Creating and Using a Word Wall

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Creating and Using a Word Wall

• Scott Tomassetti
• Pe1.org

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Agenda

• What is a word wall
• Types of Word Walls.
• Interactive word walls
• Electronic Word Walls
• Displaying Word Walls
• Using word wall with a theme.
• Content Based Vocabulary

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What is a Word Wall

• A word wall is a place where relevant words are
  placed for a topic being learned.

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Types of Word Walls.

• Word walls come in many shapes and sizes.
• There are static word walls and there are
  interactive word walls.
• There are even electronic word walls.
• Word walls can be placed on a chart board, a
  white board, on a wall in the gym, or on a smart
  board or computer screen.

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Chart Paper Word Wall

• Here words were placed on chart paper and then
  students responses to open ended questions were
  recorded.
• Some responses were gained through a
  Think-Pair-Share process used in Success for All
  Reading.
• This is an example of an interactive word wall
  where students can interact with the concepts and
  words.
• A static word wall would be one that is a call
  and respond type wall that does not grow with the
  activity or lesson.

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White Board Word Wall

• Using a white board can be advantageous for many
  reasons
• Use of Color helps students to focus.
• Can erase earlier answers to open ended
  questions, or use different colors for newer
  responses.
• Can partition the learning into the three
  domains Cognitive, Affective and Psychomotor.
• On the left you see the Mind-Body-Spirit Board.

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Word Walls on a Wall

• Many place word walls on a wall and continue to
  place a word for the day up for the entire year.
• I used to call mine the Wall of Flame, it was
  hot.
• I now only have the 4 Fitness Components up.

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Electronic Word Wall

• There are many ways to display words
  electronically
• Smart Board
• Computer Screen
• TV-Computer Display
• Computer Overhead.
• Word Wall Database

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Theme Based Word Walls

• George Grahams Children Moving has many great
  concepts, one of them is the use of Themes.
  Through the wheel we can display themes, and
  relevant terms on a word wall.
• See examples of this at
• http//pe.betances.us/2005-06/Pictures.htm

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Content Based Vocabulary

• Word walls help to build content based
  vocabulary, (CBV).
• CBV is a key way to teach interdisciplinary
  content in Physical Education.
• Another way to build content vocabulary and
  Computer Literacy is to have students look up
  various word wall words and define them. This
  might be accomplished through the use of the
  Physical Education Terms database located at
• http//fitness1st.net/wordwall

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Resources

• Pictures of Thematic use of Word Walls -
  http//pe.betances.us/2005-06/Pictures.htm (web
  also include lesson plans and assessments used)
• Mind-Body-Spirit Board Presentation -
  http//pe1.org/presentations/using_the_MBS_Board.h
  tm
• Physical Education Terms Dictionary (Word Wall)
  http//fitness1st.net/wordwall