Math Word Walls

"My students are LOVING this word wall! The images and examples, instead of just definitions, really help them to understand the concepts." -Marcie S, 8th Grade Math Word Wall

 

"I love this. It is very versatile. I projected the vocabulary word while I taught the lesson and the I later posted a paper copy on the wall. My students actually looked at the words after they were posted. Great Resource!" -Denise H, Grades 6-9 Math Word Wall Bundle

 

"The BEST math poster/word wall I could have put up this year. I will keep it up all year for my advanced Geometry and Trig classes." -Sarah M, Unit Circle Word Wall

 

"I am in love with this resource! My students are struggling learners and this has really been helpful to point to when they have repeated questions or when I am introducing a new topic." -Jennie M, 2nd Grade Math Word Wall

 

When I first started making math word walls for my classroom, I was teaching high school special education math (algebra 2 and consumer math) and in algebra 2 found myself drawing algebra 1 concepts on the board over and over again. My students needed reminders of slope, y-intercepts and x-intercepts as we worked our way through our algebra 2 curriculum. So that summer I pulled together some math word wall references for linear equations to help my students the next school year:

From this first reference has come many, many more over the years, now spanning from 2nd grade to algebra 2. Each math word wall has gone from printable black & white only (I was convinced no teacher had easy access to a color printer), to printable color (with b&w still included), and in 2020 during the pandemic to interactive digital in Google Slides. 


I have always made sure not to duplicate references between word walls. There are a few references that are duplicated (between 8th grade and geometry and between financial literacy and algebra 1) after I heard from multiple teachers that those references would be helpful for their students. These are transformations (8th/geometry), Pythagorean Theorem (8th/geometry) and compound interest (algebra/financial literacy).


It is important to me that my word walls are not language-heavy. Despite the current trend of cramming language into every corner of education, I do not feel it is right to give kids with reading difficulties a "double whammy" in math. In my experience working with students with both math and language difficulties, visuals of math concepts in context are a lot more effective than written definitions. So that is what you will find in my math word walls.