• LIBE 467

    Assignment 2: Collaboration to Evolve Effective Use of Reference Resources

    Teacher-librarians play a vital role in collaborating with other staff members to encourage and nurture professional development in order to create positive change. The Canadian Librarian Association outlines in their document Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada that one of five main standards of practice for a school library learning commons is “facilitating collaborative engagement to cultivate and empower a community of learners” (CLA 8). (Image from CLA Leading Learning 8) One of the best approaches to facilitating and cultivating collaboration and new learning (with the goal of ultimately empowering a community of learners towards positive change) is the Concern Based Adoptions Model. This…

  • LIBE 467

    Five Essential Reference Tools for a School Library Learning Commons

    Five Essential Reference Tools for a School Library Learning Commons (Mark Lynch, The Daily Toon) In selecting five reference tools that I think would be essential for a school library learning commons, I first considered the widely used reference tools in a school library and followed the rule that “a good reference source is one that serves to answer a question” (Riedling and Houston 17). These reference materials include, but are not limited to, almanacs and yearbooks, bibliographies, atlases, dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, indexes and abstracts, and style manuals. I visited our current school library reference section as it was important  to consider what reference materials our students were currently and…

  • LIBE 467

    Assignment 1: Evaluation of a Reference Work

    Dictionaries are essential tools for every library learning commons, helping us explore and understand language. These reference materials are important sources for language definitions, meanings, pronunciations, word origins, usage examples, grammatical categories, tenses, synonyms, and antonyms. Nestled in the Parkcrest Elementary school library reference section is the Young Canada Dictionary. This printed reference book is the softcover teacher’s edition, which only differs from the hardcover student edition by the inclusion of a 16-page blue section at the front of the book. This section provides dictionary games, activities, exercises, skills, and prepared worksheets intended to aid teachers in their instruction.           The Young Canada Dictionary was published…

  • LIBE 467

    To Keep or Not to Keep? Reference Sections in the Library Learning Commons

    Most school libraries hold two two types of reference materials, print reference material (in physical form in the library) and online references (available through the internet or library databases). My current school library has both. Are both necessary? Should we consider eliminating printed reference materials in favour of digital sources? These are my thoughts and musings. First, we can define a resource as “any material, regardless of form or location, which provides necessary answer(s)” (Riedling and Houston 3-4). Printed reference resources are found in the library in tangible form and are repositories of information. The videos below provide examples of the types of print references my school has in it’s…

  • Music

    Happy Summer Parkcrest!

    Dear Parkcrest Students and Families, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to all of the Parkcrest music students and their families, who perservered through this unique time of distance learning. I have had so much fun this year teaching you music through our study of Beethoven, our Christmas concert, Remembrance Day and Pink Shirt Day events and through fun online music activities. A special thank-you to parents for helping facilitate your child’s learning from home. You all deserve a wonderfully safe, healthy and happy summer! To the Gr. 7’s, I will miss you dearly and I hope that you will stop by Parkcrest and visit often. As you…

  • Music

    A Little Beethoven Fun

    Hello Marvellous Music Students, Do you remember listening to Beethoven’s 5th Symphony? If you forget, it’s the one that starts very dramatically with only 4 notes…dun dun dun duuuuuhh. The video below shows a melody map of the entire song! A melody map uses lines and dashes, pictures and symbols (or in this case small animated people on sleds) to show the ups and downs and contour of the melody in music. I hope you enjoy watching the highs and lows of Beethoven’s Symphony #5! Let me know what you thought of this melody map in the comments below. Next, see if you can draw your own melody map for…

  • Music

    Melody Composition

    Hello Melodic Music Students, Now that you’ve mastered a Rhythm Composition from last week, this week we are going to have a whole bunch of fun with melody! Get your singing voices ready and have fun with the activities below!   1. First warm-up by reviewing melody. Listen to the melody first, then repeat it. Div. 1 & 2 click here and play on the mi-re-do tab. Div. 3 & 4 click here and play on the so-mi-do tab. Div. 5 & 6 click here and play on the la-so-mi tab. Div. 7 & 8 click here and play on the so-mi tab. 2.  Now YOU need to read and sing the melody first, then the answer will play afterwards. Div.…

  • Music

    Gr. 6/7 Virtual Singing Project

    Hello Creative Music Students,      The time has come to let you know about an exciting virtual singing project that Mr. Stoffberg is doing as a part of his practicum at Parkcrest school! Please read Mr. Stoffberg’s message below: I will be working on a project with some of the Grade 6/7 choir students. We are putting together a virtual video of the song “Memories” by Maroon 5. I’ve altered the lyrics to make the song a good fit for the Gr. 7 Leaving Ceremony. The altered lyrics are posted below as well as a karaoke track in case you would like to try it out. There is also a…

  • Music

    Rhythm Composition

    Hello Rhythmic Music Students, Today we are going to have a whole bunch of fun with rhythms!  You will need to find two objects in your home that you can play rhythms with. For example, a spoon and paper plate, a pencil and an empty yogurt tub, a chopstick and a pot, etc. Then, have fun with the activities below!   1. First warm-up by reviewing your rhythms. Listen to the rhythm first, then repeat it. Div. 1 & 2 click here and play on the ti-ta-ti tab. Div. 3 & 4 click here and play on the ti-tica, tica-ti tab. Div. 5 & 6 click here and play on the tica-tica tab. Div. 7 & 8…

  • Music

    Voice Lessons!

    Hello Vocal Music Students, Do you remember that Mr. Stoffberg is a professional voice teacher?  As promised this week, he has provided some voice lessons for you to try at home. These vocal exercises will help you become a better singer. Here is a message from Mr. Stoffberg: I hope you enjoy this voice lesson. We tackle the basics and a little more. I know it may be a little long for you but I wanted to give you something you can grow into. Feel free to try a little of it at a time, or all of it. If it feels too high or low, just wait until it gets…