PLAYING WITH WORD WALLS
SWAT
Divide the class into two teams, and arm each team with a fly-swatter. Teams will challenge each
other by selecting words to swat, one at a time. Opposing teams will be asked to complete one of
the following tasks: define the word, use it in a sentence, explain it in your own words, illustrate the
word on the board or overhead, act the word out, or classify the word.
I’M THINKING OF….
Students or the teacher begins by stating “I’m thinking of a word that…….(offer self-definition,
description, etc…) Competing students earn points by guessing the word.
CHARADES
Students act out words while others guess which words are being presented.
BLUFF
Divide the class into two or more teams. Give each team a list of words from the wall, and have
them define the words. Then, ask them to develop false but plausible definitions. When presented,
opposing teams must guess whether the definitions are real or a bluff.
WORDS AT WORK
Locate words from the wall in newspapers, magazines, or at work on television or the radio. Share
examples of words at work with the press.
PHOTOS
Students earn points by taking photographs that effectively represent words from the wall….post.
PHOTO MATCH UP
Provide students with photos, and ask them to match them to words from the wall. Students must
be prepared to justify their matches.
WORD SORT
Ask students to review all of the words on the wall. Teams can work together to classify them.
They must be prepared to justify the categories that they have created.
MYSTERY WORD
Prior to adding a new word to the board, present students with “clues” about this mystery word.
Students use the clues to guess what the word might be.
MIND’S EYE
Ask students to complete a mind’s eye for assigned vocabulary words. Students can share and
attempt to guess the words that the activities reflect.
WORD MASTER
Give prizes to students who use the words correctly in conversation or class discussion.
SHOW AND TELL
Ask students to bring in favorite possessions. They may use them to “show and tell” the definitions
of the words on the word wall.
FLASHLIGHT WORDS
Similar to “SWAT”….give out flashlights instead of fly swatters.
COLOR CODING
Differentiate the words for all levels of learners by printing them in different colors.
WORD WALL BINGO
This works best when words are posted in even lines on the wall. Divide students into teams. Each
team focuses on one word at a time and attempts to define it. If members do so successfully, they
may attach a “bingo chip” on the word. The bingo chips should be color/team specific and can be
made from construction paper and ticky-tak. Teams to define five in a row win.
SWAP OUT
Prior to testing, students can predict which words the class has mastered. After testing, compare
the predictions with what actually transpired. Students can earn bonus points for making accurate
predictions, and mastered words can be swapped out of the mix for new ones.
PLAYING FAVORITES
Students can select their “favorite” word from the wall, remove it, and illustrate the letters in
whatever creative fashion they choose. Words may then be re-added to the wall.
VOCABULARY GALLERY
Students or the teacher will cover a bulletin board with photographs and images taken from
newspapers and magazines. Students can use these pictures to connect to words from the wall.
They may string yarn from images to words, or they may label the pictures using the words.
WALLS OF THE HALL
As students master words from the classroom wall, they may be moved into the hall, so that others
may see all of the words that the class is mastering over the course of the year.
GREAT LINKS……………………
BUILD YOUR OWN WORD WALLS:
http://www.edhelper.com/word_walls.htm
WORD WALL RESOURCE PAGE:
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson328b.shtml