ENV47730

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Children and Nature course will bring to students, teachers, parents, and other learners who are concerned for the quality of life of young people an understanding of how children's physical and mental health is served by the presence of the natural world in daily life. Students will read and discuss the fascinating research presented in the required readings. These texts illuminate theories that suggest direct interaction with nature provides neurological nourishment to enhance children's cognitive capacities and their sense of emotional well being. Activities in the course will help students observe and note the relative presence or absence of nature in children's lives, and will offer students a chance to bring a modest project to their household, school, neighborhood, or to local decision-makers. That project will be designed to bring some measure of direct experience of nature into the lives of young people in the community.