History
The Cornucopia Foundation was founded in 1998. The degraded piece of land that is now home to our beautiful Environmental Learning Center was hand-cleared using no herbicides or pesticides and planted with native and drought tolerant gardens which are now home to all manner of birds, lizards, pollinators, little critters and a bunny. We've completed the shaded natural teaching amphitheater, wind screens and the worm farm. Next we'll work on the yurt, secret garden, pond, greenhouse and tool shed. Teachers and children are in residence the ELC, which is used by the Before and After School Enrichment Program, Summer Program and individual teachers. Last year, the ELC taught 180 students per week during school hours. The ELC collaborates with Juan Cabrillo Elementary School and Malibu Middle School and High School. Classes are designed to dovetail with the State of California's Educational Standards and add the important subject of sustainability to the curriculum.
Specialties
The Environmental Learning Center is a unique beautiful one and a half acre outdoor Classroom where Nature is the teacher and students learn to take care of their Planet in hands-on classes that are fun and innovative. Learning Center activities are designed to teach environmental sustainability. Students are introduced to such areas as biomimicry, biodynamics and permaculture. With biomimicry, they learn nature's chemistries and designs for the technologies and careers of the future. The ELC curriculum is also designed to dovetail with the State of California education standards as much as possible. The Cornucopia Foundation's mission is to develop programs for children and adults, teaching sustainability through an understanding of the Natural world. The problems of pollution,global warming, resource degradation and a broken sense of community can only be solved by a significant shift in our mindset and actions.