Tag: stem classroom decorating ideas

What Should a Word Wall Look Like in a STEM Classroom? [Back to School STEM Tips Series] [ep.201]

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Episode Summary

As you are setting up your STEM classroom, what are things you can decorate with but still connect with what you are teaching? A word wall, or vocabulary wall, can be a great asset to your units to help students make connections across content themes. I’ll be sharing practical ways you can set up a word wall that you can use throughout the school year and with all grade levels, K-5.

Resources Mentioned:

STEM & Technology Alphabet Posters

Episode Transcript:

(0:00) Welcome to the Elementary STEM Coach Podcast. I’m your host, Naomi Meredith, a former classroom (0:06) teacher turned K-5 STEM teacher and coach. With over a decade of experience teaching and a master’s (0:12) degree in STEM leadership, I’m here to coach you throughout the year to help you gain back (0:16) more time to create innovative experiences for your students.

When you are setting up your STEM (0:22) classroom for back to school, have you thought about adding in a word wall? If so, where are (0:29) you going to put it? And if you haven’t, how does this even connect to your STEM classroom? And should (0:34) you even have one? Let’s chat about it. With anything that I have set up in my classroom spaces, (0:41) whether it is my STEM trailer that I am putting together or my K-5 STEM classroom, I am very (0:48) purposeful about the things that I hang up on my wall. Yes, I like things to look cute and cohesive (0:55) and go together.

But also, I always want to make sure, are the things that I’m hanging up, (1:00) are they purposeful or helpful for students? Can this be something that is a good teaching point (1:06) for them? And every single thing that I’ve hung up has a dual purpose. So of course, like I said, (1:12) it might look cute, but also there is a purpose behind it. One thing that can be really helpful (1:18) in your classroom is having your own type of word wall.

And you can do this a couple of ways. One (1:25) way you could do this is you can have an alphabet that you hang up all year long, and each letter (1:31) on the alphabet has a different STEM connection. For example, Y could be for YouTube, S could be (1:38) for file, like a digital file, and so on.

And it helps kids think about the world in a different (1:44) way and with the alphabet. I have a few different options and different colors of this you could (1:49) print and hang up in your space. That’s super easy.

It has a really cute update. So I’m excited to (1:56) choose what color scheme I want to hang up in my STEM trailer. So stay tuned for that.

And another (2:02) way that I have done this as well is you have the alphabet, you hang this up, but also leave space (2:08) underneath each letter. And this is something that you can add to all year long, or you could (2:16) just do this for every unit. Now when you’re teaching K through 5 STEM, that’s six different (2:22) classes, some of you even teach pre-K in there, and all the way up to eighth grade.

So it really (2:28) depends on how you want to do this. Like I said, you could change it out every unit. And if you’re (2:32) teaching in cohesive themes, there is going to be some overlap with how you’re going to use this (2:37) alphabet slash word wall.

So for every unit, you probably have some key vocabulary and concepts (2:44) that you want kids to know about. For example, if you’re teaching your second graders about erosion, (2:50) you probably want the kids to know what the word erosion means while they are creating an invention (2:56) that will help slow down or stop erosion. So with all of those units that go together, (3:02) you can print out that vocabulary that is content specific for that unit.

And then you can add that (3:10) to your word wall. So it makes it very interactive if you are changing it out where the alphabet (3:16) letters can always stay there. But then you are changing out the words.

And you might say, well, (3:22) all of the words are going to be mixed up. Do I have to change it out for have a separate word (3:27) wall for every single grade? You could. But like I said, if you’re teaching in units, everything can (3:33) kind of go together.

And the kids can actually start seeing those connections. So what’s really (3:37) cool when I have done this is the kids will see the words and the vocabulary where has the pictures, (3:43) the word and the definition with them, which all of my lessons that are in my K-5 STEM year-long (3:50) plan, any of those by separately or in the plan, I have all the vocabulary out there for you. So (3:56) you could print them at various sizes.

But what’s really cool when you have all of these words (4:01) hanging up for the unit, the kids might remember what they learned the past year and get really (4:07) excited about it. Like, oh, yeah, I remember that. And that can actually help me with this project.

(4:12) Or even kids who haven’t seen those projects where they weren’t there the year before or (4:17) they are younger, they might get excited and ask more questions. Oh, what does this word mean? (4:21) So having that interactive word wall with your alphabet can really build those connections (4:29) and also help them see that content in a different way. So you might be teaching those (4:35) same standards they’re learning in class, but you are giving it that STEM twist.

