Jill’s Big Idea: Jill created a specialized signaling lab so her students could explore the Next Generation Science Standards through the exploration of sound and light waves. Jill uses NGSS standards in her middle school classrooms to create a culture of learning that allows independent thinking and problem solving instead of rote lecturing. Through this project, Jill taught the transformational power of teamwork and collaboration in learning.
Interesting Facts: Jill is very active in the STEM community. As a STEM teacher, Jill has won a grant for thermal energy cameras to help students understand abstract objects, and was one of 185 science teachers selected to attend NASA’s Space Camp in Huntsville, AL in 2012. As part of Jill’s experience with NASA, she learned novel teaching techniques and was provided with custom, space-based curricula created by NASA for classroom use.
Rico Tyler (from left) gets assistance creating his wave machine from NSCF Scholars Bruce Boehne, Jill Henry, and Amy Long on Wednesday, June 8. The wave machine can be used as a physical representation of amplitude and also as a double helix model. (Photo by Tucker Allen Covey)
Jill Henry (left) from Herrick Middle School in Downers Grove, Illinois, and Melissa Harris from Warren East Middle in Bowling Green create a hypothesis cube Monday, June 6. (Photo by Tucker Allen Covey)
Jill exploring the NASA exhibit at the National Science Teachers Association conference in 2016
Jill Henry from Herrick Middle School in Downers Grove, Illinois, attaches foam fins to her rocket Tuesday, June 7. The NSCF Scholars built rockets using paper, tape, and foam. (Photo by Sam Oldenburg)Some of the energy efficient houses Jill’s students designed and built using the Cricut Maker purchased as part of her National STEM Scholar participation!
