Great writing begins--and ends--with the sentence. Whether two words ("Jesus wept.") or 1,287 words (a sentence in William Faulkner's Absalom! Absalom!), sentences have the power to captivate, entertain, motivate, educate, and, most importantly, delight. Understanding the variety of ways to construct sentences, from the smallest clause to the longest sentence, is important to enhancing your appreciation of great writing and potentially improving your...

In this introductory course, we discuss the scientific stories behind 10 of Hubble Space Telescope's most spectacular images, These 10 images were chosen on the basis of their visual beauty and scientific impact and to illustrate the beadth of Hubble astronomy. The lectures are organized to address the images one by one from near to far, beginning with the solar system, then on to stars and nebulae in the Milky Way Galaxy, individual galaxies, systems...

Presents a history and criticism of music and how to listen and appreciate it.

Presents a series of twenty-four lectures that examines in detail the New Testament. Professor Bart D. Ehrman discusses its form, the methods of composition, its authors and their original audiences, and the surrounding historical context. He focuses on questions of historical evidence and explanation rather than on issues of religious belief and theological truth.

This course addresses three broad chronological spans. The first third of the course covers the nomadic steppe peoples from antiquity to 550 A.D., from their domestication of the horse through their interactions with the civilizations of China, the Near East, the Greeks, and Imperial Rome. The second third of the course deals with the early Middle Ages, a period of time that was dominated by the spread of the Turkish language across the steppe zones....

Economist and award-winning Professor Michael K. Salemi of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill leads you in a panoramic exploration of our monetary and financial systems, their inner workings, and their crucial role and presence in your world. In 36 incisive and detailed lectures, he gives you a penetrating look at the financial institutions that are fundamental to your life and well-being. Examines the idea of money as a social contract...

There are many reasons to study ancient Rome. Rome's span was vast, its influence is indelible, and the story is riveting. This course examines how a small village of shepherds and farmers rose to tower over the civilized world, unified in politics and law, for almost 700 years. Rome changed hugely in many spheres over the course of its 1,500-year history, so the principal focus is on the years from 200 B.C.E. to 200 A.D., when Roman power was at...

When a high school student has trouble learning a subject like math or history, the problem may lie not in the teacher's ability or the student's I.Q--often it is because the student has never been taught how to learn. The little town of Worland, Wyoming, produces a steady stream of honor students who win scholarships and get into top universities. In this series of lectures, Worland's "secret weapon," Dr. Tim McGee, illuminates how any student...

"The Smithsonian is a repository of America's history, achievements, aspirations, and identity. It holds the artifacts of great leaders, and those of ordinary Americans. It houses scientific specimens and technological wonders. It is home to art, music, films, writings -- a vast treasure trove of objects of extraordinary beauty and outstanding design. With a collection of some 137 million items in more than two dozen museums and research centers,...

Algebra I is one of the most critical courses that students take in high school. Not only does it introduce a powerful reasoning tool with applications in many different careers, it is a gateway to higher education. Because algebra involves a new way of thinking, it can be especially challenging. Professor Sellers begins with a review of fractions, decimals, percents, positive and negative numbers, and numbers raised to various powers. Variables are...