and creating protocols for training members in proper tool use so the materials can be available to everyone outside of class time as well.

The Peaceful Art of Ki (Josh) In this class we've been having a lot of fun, sometimes playing, sometimes exploring some basic aikido movements and
techniques, as well as breathing and stretching.

A People’s History (Adrie) In the People’s History class, we’ve covered a broad range of topics so far this fall, including queer cowboys, the history of bread, the Bubonic Plague and plague doctors, the history of Islam, and the Haitian Revolution.

Plants & Animals (Melanie) This is a very open-ended class and we have followed various member interests thus far including locating and checking the openings of the vast network of woodchuck tunnels on our property, looking at pond water and moss under the microscope, collecting grasshoppers and katydids to identify, buying and planting more plants for our garden, dissecting owl pellets and a squid, and planning an outing to a local farm animal sanctuary. We have also had one guest speaker, a naturalist from Martha’s Vineyard who told us about birds, butterflies, grasshoppers, and other insects.

Play Video Games Together (Quinn) The class has been going very well, we've mostly been playing Smash Bros but on the 20th we played a tower defense game. We'll also probably start playing racing games soon, once we get enough controllers

Scene on Radio (Ellen) We’ve jumped into deep and rich conversations about season 3 of the Scene On Radio podcast: MEN. This season is far-ranging and we’re a little less than a third of the way through so far - exploring the roots, evolution, and ongoing intricacies of sexism, misogyny, and patriarchy in the USA. The group has been consistent, thoughtful, reflective, and engaged, as we grapple with these big issues together.

Schooling (Ken) Each class begins with the yin-yang of “schooling is essential” and “schooling is a waste of time.” Send along your pop culture references such as Calvin and Hobbes, Pink Floyd, Malala, and more to be used as openers.  What are the primary goals of schooling, what are some of the alternatives along the lines of North Star, and who are our allies? We watched the dramatic reenactment of the Summerhill Recertification conflict. More to come!

Service Trip to San Juan (Loran) In September and October, we formed our group and divided up planning tasks, including finding a rental car and lodging, securing airline tickets, and looking for volunteering and leisure time activities. We discussed fundraising initiatives and several teens have started doing chores in exchange for trip donations. Everyone has signed up for two presentation slots. So far in presentations we’ve learned about some of the basics of Puerto Rico’s current economic struggles; the role of World Central Kitchen in feeding people in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria; and Bad Bunny and his summer residency in PR and the significance of his upcoming Superbowl halftime show. Future topics will include such things as history, food, dance, music, hurricanes, African heritage, and much more.

Sexplorations (Becca and Carly from Tapestry Health) Topics covered in this 6-week workshop included: What is Tapestry?; Sexual orientation, gender identity, empowerment; Safer Sex barrier methods/STIs/pregnancy; Reproductive anatomy and functions; Communication/consent/boundaries/healthy relationships; Communicating about sex with partners; Online safety/media literacy/safer sexting; and Narcan training with harm reduction team

Social Issues (Ken) This is a challenging time to follow the news.  Every day seems to have a new, unexpected, discouraging event.  What is real and lasting?  How are people resisting?  What actually is happening with immigration, the National Guard, health care, Gaza, Venezuela, and the government shutdown?  Diversions include sports scandals, jewelry heists, and other more entertaining items.

Spanish Club (Josh) Spanish Club has learned and studied songs, the alphabet and pronunciation, simple expressions, and has begun using a
free online course, Spanish Language Transfer, to learn about the culture and language of the Spanish-speaking world. Thanks to Loran and Teresa for being part of the teaching team!

Theatre: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Ellen) What a huge group of wonderful players! So far we’ve been focusing on some foundational acting exercises, developing our group bond, and reviewing main plot and character points in the original book. We have a lot to do to take this story onto the stage, but we are setting ourselves up well to do that work! 

Theodore’s Movie Class (Theodore) The second year of my movie class is going pretty well. I've only done one longer two-week movie so far, all the rest have been short enough to fit into a class period (with time for discussion at the end). My new research tool has been going to the Northampton library or going on a website that has the old Springfield newspapers and finding out when a certain Classic Film showed originally. In Northampton, I’ve been using a microfilm machine to find theater ads. When I have a little or longer time after showing part of a film, we discuss the history of the film, or I have shown Looney Tunes somewhat related to what we watched.

Volunteering at Amherst Survival Center (Loran) Our group works with other community volunteers to organize fresh foods at the outdoor shed of the Survival Center. In all weather, we work outside. We set up the work station; unload the donations van; divide the food into fruit, vegetables, and breads/desserts; send some items inside to the pantry; and categorize and shelve others, getting the displays ready for distribution.