“Absolute Zero” by Celia Berrell

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Molecules and atoms all
vibrate to Thermo’s beat.
Their energy’s identified
by measuring the heat.

Like line-dancers they stay in form
and keep their solid state
when Thermo’s music’s playing cool
and doesn’t change its rate.

By turning up the temperature
they break-dance out of line
and move about as liquid to
our Thermo’s up-beat time.

And when it’s hot they leap about
like maniacs with jazz,
escaping from their dance floor as
they change into a gas.

The winter in New Zealand can
be beautiful with snow,
a solid state of water which
is icy H2O.

And as the sunshine heats it up
its molecules go hip
and melt into a liquid that’s
in puddles, pools and drips.

Now pour some water in a pan
and heat it on a stove.
You’ll see the bubbles forming
then escaping in their droves.

We know that’s steam or vapour
that is wafting from the pot.
You’ve witnessed water’s three-phased states
from freezing, warm and hot.

When solids change to liquid form
it’s called their melting point.
That temperature is different
for different elements.

Hot volcano temperatures
can melt Earth’s crusty rock
while Nitrogen on Triton’s only
found as gas or frost.

Elements and compounds can
exist in different phases,
solid, liquid or as gas.
It varies as heat changes.

And out in space those temperatures
can really be extreme
from freezing void to hottest sun
and all that’s in between.

But even in our universe
the coolest it can go
is measured as one Kelvin,
never Absolute Zero.

This name describes the temperature
where atoms fail to move.
If Thermo turned their music off
they couldn’t even groove!

“Monster Veggies” by J.R. Poulter

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Veggie Monster – teacher notes –

Activity – Class debate on “Advertising and Prime Time TV, Their Role in Demonising Vegetables” 

Activity – Make up an advertising campaign to popularise vegetables. Research TV advertisements and  prime time TV shows to see what sort of food is promoted and how. I can think of one popular TV soapie, which has its cast eating pizza and drinking beer in most episodes. What does this say to young viewers. 

Note what sort of advertisements come on between 4.00pm and 8.00pm, the time many children, families and young folk would be watching TV. How might you use your campaign to change this?

Activity – Make up recipes with vegetables as the main ingredients – they must be delicious enough that YOU would want to eat them! If there are any vegetarians in the class, ask them to be a consultative panel and to judge the result of the class cooking attempts to make veggies into taste tempting foods! 

Activity: Australians have ‘adopted’ vegetables from all over the world.

Create a world map and  paste labels bearing the names of common vegetables used in Australia on their countries of origin.

 Activity: Are there vegetables that are native to Australia? Study the  foods grown and gathered by various Aboriginal groups. If possible, invite a local indigenous leader to discuss with the class the native foods they used and how they prepared them.

“The Old Jewish Quarter in Krakow, Poland” by James Aitchison

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It is raining in Krakow.

In Kazimierz the stones are weeping.

These old streets once knew steel and boots.

Bewildered children watched men with

beards and braided locks shuffle by.

Death rode in their eyes.

The streets lament their passing.

Who will pray in empty synagogues?

There was hope in Lipowa Street.

A man named Schindler ran a factory.

And at the Eagle Pharmacy,

kindness.

It is still raining.

Put a stone on a grave.

Shalom.

                                              

“Brassica Bonanza” by Celia Berrell

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Brassica Bonanza

(Brassica oleracea)

 

The humble wild cabbage

named Brassica o

looks more like a weed

than the veggies we know.

 

Through breeding (like dogs)

to enhance special traits,

there’s more than one

Brassica o on our plates.

 

Selecting big leaves gives us

Kale, Collard Greens,

while breeding big buds

grows the cabbage we’ve seen.

 

Exaggerate flowers and

what have we got?

Some huge heads of Broccoli

served steaming hot.

 

Those cream Cauliflowers

are Brassicas too.

ONE PLANT: MANY VEGGIES

And so good for you!

 

“No Peas, Please” by Jenny Erlanger

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No Peas, Please

 

Please, please Mum

I beg you, please.

Oh, please say you

won’t give me peas.

I’ll even eat a brussel sprout.

I swear I won’t spit any out.

And mushrooms too,

I’ll manage those

If I shut my eyes

and block my nose.

I won’t complain with all of these.

Just pile on heaps of grated cheese

and I’ll eat anything

But PLEASE

No peas!

“Hidden Vegetables” by Toni Newell

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Hidden Vegetables

Johnny,

Doesn’t like his greens,

He hates to eat,

Zucchini and beans,

He will not eat,

Brussel sprouts,

Asparagus,

Or sauerkraut.

He doesn’t like,

To eat peas,

Or anything,

That look like trees.

Lettuce and kale,

He will not eat,

And spinach, Bok Choy.

Or silver beet.

His mother,

Almost pulls out hair,

In frustration,

And in despair.

She tries to hide them,

In her cooking,

Soup and lasagne,

When he’s not looking.

“Veg I’m Mad” by Julie Cahill

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Veg I’m Mad

Broccoli shmockerly
peas and beans
What’s the fuss about eating our greens?
Spinach cabinach
Brussells sprouts
Bat off the flatulants
with monstrous clouts
I have to eat them
at Mum’s command
‘They’ll make you fit even when they’re bland
They’ll clean your insides –
bowels and blood
You’ll thank me in hindsight.’
‘But they taste like mud.’

“The Picture” by J.R. Poulter

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“The Band” by Toni Newell

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The Band

I can hear the band playing,

The sound is very loud,

The drummer hits the cymbal,

And delights the watching crowd.

Sax and cello come in on que,

The drummer beats his drums,

Followed by the trumpet,

They are having lots of fun.

I wish I could play an instrument,

One of any kind,

For music means so much to me,

And I think to all mankind.

“My Friend the Clouds” by James Aitchison

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MY FRIENDS THE CLOUDS
 
I can see eye to eye
with the sky,
A sea of blue stretching
wide and high.
See that castle
made from cloud?
See where other
planes have ploughed?
See those fluffy
balls of wool?
Are they empty?
Are they full?
I can see eye to eye
with the sky,
And drift to sleep as the
clouds roll by.