HTML is the progamming/scripting language for making Web pages.
To make a sample html page, go to microsoft word and type this:
(better yet... use simpletext or teachtext if you're on a mac)...
This is my heading
This is normal text.
This is red text.
Now go to "save as" in microsoft word and chose "save as". Don't save it as a word dcument... save it as document type "text only" or "text only with line breaks".
Give it a filename that ends with .hml or .htm. So, you might call it "mypage.htm".
Now, take your file's icon and drag it on top of the Internet Explorer icon on your desktop. You should see your first web page.
Of course, if you really want it on the web, you'll need to upload it to a server. Most ISPs give you some free server space to upload it ot.
Here's what some of the commands above mean:
- begin web page
- end web page
- begin big letters in heading sytle
- end big letters
- begin making my letters red
- end red letters / go back to black
- skips a line or goes to next line
- puts the words in center of page
- stops putting words in center
So others I didn't use above:
- draws a line
This is my title - Puts a title in the Internet explorer title bar

- inserts the picture
You get the idea.... there are hundreds of html tags/commands... you can google them and see what they do.
I my opinion, you don't need a class or a book... I learned on my own.... the web has some helpful resources, but most don't explain it simply enough.... It's a lot of slow, tedious trial-and-error, but it's fun when your web site finally comes together.
If you *do* want a bok, though, I'd recommend an Html for Dummies-type of book as they're simple and step-by-step.
One more suggestion that helped me learn html --- go to other people's web pages... choose the ones that have the most simple layouts and designs... then, using internet explorer, go to file --> save as --> html source. it will save the html code for that page to your hard drive. Open up the html source with word and you can see how the person made the page. Change some of the words to meet your own needs, re-save it and look at it or re-upload it to your own server. Try it with my web site (below) if you're ambitious... download my page, chance the words, and see how it works.
Good luck... if you have questions, you can e-mail me... I've put up lots of html web pages, so maybe I can help if you have questions.
My site: http://www.hellotim.net