Needham Community Education

Join Dan Dain, author of the book A History of Boston, as he leads you through a history of one of Boston’s greatest cultural assets: its sports teams. The discussion will go beyond just the big five (Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins, and Revolution) and look at less popular spectator sports (lacrosse, rugby, roller derby), individual sports (candlepin bowling, tennis, golf), and women’s sports (Renegades, Pride/Fleet). The talk will dig deep into Boston sports trivia (did you know that the Philadelphia Phillies started in Worcester?) and sports stadiums and arenas (Braves Field, Huntington Avenue Grounds), and even look at the impact of Boston sports on popular culture (Tessie, Field of Dreams). This will be an interactive program, so come prepared for some deep Boston sports debates (was it really a mistake for Russell Wilson to pass on second down at the end of Super Bowl XLIX?). Please note that the location has changed from what is listed in the printed catalogs. The new location is room 201 at Needham High School.

Not sure if acrylic painting is for you? Please join us for a single class, (with all materials supplied), designed for beginners who have very little or no experience and want to explore the beauty of acrylic paint. Enjoy an educational, relaxed, and fun evening creating an acrylic painting from start to finish. The instructor will talk you through everything you need to know, from how to mix paint colors to what sort of brush strokes to use.

Acrylic paint, the chosen medium for many amateur and professional artists, is versatile, non-toxic, easy to clean, and offers brilliant color. Acrylic paints provide great opportunities to learn about values, color, mixing paints, brushwork, and more. If this is appealing to you, join us for this fun and informative class to learn the basics of painting with acrylics and/or to expand your artistic abilities. Class will be appropriate for beginners as well as those with some prior experience painting with acrylics. We will cover acrylic painting techniques, basics of composition, color theory, and learn the various ways to mix and apply paint. Class work will include a variety of painting projects including imaginative and observational painting, landscapes, seascapes, and still lifes. Students will receive both group and individualized instruction to develop at their own pace. Returning students are encouraged to participate to further advance their painting skills with an emphasis on strengthening technique and promoting self-expression. A materials list can be found here.

A continuation of Acrylic Painting I, this class is open to anyone with basic painting skills. Painting instruction will tackle more complex subject matter and cover new techniques and concepts. The focus will be on strengthening and building upon knowledge of the basic elements of painting, techniques and concepts in acrylic painting. Class work will include a variety of painting projects with guided instruction as well as the opportunity to create your own masterpiece of your choice. A materials list can be found here.

This Advanced Beginner bridge course is designed to take the beginner player to the next level of both bidding and play of the hand. We will continue to work on no trump techniques and to strengthen trump suit play. In addition, we will spend time on simple defensive techniques (like leads) and attitude signals. If we have the time we will also introduce competitive bidding like overcalls and takeout doubles. All new and fun challenges await!

Building upon the skills studied in Level 1, students will improve their conversational precision by considerably developing their vocabulary as well as by learning to use the present and immediate future. Grammatical topics include possessive and demonstrative adjectives, idiomatic verb expressions, comparatives, imperative expressions of time and season. Students will need to purchase Contacts edition 8 or 9, easily found used or downloadable online. If you miss a class, you may view the recording or schedule a half-hour private lesson with the instructor ($39, purchase at nce.reg.eleyo.com or by phone with NCE).

In this class, students will have the opportunity to review and expand their knowledge of verb tenses, to practice conversational Spanish and to share and discuss current events. Students will need to purchase a textbook (approximately $35) for this course.Details can be found here.

Through one-on-one tutoring, we will reinforce and strengthen four skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. Students will learn mnemonic devices to master the subjunctive, prepositions and conjunctions. Customized challenging homework exercises will be provided to bolster your current course. Once you have registered, the instructor will contact you regarding scheduling.

Dumplings, simple dough wrapped around a variety of fillings, are the ultimate comfort food and are staples in kitchens around the globe. In this hands-on cooking class, Chef Thi of Powisset Farm will guide you through the steps to make your own perfect pillows of joy at home, including handmade wrappers, fillings, and dipping sauces, in both pan-fried and steamed versions. You will learn to make three kinds of fillings, seasonal vegetarian, pork, and shrimp; as well as two dipping sauces, garlic soy chili oil and tamarind cilantro.

Create a bead and macrame bracelet or necklace with colorful beads and cords of your choice. You can design a contemporary and stylish piece with an outfit in mind, or a special person. We will discuss basic tricks, tools, necessities and processes you’ll need to create your first masterpiece, as well as others on your own at home. Note: After you register, the instructor will contact you regarding the bead and charm options that she will order for each student. You will need to pay the instructor for their supplies in class ($15-30).

This relaxed introductory class is geared for those who have never taken a drawing class before. We will cover the various drawing materials, basic drawing techniques, how to arrange a composition, and the variety of lines, tones, and values used to bring a drawing to life. Through a variety of skill-building exercises and guided projects, you will discover the elements of line, contour, form, value, texture, composition, proportion, shading, and perspective. Using various materials, you will also explore the principles of light and shade and how line helps to reveal form. Class work will include a number of drawing exercises and projects including imaginative and observational drawing, landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, and more. A combination of group and individual instruction in a supportive atmosphere will help students develop at their own pace. Join us to discover your own innate artistic ability! Returning students are encouraged to participate to further advance their drawing skills with an emphasis on strengthening technique and promoting self-expression. A materials list can be found here. Please note that the final class will be held at Needham High School, room 909.

This class is appropriate for those who previously took Beginning Drawing I, or who have had at least some basic study of drawing or painting. We will cover additional drawing techniques using familiar as well as new drawing materials, learning about proportion, visual measurement, the interplay of observation, imagination, and memory, gesture drawing, contour versus outline, negative shapes, understanding overlaps and plane changes, perspective, light on form, composition, and the variety of lines and tones used to bring a drawing to life. Through a variety of class and independent projects, you will gain a deeper understanding of line, contour, form, value, texture, composition, proportion, shading, and perspective. Class work will include a number of drawing exercises and projects including imaginative and observational drawing, landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, and more. A combination of group and individual instruction in a supportive atmosphere will help students develop at their own pace. A materials list can be found here.

This program is designed to give beginning students a practical command of the Italian language. Upon completion of the course, you will be able to discuss everyday activities and describe situations using the present tense. You can also expect to be able to read and write elementary texts such as a simple letter. Topics include pronunciation, adjectives, expressions of date and quantity, indefinite and definite articles, and first conjugation -are verbs (Prego chapters Preliminary-2). The course is largely conducted in Italian. You will need to purchase the Prego textbook (editions 6, 7 or 8). If you miss a class, you may view the recording or schedule a half-hour private lesson with the instructor ($39, purchase at nce.reg.eleyo.com or by phone with NCE).