Word Knowledge
WORD WALL 10-MINUTE REVIEW GAMES
QUICK READ
The children read the word aloud as a student randomly points to word wall words.
BEAT THE TIMER
Students are gathered in the meeting area. The teacher sets the timer. The teacher flashes the word wall word cards. Children try to read all of the cards before the timer goes off. Once the students consistently read all of the word cards within the time given, tell them you are going to give them less time. So they will have to be even faster!
FLASHLIGHT WORD WALL
The teacher turns off the lights. One child is given a flashlight. The child shines the light on a word wall word and reads the word. Then, the child shines the light on the class and the class reads the word.
MAKING MAGNETIC WORDS
Children work in small groups (unless you have enough magnetic letters for everyone). The teacher calls out a word wall word and the children make the word quickly, trying to make the word without looking at the word wall. The teacher shows the word so children can check their own work.
WORD BAGGIES
Provide each child with a small baggie with word cards. They should have a card for each word wall word that has been introduced so far. Students write their initials on the back of each card. Students work with a partner. You can ask students to do a variety of activities with the cards:
- Flash the cards for your partner to read.
- Play the matching game. (Mix the two sets of cards. Turn the cards upside down and try to find the matches.)
- Play word battle. (Use one set of cards, turned face down. Turn one card over. The first person to say the word gets the card. The person with the most cards at the end wins.)
AROUND THE WORLD
This is played just like the math game. One student stands beside another student’s desk. The 2 students race to read the word card as the teacher flashes it. The student that reads it first goes on to the next student. The other child sits down in that child’s desk. The object is to go around the classroom without having to sit down.
Variation: The 2 students can race to write the word on a white board.
THE WRITE RACE
The teacher says a word wall word and all students race to write it quickly on their white board. The first child to raise their board in the air with it written correctly gives himself a point. If several children tie, they each get a point.
WORD WALL RELAY
Divide your class into 2 lines. (It is best if there is an odd number of people in the lines. For example, 5 and 7 instead of 6 and 6.) The first person in each line races to read the word on the card as the teacher flashes it. The first person to read it earns a point for their team. The team with the most points wins. Follow up with time for the 2 groups to practice the words. They will want to help the students that are struggling so that their team can do better next time. Larger classes can use more than 2 lines so that they have the opportunity to read more words.
LINE UP WRITE
The teacher calls on each child, giving them a word wall word to write as they line up. The child walks to the board quickly, writes his name and the word wall word before lining up. The teacher calls several children at a time, as many as will fit at the board. She doesn’t correct the child right then if there is a mistake. After the children have left the room, the teacher can make a note of the students that had difficulty and looks for an opportunity to re-teach the word to the child. This should be quick and fun, not like a test.
WORD WALL ERASE
The students form two lines, facing the chalkboard. The teacher writes two word wall words on the board. She calls out one of the words. The child at the front of each line race to erase the word the teacher called. The first one to erase wins.
BE A MIND READER
Students number their papers from 1-5. The teacher gives clues one at a time, and students record their guess on their paper. (Each clue will narrow the choice for students.) After the 5th clue, the teacher shows students the word.
Clues: The first clue always tells the students where the secret word can be found. (Example: “This word is a word wall word.”) Clues 2-4 narrow the choice further. (Example: The word has 3 letters. The word has 1 syllable. The word rhymes with ‘my’.) The last clue requires the use of the word in context to complete a sentence. (Example: It completes this sentence, “You can do it if you ___.”)
QUICK WORDO
Students write 5 words on their whiteboards. Students take turns calling out a word from their board. Students put a check by each word as it is called. The first child with all 5 words checked wins.
WORD BALL
Use a beach ball, and divide each section further, like puzzle pieces. Write a word wall word in each section. The teacher tosses the ball to a student. When the student catches it, he reads the word under his right thumb. (Younger children can choose either thumb.) Then the child tosses the ball to another student. (You can ask the children to put their hands in their lap once they have had a turn until everyone has had a chance.)
WHEEL OF FORTUNE
Students play in small groups. The leader chooses a word from the word wall and writes the correct number of blanks for each letter of the word. The other players guess letters (not vowels) until someone is able to solve the word. The object of the game is to solve the word in as few guesses as possible.
WORD SORTS
Each child has 2 or 3 word wall words. Students sort words by features the words share (e.g., number of letters, letters begin the same, etc.) or by meaning (if using vocabulary words instead of word wall words). Or, the teacher can sort words and students must figure out what criteria she used to sort them.
FIND A MATCH
Each player receives 2-3 game cards.
I have see.I have can.
Who has can?Who has with?
The first player reads one of his cards. The other players check to see if they have the word called. If so, they read their card. For example, “I have can Who has with?” After the player has read the card, he turns it over on his desk. The game continues until all cards have been turn over.
Variation: Instead of using the word wall word, use the meaning of the word. Example: I have beautiful. Who has someone who tells lies?; I have dishonest. Who has something that is against the law?; I have illegal. Who has something they are all still working on?
BE THE WORD
This game is most appropriate for K-1 students. Each child in the class has a card with a letter on it. (This can be worn around the neck.) The teacher calls out a word and the children with those letters come to the front of the room and make the word. (Note: When you move beyond words on the word wall – such as spelling words, vocabulary words, etc. – you move into the other 20 minutes of the word work block.)
Variation for 2/3 students: Students in small groups each have a card with a letter on it. The letters in each group make a word form the word wall. Each group must figure out what word they can make and try to be the first group at the front with their word spelled correctly.
Variation for 4/5 students: Each student has a card with a word part (prefix, base word, suffix) on it. Students walk around the room looking for other word parts that can be put with their word part to form a new word. When they make a word, they race to the board to write it. There is not winner to this game. It is simply a race to see how may words the class can create.
SLAP
Student play with a partner. Partner A names a word from the word wall. He then lays the cards face up one at a time. Partner B reads the words silently and slaps the table when he see the word that Partner A named. The object of the game is to slap the table before the next card is laid down. The roles are then switched.
YOURS & MINE
Students play with a partner. Partner A lays the cards face up one at a time. If Partner B is able to read the word quickly, he gets the card. If he is not able to read it quickly, Partner A gets the card. The partner with the most cards at the end wins. The roles are then switched.
BOO!
The word wall words are written on small strips of paper and placed in a container. Partners or small groups of 3 or 4 take turns pulling out a word and reading it. If they read the word correctly, they keep the paper. If not, they return it to the container. If a student pulls out the word “Boo!” they must return all of their slips of paper, including the Boo card, to the container. At the end of the time, the child with the most words wins.
Variation: The student that pulls out the word card reads it aloud and the other students write the word. Those students spelling it correctly get a point. The next person pulls out a card and reads it for the others to write, and so on.
NOTE: These games could be adjusted to be noncompetitive.