I have mostly windows in my room and I am not complaining about that :) Then I have one long wall with a brand new white board and one wall for the children's jackets/book bags.. So I am left with one tiny side wall for the word wall and the listening center is along that wall as well as computers. I hang posters with words over the old chalkboard that stands on rollers in the room. I am wanting to figure out where to put more words since I have a huge collection that I have purchased and I would like to add more from the ones in our stories. I want to keep my room looking uncluttered so what are some ideas of places to put new words so they can be seen. A lot of the words I purchased are not very big. Plus students sit at tables and don't have a place for a huge folder with words. I am sorry if this sounds a bit confusing. I just need some ideas of where to hang word cards for students to see.
2007-01-07 08:35:03 · 9 answers · asked by just julie 6 in Education & Reference ➔ Teaching
I had this exact problem when I taught 3rd grade (i'm a stay at home mom now). Is there any space below or above the white board? If not, you may not have a choice but to use one section of window to place your words. You could put black butcher paper over one section and they will stand out really well.
Or: What about placing your word cards beneath the alphabet in your room? THis would be a great way to help in spelling and alphabetizing (to the first letter anyway)! It seems classrooms are never big enough for all the great things us teachers want to do!! Good luck
Sarah
2007-01-07 09:11:35 · answer #1 · answered by Ella May 1 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Don't forget the ceiling! Hang word cards from ribbons (color coded if that helps) just high enough to be out of the way but low enough with big enough letters to be easily read. Print on both sides of the card. Either the same word or root word.
And then there's the floor! Word pathways are great fun. Cut a word from thin card stock and laminate it to the floor with a piece of clear contact paper that has been cut about 2 inches bigger than the word cards on all sides. Round the corners of the contact paper to minimize curling at the corners. Floors should be clean of trash and dry before sticking a word down.
Look for other blank places in your room. The front of your desk? And how about the corners of some of those windows?
2007-01-07 10:18:01 · answer #2 · answered by Puzzler 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I had a classroom with limited space about 5 years ago. Two walls were nothing but windows. I hung a word wall on an outside facing window. I covered it with black paper and then hung the words on that. Just be sure and use a good adhesive to attach it to the window or on a cold day it will come down. Good luck!
2007-01-07 09:48:14 · answer #3 · answered by rednecksweetcheeks 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Use a small word wall for ONLY the words you're using in your current lessons. Once you're done with those words, transfer them to a big classroom dictionary. It can be on a big posterboard with pockets for different letters of the alphabet. Students can refer to them when they're writing and need to see the spelling of the word. Students can add to them as well. Any time they ask you to spell a word (that's not already in the classroom dictionary), write it on an index card. It'll be there for good. :)
2007-01-07 10:05:33 · answer #4 · answered by elizabeth_ashley44 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i would use the windows! i did it in one of my old classrooms. plus, those who are daydreaming may have a chance to read while they are staring out the window.
if not, i had my students keep a personal word wall in a file folder one year. this really helped and eliminated the much of the visual clutter in the room.
2007-01-07 16:21:51 · answer #5 · answered by theverygrouchyladybug 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the windows might be your best bet. My school doesn't allow us to hang anything from the ceiling, so I'm not sure if you could do a clothes line type of word wall? Just a thought?
2007-01-07 09:28:48 · answer #6 · answered by Mishwho 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Consider buying a few packages of alphabet-shaped window stickers so that you can put the words for the current unit on the window.
2007-01-07 12:20:41 · answer #7 · answered by Jetgirly 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Think up... how about in specific areas of the ceiling? If you have the type with slats, its easy to find the plastic clips to use so you won't have to put them up permanently.
2007-01-07 10:13:07 · answer #8 · answered by Blessed 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Laminate them and tape them on the floor. Kids are always looking at the ground, so give them something to look at.
2007-01-07 15:03:46 · answer #9 · answered by hdedone 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