So as you are (4:41) setting up your classroom, think about how you can integrate a STEM alphabet and quite possibly (4:48) make it a word wall. And that could be a really cool thing to add into your instruction and (4:53) continue to build up that science vocabulary for your students. If you’re interested in the alphabet (4:59) that I use and hang up in my STEM spaces, you can grab that in my TPT shop, Teachers Pay Teachers (5:05) shop, Naomi Meredith, and you can print the color options I have for you.

Or there’s a version where (5:10) you can just print your own color version to make it match your classroom theme. Thank you so much (5:16) for listening to today’s episode of the elementary STEM coach podcast. I would love to connect with (5:21) you over on Instagram at Naomi Meredith underscore, or send me an email to elementary STEM coach (5:27) podcast at gmail.com. Also, make sure to check out my website, Naomi Meredith.com to see all (5:33) the show notes from today’s episode and shop my K through five STEM resources.

Any questions you (5:38) have needs for resources or ideas for episodes, get in touch. I’ll talk to you soon.

Watch this video to see how I set up my vocabulary wall:

Grab the STEM Alphabet featured in the video here

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

Connect with Naomi Meredith:

Check out more inspiration on her website: naomimeredith.com
Connect with her on Instagram: @naomimeredith_
Watch this episode on her YouTube Channel: Naomi Meredith
Join the Facebook Group, The Elementary STEM Coach Community | Technology & STEM for K-6 Teachers

More About your host, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is a K-5 STEM educator and business owner in Colorado supporting elementary teachers world-wide navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there. She has over a decade of experience teaching, 5 years teaching elementary STEM, along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM Certificate.

She offers a variety of resources to help teachers feel successful teaching STEM to their elementary students through lesson plans, online courses, coaching and speaking events.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM, innovation and hands-on learning in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!

More About The Elementary STEM Coach Podcast

Are you tired of scrolling online for your next great STEM lesson? Do you feel like there is no time to plan, research and test meaningful STEM lessons, so you throw together a hands-on activity and hope that it works? What systems and routines should you set in place to help students be creative, critically think, and collaborate?

The Elementary STEM Coach is a podcast for K-5 STEM teachers, classroom teachers, GT specialists, and homeschool parents looking for actionable STEM solutions. Each week, Naomi Meredith will share tools, resources and lesson ideas that are actionable in your classroom and create highly engaging experiences with your students. You’ll learn systems and routines that will create control in the chaos and that will keep you organized all year long.

Your mindless scrolling days are over! Your new STEM-best friend is now here in your ear buds!

10+ Creative STEM Classroom Decorations

These STEM classroom decorations are easy to put together, are purposeful and add a sense style. Scroll down to see the different options to add to your classroom decor.

#1 STEM Classroom Decorations: Technology Word Wall | Printable Alphabet Posters

What is it?

Take a different path away from traditional alphabet posters and add a technology twist. Each letter of the alphabet is highlighted with an important STEM word, picture and definition.

Throughout the year, add various content specific vocabulary words under each heading. Students will be able to access the words during various tasks.

Make the word more interactive by adhering a long piece of ribbon on the back of the header letter. When creating vocabulary word cards, attach a clothespin on the back. After a word is finished being introduced to the class, clip the word onto the ribbon.

If students need to spell a specific word during an activity, they are able to unclip the word, use it as a reference, and clip the word back when finished.

Where can I get it?

$5.00, Technology Word Wall | Printable Alphabet Posters

#2 STEM Classroom Decorations: Engineering Design Process Poster PDF | Vocabulary & Clipart

What is it?

While the Scientific Method is still important to teach, the Engineering Design Process is equally important as well. This is a process that engineers use in their daily careers to plan, invent and think through solving problems.

The typical steps are: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Experiment & Improve, Share

Not all projects are suitable for the Engineering Design Process. However, many projects can be updated and solved through these steps. Even if not all steps are addressed throughout a challenge, students get accustomed to a flow that will help them be more successful.

Where can I get it?

$3.00, Engineering Design Process Poster PDF | Vocabulary & Clipart

#3 STEM Classroom Decorations: Paper & Cardboard Construction Ideas

What is it?

Once students get the freedom to build and create, their ideas fly through the roof. Teaching students structural techniques can be valuable to help make their creations stranger.

This isn’t saying to tell students HOW to build their invention. Rather, teach students strategies they can implement into their construction design.

For example, during a 1st grade animal project, I wanted students to implement an L-brace in their design. I gave them cardboard and taught them how to create this technique. What helped immensely is I filmed my hands creating an L-brace, then played it on a loop.

While students were building, they were able to re-watch the video as often as needed. Also when a student was absent, I had this mini lesson available and the student could be independent in their work.

Have books of building ideas in a designated location in the classroom; a library format or special display. Students love flipping through these to gather ideas.

