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Chairpersons: Laura Irrizary, Hillary Gage, Kristiana DeYoung, Kiyana Allen-Glass, and Rebecca Schmidt - kyffinelf@gmail.com
2026-27 School Year's Theme is Cycles
ELF is an award-winning environmental education program designed as a school-wide theme for kindergarten - 4th grade with activities adapted and taught by parents and other community volunteers.
ELF is designed to give children an understanding of and appreciation for the natural world. The program instills a spirit of caring and curiosity that encourages students to lead environmentally responsible lives while increasing their scientific and environmental literacy.
ELF encourages students to interpret what they learn by asking “Why?” and “How?” and to answer questions by making observations in nature.
ELF encompasses several ecological concepts which are cycled every four years, having each year be dedicated to one of the following concepts:
Earth and Sky
Adaptations
Designs in Nature
Cycles
Kyffin's ELF program occurs five times a year in the classroom. If you would like to volunteer in a classroom's ELF program you can volunteer for one, a couple, or all of the sessions - whatever fits your schedule. It is never too late to get involved and NO prior experience is required. More volunteers make for an even better experience for our students!
For any questions, comments, or information about your child's classroom ELF coordinator please email kyffinelf@gmail.com
Unit 1: Kyffin Fall Garden/ Meet a Tree
opens Sept 8th
Materials and Resources:
Opening slideshow for all grades (coming by the 8th)
Introduction script for Slideshow for all grades (coming by the 8th)
Videos for Unit 1:
(Not training videos for coordinators, but here are some resource videos by grade for the kids, that are also linked on the slideshow for use in the classroom)
1st Grade: Seed Growth Timelapse
1st Grade: Sunflower Seed Harvest
3rd Grade: Radish Time lapse
3rd Grade: Water Conservation
3rd Grade: Selective breeding
Elf/Garden resources for coordinators and volunteers:
ELF 2026/27
Schedule:
Unit 1 : Fall Garden Curriculum/
Meet a Tree
runs Sept 8th - Oct 9th,
(4th grade only - Oct 14th-30th)
Unit 2: Bird Migration
runs Oct 26th - Dec 4th
Unit 3: Pond Ecology
runs Jan 11th - Feb 11th
Unit 4: Bird Song
runs Feb 22nd - April 2nd
Unit 5: Spring Garden Curriculum/
Insect Life Cycle
runs March 10th to May 21st
(1st grade - March 10th to 19th
goes before unit 4)
(4th grade - April 19th to 27th)
(2nd grade - April 28th to May 5th)
(Kinder - May 5th to 12th)
(3rd grade & Pre-K - May 13th to 21st)
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