Word Wall Vocabulary

Objective: Students will participate in adding words & picture labels to the Word Wall to extend vocabulary and usefulness of the Word Wall.

Materials: Disposable or digital camera, method for labeling the pictures and displaying them on the Word Wall.

Procedure: Determine a method for selecting a student to take the camera home and the duration of time the camera will be kept at home. I use disposable cameras purchased on sale and bring the pictures to be developed at the local Drug Store on "2 for 1 Day." The students are able to get a copy of the pictures at no extra cost.
I take a picture of each student, put it on the Word Wall with his/her name under the correct letter. I also have examples to show close-ups of various pictures I have taken--my husband, my dog, my turtle, my bed, etc. We label them and determine if they are at the beginning, middle, or end of the Word Wall.
The "Student of the Week" is allowed to take the camera home for a few days and take a picture of "Things that are special to him/her." As a group, we brainstorm ideas: dog, Mom, Sister, bike, before the camera leaves. We also talk about care of the camera, sharing (How many pictures should you take?)
When the pictures are developed, I select any that represent close-ups that are appropriate examples for the Word Wall. We repeat the process of labeling and adding them to the Word Wall.
Each student has a "Mini Dictionary on index cards and a ring. Pictures not used for the Word Wall may be labeled and put in alphabetical order on the "ring dictionary. (If the ring gets too full, another can be started.)
In this way, student pictures all have value.