Connecting Students with the Natural World, with Dr. Cornelia Harris (Highland Middle School in Highland, NY)

How can we foster young people's sense of connection to the natural environment?  For over twenty years, teacher Cornelia (Lia) Harris has been helping adolescents develop this sense of connection. In this episode, Brett Levy talks to Lia about her work as a middle school science teacher, how she helps her students spend time outside and feel connected to the Earth, and what she learned from her recent dissertation study about what students got out of participating in a citizen science project along the Hudson River.  Lia also explains why she thinks place-based education can be so transformative for students – even though it can be a bit unpredictable.

Lia Harris recently earned her doctorate from the University at Albany, State University of New York. She currently teaches at Highland Middle School in Highland, New York.


Related Resources

Article by Brett & Lia on "Civic Science Education"

Place-Based Education Site (David Sobel)

Hudson River Eel Project

Citizen Science Opportunities


ESD Podcast Resources

Education for Sustainable Democracy Homepage

Brett Levy's Open-Access Research Articles (Free Downloads)

Education for Sustainable Democracy Facebook Page (Please Like!)

YouTube Channel for Education for Sustainable Democracy (Please Subscribe!)

Brett's Twitter Page for Handle @brettlmlevy


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Learning to Care for Our Community Environments, with Ethan Lowenstein (Eastern Michigan University & the Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition)

Earth Force & Environmental Citizenship, with Alexis Thorbecke (Program Manager at Earth Force)

Integrating History and Current Events & Creating an Open Classroom Climate, with Amber Joseph (East Side Community School, NYC)