【推荐1】How can we use scientific design to change the world and take better care of our environment? In this course, you will learn about our natural resources and explore renewable energy through problem solving in a multi-science class.

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Solving any problem begins with recognizing it! But where do you begin? In this multi-science class, you will investigate global issues facing the world today and how people make changes in their communities. You will both discuss and put into practice creative and persuasive ways to influence policymakers and community organizations. Furthermore, you will create your own political community at the Harkness table that will inspire you to learn by doing.

Energy and Innovation

In this multi-science class, you will investigate biological, physical, and chemical aspects of Earth’s working systems and how they relate to climate change. Its impacts are far reaching and thus will require forward thinking and planning. Your ideas and creativity will be needed to compare and contrast the benefits and costs of energy alternatives as we discuss and problem solve our planet’s path into the future.

Art: Transform the World

In this studio class we will develop our creative powers. Drawing on natural sciences, we will engage with perspectives of life on Earth. Our materials will be newspapers, recycled cardboard, and other things that are often thrown away. Working with our hands and tools, we will transform wastes into objects useful. In this class you will discover your artistic talent, learn about form, image and technique, and cooperate to create pieces for the final Student Art Exhibit.

【推荐1】With 1,500 square miles to explore, from its romantic attractions to its wild landscapes and the easy rural lifestyle, there are no decent public facilities but certainly no shortage of beautiful places to stay with the Lake District. See below our hand-picked selection.

Lined with charming cobbled(铺鹅卵石的) streets, Ulverston is a pretty historic market town located just South of the Lake District. It is a delightful escape from the crowd-filled attractions in the Southern Lakes, yet is just a stone’s throw away from them.

Grasmere is forever linked to the world-renowned Lakeland poets, most notably William Wordsworth. Each year, many make the travel to Dove Cottage in Grasmere, where some of Wordsworth’s most famous works were written. From towering peaks to tasty treats,a holiday in Grasmere would also not be complete without a taste of the famous Grasmere Gingerbread that’s been made here since the mid-19th century.

Home to many traditional stone buildings and charming scenery, Cartmel is a primitive village in South Cumbria. Appreciating the colorful glass windows and sculptures makes it a memorable visit. Cartmel’s sticky pudding,a traditional English dessert from this Lake District village, is a must-try. Cartmel’s restaurants and pubs provide a wide range of food and drink to recharge the batteries after an exhausting hike.

Known as the gateway to the Lakes, Kendal is a busy town hosting a selection of restaurants and shops, which makes it an excellent touring base. You can also enjoy the surrounding views of landscapes and lakes from the hilltop. Both Windermere and the Cumbrian coast are easy to reach, making it a fine location for lovers of both coast and countryside.

【推荐2】Colorado; a place we usually associate with snow-capped mountains and green grassy meadows, winter skiing, and kayaking in its clear, mirror-like lakes. But did you know the state is also home to a 30-square-mile sand dune (沙丘) field?

Nestled on the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley, and beside the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, this fantastic landscape features dunes that are up to 750 feet high and are perfect for hiking, camping, and photo opportunities.

The tallest sand dunes in North America are situated in the diverse landscape of wetlands, forests, mountainous lakes, tundra, and grasslands — providing a patchwork of color. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is so unusual and unique, in fact, that it is a protected landscape under the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The four main components of the sand dune system are the mountain watershed, the dune field itself, the sand sheet — a flat plot of sand with large grains — and the sabkha — a coastal mudflat or sandflat. The dunes were formed over tens of thousands of years by sediments (沉积物) from the surrounding mountains that filled the valley. In addition, as the lakes in the valley retreated, exposed sand was blown by the winds, resulting in dunes.

The park was originally labelled a protected area back in 1932, by President Hoover, after fears of gold mining or concrete manufacturing alarmed residents of the nearby Alamosa and Monte Vista cities, who then petitioned Congress asking for protection. The area was eventually upgraded from a national monument to a national park and preserve in 2004.

It contains a mind-boggling 1.2 cubic miles — or 5 billion cubic meters — of sand. Evidence of human habitation, however, dates back to 11,000 years, with the first historic peoples to inhabit the region being the Southern Ute Tribes.

Now, visitors have numerous activities to enjoy — from sandboarding and sand sledding to four-wheel driving. But the best adventure comes at nightfall; the adventurous can backpack over sand dunes to pitch a tent and enjoy the stunning starry night skies when the sun goes down. (Although backpackers will need a permit and can be required at the visitor’s center.) The park’s elevation at 8.200ft and rural location makes it a favorite with dark sky stargazers, with park officials offering special astronomy programs from May to September.

Overnighters can bask in the still silence, indulge in this remote, isolated region of the county, and be soothed to sleep by the wind whistling through the dunes. If you want to camp out, but backcountry isn’t your style, Piñon Flats Cam pground is nearby and run by the National Park Service, with 44 sites that are first-come, first-served, with a further 44 sites that can be reserved.

By day, tourists can hike to the summit of Star Dune, the tallest dune in the park, while Crestone Needle, Cleveland Peak, and Mount Herard also offer challenging elevation climbs.

And, as the park also offers special sand wheelchairs (it’s recommended to reserve one in advance), everyone can enjoy this stunning, once-in-a-lifetime experience in the sand dunes of Colorado.