A Word Wall Like No Other!

Hello, Everybody!

Do you have a great big pile of alphabet books in your class library?  They're great as read-alouds, particularly in the first weeks of school. Kids love taking over the reading of the letter on each page. They're also another way of teaching predicting: "What letter will be on the next page? You're right! How did you predict that?"

Our "ABC Books" box always had a collection of books made by previous classes. How fun to see older siblings and friends, and to know that they spent first grade learning in this very same classroom!

The idea I want to share with you today is another of those display-that turns-into-a-class-book ideas like I shared a few posts ago. Hey, why not get some extra mileage out of a project, right?

Here's what makes this project more than just another class book: Use pictures of your students holding classroom items to make the alphabet headers for your Word Wall! Student photos will make your Word Wall alphabet so much more personal and interesting. Many schools have a Back to School Night a week or two after school starts, and these are a HUGE hit at that event!

Click on the list below for some suggestions for the pics. I'm sure you'll come up with some ideas that are unique to your classroom!

After you print your list, just jot down a student name or two after each letter so you'll be certain that all are included. Then start taking your pictures right on the first day of school!

Once you print the photos, just mount them on construction papr or cardstock to coordinate with your classroom's theme or colors and label it below, as you see in the picture here.

These alphabet headers are so cute that you may just want to keep them up all year. But if you do decide to trade them out, just make a simple cover and bind these pages as a class alphabet book. I highly recommend laminating all of the pages. It does make for a pretty thick book, but you'll be glad that you laminated because this alphabet book will get a lot of wear and tear... because it will be one of the most popular books in your classroom library!

Happy Teaching!