Thursday, July 21, 2011

Katie asks...

How do you store your word wall words when they aren't on the wall?

I've tried storing them alphabetically and I've tried grouping them by week. I've tried storing them in ziploc bags, but then I just have a big bag full of a bunch of little bags. I also have mine magnetized because I use a white board for my Word Wall. Any creative storage ideas?

9 comments:

  1. Mine stay on the ceiling...sounds crazy, but that's the only space I had left =)
    Jennifer
    First Grade Blue SKies

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  2. Katie-
    I wish I had a picture so I could show you how, but I'll do my best to explain! I have my word wall on my board as well, so my words are magnetized. First of all, I have three different kinds of words on my word wall; content words, thematic words and high frequency words. Each type of word has a different color as the background. (Purple for math, yellow for social studies, snowy background for Christmas words, etc.) Having said that, I store ALL of my words in one container. It's a typical clear plastic container with the white lid that you can get from even the Dollar Tree. I use index cards as dividers. So, there is a divider labeled for each content area and theme that the respective words are behind. We send out report cards every 9 weeks, so I have my high frequency words divided into 9 weeks. I have an index card labeled 1st 9 weeks, another labeled 2nd 9 weeks, etc. On the back of each card (in pencil) is the list of words in that nine weeks. So... when multiple children are asking me how to spell "because" and it's not on the word wall yet, I can quickly scan the dividers and find which nine weeks I have the word organized with. Other than that, I just switch my words out every nine weeks, but only put words back that the students have mastered. Hope this makes sense!
    Colleen Patton
    http://pattonspatch.blogspot.com

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  3. When not in use, I store my WWW in a large three ring binder. The binder has sheet protectors. I put a letter in each sheet protector to let me know which letter it is. Each word goes into the letter. It's so simple my first graders take down the WWW and put them away for me at the end of the year. :)
    The front cover has checklist of words. I jot down when it is introduced for record keeping.

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  4. I don't have a word wall anymore, but I think a recipe box works really well.
    Just Add Clipart

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  5. I use a coupon organizer that is in ABC order! My word wall is from Lakeshore and it's kind of felt material that velcro sticks to! At the end of the year, I take it down and put the word wall on the floor. The students take turns taking a word off and saying the word and then help me put it away!!!!!!
    -Rachelle
    whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com

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  6. Our reading series (HM) is divided into 10 themes, with three "weeks" per theme. I have each theme's words on a different color of cardstock. On back of each card, I write the theme and week (example: 9-2). At the end of the year when I take the words down, I can quickly sort the cards by theme (color :). Each theme goes into a separate labeled envelope (the size you would use to mail a letter). Then all ten small envelopes go into a larger envelope. Then the following year, as I start a theme I take out the correct envelope. The words for all three weeks of the theme go into a small pocket chart. I make three columns of words, one for each week of the theme. The words for the first week face the front so we can read them. The words for the other two weeks are put in backwards and I wait until it is their week to introduce them. The numbers on the back help me know which column to place the words in.
    Camille
    An Open Door

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  7. I like the idea of a coupon organizer. I really want something that I can easily manage and easily look through to get out the words. The coupon organizers I found on Amazon have 13 dividers, so I would probably need to buy a few. Rachelle- where did you get yours and does it have more than 13 dividers?

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  8. I use an old shoe box with alphabetized envelopes (regular letter size) inside. I keep the words inside of each envelope when they are not in use. At the end of the year, the WW is simple and easy to pack up.
    It is very cheap and easy to create.

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  9. Maybe you could use the hanging shoe organizers that have the clear pockets. Put a letter on each pocket. All the words that start with that letter go in that pocket. If you have the word cards color-coded, you could insert a colored piece of paper in the pocket or the pockets could be numbered and cards have corresponding number on back. You could also organize them by story or week. You can get shoe organizers at the Dollar Tree.

    If you use the binder idea, you might be able to use clear the sports card holders to hold your word cards. It depends on how big your word cards are. You could organize the pages in the order the words are introduced (by story or by week) or by first letter of each word.

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