Word Wall Update

I completely revamped my room this year, with a focus on posted vocab. My school is focusing on using academic language in class, so word walls are required. I like most of my room, but as the year has gone on I’ve liked the front and back vocab walls less and less. Students weren’t really using the giant word wall at the back, and because expression was at the front of the room they used those words for EVERY answer, regardless of what we were studying. I think the sheer number of words at the back was intimidating, and students plain forgot that it could be a resource.

So, new solution: new word wall! I re-used my words from the front of the room and made accompanying vocab cards for all the concepts we have covered so far. Stars are posted next to the concepts we are currently work on so students can focus in on them quickly. I’ll have to switch out some words in January, but I’m hopeful kids will use this new word wall more.

Here's the old word wall:

And the new word wall:

Do you use word walls at your school? What do yours look like?