This is my 10th year as a teacher! Over these ten years, I have changed how I set up the word wall in my classroom. My first year, I cut up the words from the
Learning Sight Words is Easy! book. The next year I used spelling words, which were a mix of sight words and word family words. I would put them up on the word wall as we went through each reading story. Then last year, I just printed up 200 high frequency words and put them all on the word wall at once. That was not the best of plans, as the words became like wallpaper to the students and they really did not refer to them. So this year, I decided to use high frequency sight words and type them up with pretty polka dot backgrounds to match my classroom (click {here} to check them out on TpT). Each week, we review a new phonic element and new sight words that follow that rule. For example, the second week of school, we focused on words with consonant m. I focused on reviewing those sight words with initial m and those words then went on the word wall. For word family work, we worked on words in the -am word family and those words were on display in a word family house.
How do you utilize your word wall?
Happy Teaching!
-Erica Bohrer
I have two large, magnetic whiteboards in my classroom and one is devoted to my word wall. All of the words are magnetized to the wall so if a student needs to use one they can take it off and put it back. I think I bought my set at Lakeshore. We play a fun game called "Mind Reader" when we have a few minutes free. Each child gets a whiteboard and numbers it 1-5. I choose a word from the word wall and give them clues as to what it is. For instance, if I chose the word "what," I would use clues that start out broad and then make it easier. I would say "My word has four letters." The students would choose a word with four letters from the board and write it down next to number 1. Then I'd give another clue like "It has one vowel." If the word they wrote for number 1 had one vowel, they write it again at number 2. If not, they choose another word from the wall for their guess for number 2. The last clues are usually easy like "It starts with a 'w'" or "Rhymes with..."
ReplyDeleteGreat idea Briana! They must love the game. I would love to see pictures. Can you take a picture of your white board word wall? I have always wanted magnetic but my boards are cork. I thought about using thumb tacs but I am worried the kids will stab themselves. If they need to spell a word, I let them take a clipboard to the word wall with their paper.
ReplyDeleteI love your word wall! I bought the letters at the start of the year when a new teacher came into our building with them. She moved into my old room (I left up the polka dot decor for her) and it fit right in. Since my new room is similar- I knew I had to have the dots :) I really like your pre-printed words too. Are they the Dolch list or some other list? (I posted at TPT too, in case you check this sooner).
ReplyDeleteI really want the wall to be interactive like you were describing. I don't like "wallpaper word walls" that have been up for years. Thanks for posting!
-Michele
http://newadventuresinfirstgrade.blogspot.com/
Hi Michele,
ReplyDeleteI responded to you on TpT. I took them from the Fry list of 300 and I narrowed it down to the 204. If you want any other words made, just email me a list and I will add them to the end of the packet.
-Erica
Erica Bohrer's First Grade
I love this! I have the blue word wall from Lakeshore! It's awesome and since we rotate classrooms {year round} it's mobile. :) Love that you are apart of Blog Hoppin'!
ReplyDelete-Rachelle
whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com
I love your word wall words! For my word wall, I add sight words (and other words like student names) as soon as they are taught. I keep the words in our "words of the week" mini pocket chart (thanks, Target Dollar Spot!) until they are mastered and then post them on the word wall. I use library pockets (one for each letter) to place another copy of the word wall word in so kids can easily grab the words and use them at their seat. Ideally I would like to have a magnetic word wall so that students can grab the word and put it back, but I wasn't able to do that this year, so the library pockets were my solution. I have the pockets posted in my writing center.
ReplyDeleteDid you create the circle ABC letters on your word wall also? I would love to buy those also, they would fit it perfect in my room. They are adorable!
ReplyDeletemichele.vasi@gmail.com
Yes, I sell them! Here is my link: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Polka-Dot-Word-Wall-Labels
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Erica! I'm on my way now to purchase the whole Read/Write the Room packet! My kids will love it!
ReplyDelete-Bethany
Learning is a Journey