Article by grade 6 students Errigal McGauley and Stephie Kershaw

"Before the songs were written, David taught steps on how to write songs and how to help the environment. The students gave ideas as a team about genres and themes and rhyming words.

Then they co-wrote songs about endangered species, various types of pollution, and what our school can do to help "Clean Up" our space and our Earth.

After the songs were written, David recorded for us MP3s to practice for the upcoming recording session.

David Archibald returned to our school a couple of weeks later in February with recording equipment and the classes transformed the small supply room into a recording studio. Then the really fun part came.

We had instrumentalists like Zach Tucsok on the electric guitar, vocal solos and duets, and of course the whole class sang as a team!

All the students really enjoyed having David Archibald with the classes. It was a very educational, exciting and unforgettable experience."

[additional info: Each class had 2 full periods to write with David, and a quarter of a day to record their original songs. The workshop was designed for grade 5 and 6 but one grade 4 class was in the right place at the right time!]

Download some of the songs students created!
Environmentally Unfriendly Blues by grade 4-1
Frog et Crapaud by grade 5-1
Pollution Solution by grade 5-2
How Long by grade 4/5-1
Clean up by grade 6-1
Groundhog Song by grade 6-2

The Community Foundation of Oakville connects good people with good causes, providing over $1 million in funding to meeting community needs each year.