MISSION:

Across the curriculum, “S.T.E.A.M. Powered Poetry Videos for Pk-8” promotes poetry in the classroom using multiple methods and strategies. In addition to kid-friendly poetry videos, this vlog features crafts, classroom activities, and reference lists for related children's books that offer additional information on each poem's subject. We offer an annual poetry-prompted video contest for older students and provide monthly educational videos for younger students with our Wee Steamers program.

I believe that poetry can be easily integrated into the classroom and used to enhance learning at all grade levels. The goal of our blog is to provide teachers with educational resources, motivate students to become excited about poetry and technology, and to promote children's authors and the books they create. —Heidi Bee Roemer 

BIOS:

Heidi Bee Roemer 
Host of S.T.E.A.M. Powered Poetry Videos
“Heidi Bee,” author of 9 books, has a passion for poetry. Of the nearly 500 poems Heidi has sold to children’s magazines and anthologies, many are curriculum related. Heidi's poems also appear in educational publications: Teaching Pk-8, Children's Literature, Briefly (Edition 6); Children's Books in Children's Hands; Poems are Teachers and Teaching STEM Literacy. Heidi’s poetry/science books are Whose Nest is This? and What Kinds of Seeds are These? Her newest picture book is Peekity Boo! What YOU Can Do! (Henry Holt, 2014) Visit https://www.facebook.com/SteamPPVideos and follow Heidi at https://mobile.twitter.com/steampoweredpo1

Kimberly Hutmacher 
Kimberly is the author of 30 books and 150+ stories, poems, and articles for children. Topping the list of her educational titles are Paws, Claws, Hands and Feet; Studying our Earth, Inside and Out; The Night Sky; and Hours: It’s About Time. Kimberly's passions are tinkering with words and exploring the world around her. Follow Kimberly at https://kimberlyhutmacherwrites.blogspot.com/ . 

Louann  Brown
Since childhood, Louann loved to invent, draw and follow her muse. She found her perfect place in the world teaching Art Education in an elementary school. Her poems, illustrations and activities appear in magazines such as Babybug, Ladybug and Family Fun. Louann is the author of How to Create Spectacular Halloween Costumes. Never one to sit still, Louann volunteers at her local library reading to children, designing crafts, and organizing fundraisers to buy books. Follow her at  https://www.instagram.com/louannmattesbrown and http://www.louannmattesbrown.blogspot.com/

Sheila Kerwin

Sheila Kerwin is a former teacher of young children and Early Childhood community college professor. Sheila conducts workshops on child development topics and writes poetry for young children. Her poems have appeared in Hello, High Five, Babybug, Ladybug, and The Caterpillar magazines. Her YouTube channel, Piggyback Songs for Pint-Sized Persons, can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@sheilakerwin9415 . Sheila also does voiceover work, including study guide and audiobook narrations published on https://www.audible.com/ . She is a volunteer news reader for CRIS Radio (Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind) and a literature narrator volunteer for Learning Ally. Follow Sheila on twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/spoesia29 .

Sylvia Vardell, PhD
Video Contest Collaborator
Sylvia is a former professor of children’s literature at Texas Woman’s University and author of Poetry Aloud Here and the acclaimed blog, PoetryForChildren, http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/ . In addition to publishing 10 books on children's literature and more than 100 journal articles, Sylvia has also co-edited the popular Poetry Friday Series with poet Janet Wong. In collaboration with Heidi, Sylvia encouraged her students to submit videos to Heidi's First Annual S.T.E.A.M. Poetry Video Contest 2019. Many of those videos are featured on this vlog. Currently, Sylvia serves as IBBY President, 2022-2024 (United States).

Angie Isaacs: Website and Technical Support

Angie made her first website at age 15 to share her writing online. A couple of decades later she publishes children's books as Angela M. Isaacs, and owns Bookend Creative Studio – a boutique web design and digital strategy company. She's the author of five children's books (and counting!) including The Little Elephants' BIG Adventures series, a research-backed series that teaches preschool-level math written in collaboration with education researchers at Purdue University. For web design, marketing, SEO, tech assistance, and more, contact Angie at https://bookendstudio.com/ . 

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Joe Ismay, Technology Instructor at Poway Unified/Meadowbrook 

Elizabeth Crawford, Associate Professor, Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, Literacy, and Special Education at Watson College of Education 

Angie Isaacs, Web Designer and Author

Melissa Lawson, Web Designer