ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: THE LIVING CLASSROOM

We have transformed our space into a living ecological classroom, encouraging 

children to explore nature through observation, active participation, and reflection. 

Students delight in discovering the intricate relationships between plants, soil, 

and insects. Through environmental gardening, children help care for host plants, 

learn about the vital roles of bees and ladybugs, and become familiar with California 

native flora. Composting is an invariant part of our daily routine: children turn 

garden waste, fruit and vegetable scraps, paper filters, and tea bags into 

nutrient-rich organic fertilizer.

We are committed to finding creative ways to nurture both the hearts and minds of 

our students. In collaboration with children ages three to seven, we published the 

children’s book "Cooper the Compost Worm," which received special recognition from 

the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We are also deeply grateful 

to Corte Madera’s Book Passage for graciously hosting our formal book signing event.

HEALTHY AGRICULTURE & THE AGRARIAN COMMONS

We plant shrubs and flowers with the explicit objective to attract bees, hummingbirds, 

and other pollinators, and each year we raise monarch caterpillars—releasing up to 

40 butterflies into the wild. Children from Marin and Sonoma counties visit us 

all year round, regularly or when their local schools are closed. Together, we explore 

agricultural products from local producers, helping children connect the theoretical 

knowledge they assimilate in the classrooms directly to hands-on, practical 

learning experiences in our garden.