The knitters’ club
Eight year olds
With needles in hand
Wool under arms
A little craft band
Sit in a circle
At lunch break
On the oval
Life is great
This craft of old
It will never die
With these mini grannies
Knitting on high
Tag Archives: Jeanie Axton
“Earthworms” by Elizabeth Cummings with Teacher Notes
Leave a commentEARTHWORMS
Earthworm, you burrower extraordinaire
How can you stand to live down there
With no arms of legs in the soil so dark?
With your one cylindrical digestive tract
You move with the muscles that you contact
To make your body first short then long
And those bristles help propel you along
Through leaf litter, topsoil or deeper down
You help to mix up the stuff in the ground
This makes you the base of many a food chain
Yet your many skills are the environment’s gain
Your talent with organic matter is biological
And mixing tall the nutrients is a flair so chemical
Then there’s your physical ability of aerating
So the soil ecosystem’s restoration you’re helping
Thus let’s take some time to show a bit of gratitude
For how you improve the quality of our food!
Worms both disgust and fascinate me! I remember my brother holding a worm in his hands as a toddler and exclaiming; ‘One worm two worms!’ as he pulled it part😱. After that I had nightmares about worms for years until one of my pupils brought a worm farm into the class and taught us all about he important work of the humble earthworm… a teacher can always learn from their students!
Elizabeth Cummings
Teacher Notes by Jeanie Axton:
Read this poem to the class a few times and then ask a student to write key words on the whiteboard. As a class research and make a timeline of life in the worm farm. Look at how worms are a sign of a healthy garden and how worm tea helps condition soil and grow healthy plants.
If your really brave have a “Bring your gumboots day” and go out and collect worms to bring back to the classroom. Watch how they move and write a worm poem.
Remember to take the worms back to where you got them after the lesson. They belong in the environment.
“The Worm Farm Family” by Jeanie Axton
Leave a commentWilly the wriggler
eats apple cores
In the worm farm
while he does his chores
Walter the wrestler
likes bean sprouts
In the worm warm
while he works out
Wayne the wanderer
eats bread then naps
In the worm farm
as he grows quite fat
Wendy the whiner
squirms in the grime
In the worm farm
she complains all the time
Wanda the wise worm
reads and reflects
In the worm farm
she has a calming effect
Wilma the wacky worm
would rather party than eat
In the worm farm
dancing to the beat
Together they live
Eat, poop and wee
In the worm farm
to supply our worm tea
Jeanie Axton
Heres a guide on what to and what not to feed our worm friends.
Cat Haiku by Jeanie Axton
Leave a comment
garden bench
an old black cat
waits patiently
Rusty Acrostic by Jeanie Axton
Leave a commentRusty
Resting on the window sill
Under the curtains
Sleeping all day
Talking in cat language
Yawning at humans
Legs In The Air by Jeanie Axton
Leave a commentWhat have you been eating Brock?
That is causing quite a stink
Was it green and red?
Or yellow, brown and pink?
What have you been eating Brock?
The smell is really bad
Was it a piece of carrot cake?
You stole from snoring Dad
What have you been eating Brock?
The whole house it does reek
Was it from the garbage bin
That’s been sitting there all week
What have you been eating Brock?
Your gastric juices churning
One whiff and we will leave the room
Today not be returning
Brock, your plan is very clever
As you work your inner gut
To get your favourite seat at home
You whistle out your butt
Legs In The Air by Jeanie Axton
Jazz by Jeanie Axton
Leave a commentI looked down at the dishwasher
And there I saw
A furry head with her tongue
In the door
She was licking away
And before I knew
All the dishes
Looked brand new
The plates were sparkling
Knives and forks shining
Mans best friend
Full from dining
She sat there contented
Licking her feet
Her eyes asked the question
What’s next to eat?
RIP Jazz 2005-2017
12 Days of Dogness by Jeanie Axton
Leave a commentOn the first day of Christmas
My doggie bought to me
Last years Christmas stocking
In the bottom was a pea
On the second day of Christmas
My doggie bought to me
A chewed up Christmas decoration
For our brand new tree
On the third day of Christmas
My doggie bought to me
A dug up bone from last year
And dumped it by my knee
On the fourth day of Christmas
My doggie bought to me
An old Santa hat
Found under the old settee
On the fifth day of Christmas
My doggie bought to me
A bit of Christmas cake
To go with my cup of tea
On the sixth day of Christmas
My doggie bought to me
A striped candy cane
Stolen from the tree
On the seventh day of Christmas
My doggie bought to me
A string of Christmas lights
He thought needed to be freed
On the eighth day of Christmas
My doggy bought to me
A potato from the vegie patch
One less for Christmas tea
On the ninth day of Christmas
My doggy bought to me
A freshly baked mince pie
And eyes that pleaded “feed me”
On the tenth day of Christmas
My doggy bought to me
An old nativity book
Pages ripped out for me to see
On the eleventh day of Christmas
My doggy bought to me
Santa’s special cookies
Left out for Santa’s feed
On the twelfth day of Christmas
My doggie bought to me
A heart of Christmas cheer
Which was really all I need
Jeanie Axton
“The Singing Spaniel” by Jeanie Axton
Leave a commentLee and Jazz
On the grass
Ukulele in hand
Learning fast
Tune in the air
Jazz’s ears prick
She starts to sing
Learning real quick
Songs in the garden
Float down the street
A boy and his dog
Sounding so sweet
A bond forged in music
A love made to last
The sounds of friendship
In music is cast
Jeanie Axton
Scoot Scoot by Jeanie Axton
Leave a commentScoot Scoot
Said the scooter
Shining in the sun
Time for me
To have some fun
Zoom Zoom
Said the scooter
Rider and helmet ready
Today we go fast
But take it steady
Whoosh Whoosh
Said the scooter
Down the street
Feet on kickboard
Who can we beat?
Zip Zip
Said the scooter
What a fun day
Zooming along
Smiling all the way
Jump Jump
Said the scooter
Trying a trick
Up in the air
And down real quick
Ring Ring
Said the scooter
A loud ring of the bell
Turn and head back
All is well
Yawn Yawn
Said the scooter
I’ve had a big day
Time to go home
Slowly make my way
Shuffle Shuffle
Said the scooter
Trudging back to the shed
Time for scooters
To be in scooter bed
Snooze Snooze
Said the scooter
Snoring away
Dreaming of tomorrow
Another scooter day
Australian Children’s Poetry 