A 3D poster with paper & cardboard construction examples is also helpful. Students can see how these techniques should look and try to replicate them in their inventions.

Where can I get it?

Google search ‘cardboard attachment posters’ and ‘3d paper sculpture techniques’ and you’ll find a lot of examples to choose from

#4 STEM Classroom Decorations: Giant STEM Characters

What is it?

It’s important to hang up meaningful information on limited wall space in the classroom. Of course, this can be done creatively and cute!

Two popular tools in my STEM class are Dash Robots and LEGO. You can find a list of my top favorite STEM classroom supplies by clicking here.

These large characters are created out of poster boards and lots of imagination. While I do have step-by-step directions to make Dash, the giant LEGO minifig was all free-hand and trial and error.

Having large characters like this in the STEM classroom can be a great reference for specific activities. It also can be a meeting place marker; “When you’re done cleaning, go stand by the giant Dash!”

Where can I get it?

Grab some poster board and follow my step-by-step directions to make Dash

#5 STEM Classroom Decorations: Classroom Rules for Technology | Rules for Technology in the Classroom

What is it?

It’s easy to assume that all students know how to use technology appropriately since they have been using it from an early age. However, technology used for academic purposes as opposed to recreational are entirely different entities.

Students need to be taught how to show respect when using the tool and also how to use it when working with others. Classroom rules and expectations I teach the first month of STEM, along with these other topics you can read about here.

During back to school or even when a new technology tool is introduced, students need to have clear routines and expectations set in place.

3 tips when creating classroom rules for technology:

Write them in positive language
Add images to help connect the rules to words
Write no more than 10; it’s easier to implement

Where can I get it?

$3.00 Classroom Rules for Technology | Rules for Technology in the Classroom

#6 STEM Classroom Decorations: Label spaces clearly

What is it?

When a guest walks into your classroom, is it clear what your space is all about? As mentioned above, be very intentional about what hangs on your walls.

Text features are constantly taught to students year after year to help them gain information. Play off of this concept and add large, bold words in important areas in your room.

You don’t need to be an expert at drawing bubble letters to create crisp displays. Create giant letters using word art on Google Slides or PowerPoint. Create one letter for each page. Print without a full onto the paper of your choice. Finally, cut out and hang.

Where can I get it?

$3.00 Large Bulletin Board Letters | Print & Cut

#7 STEM Classroom Decorating Ideas: Growth Mindset Posters

What is it?

With my time being a K-5 STEM teacher, I developed quotes for growth mindset that worked well in our space. These were growth mindset quotes that I would refer to on a daily basis when working on projects.

A fixed mindset is the belief that you have a certain amount of intelligence and can’t surpass that knowledge.

A growth mindset is thinking that you aren’t given a certain amount of intelligence, it’s something you have to work towards. With more effort and time, you can get better at something.

Likewise, these sayings can be applied to any regular classroom as well! STEM challenges have a place in any classroom setting. Growth mindset does as well!

Where can I get it?

$3.00 Growth Mindset Quotes for STEM & Technology

#8 STEM Classroom Decorating Ideas: Celebrate STEM Style

What is it?

If you’re a specials teacher reading this, you know that it’s different from a general classroom teacher when making connections with students. Most specials see all the kids in the school over the course of the month! Feel free to read what my typical week looks like in a K-5 STEM role.

One way that helped build connections in my classroom is celebrating STEM Style. What is STEM Style? When a shirt explicitly shows a concept that relates to science, technology, engineering or math, that counts as STEM Style.

To keep track of all the daily varieties, I have a spot on the floor marked “Smile for STEM Style!” that student stand on. This helps with having a clear background that shows off the classroom and not random children.

I’ll take a quick picture on my phone, then later upload all the photos into the digital picture frame right next to where the students line up at the end of class.

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Where can I get it?

Here is an inexpensive digital picture frame that works great! It does require a flash drive for pictures to be stored. For management, I’ll upload the photos to a Google Drive folder, then download the folder onto the flash drive. This is an Amazon Associate link. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but when you purchase through my link, I receive a kick-back in return.

Often, I’ll even upload the photo to the child’s Seesaw or Google Classroom account. That has helped tremendously with my memory of 500+ kids’ names and gives families a snapshot of their child’s day.

#9 STEM Classroom Decorating Ideas: STEM Identity Lightbulbs

What is it?

Positive affirmations are so important when developing a sense of personal identity. For students to pursue a STEM career, they need to see themselves as having that role. These STEM identity lightbulbs are perfect for hanging on the classroom door, bulletin board or around a mirror. There are even matching bookmarks that students can take home weekly to build up their personal STEM identity.

Where can I get it?

$3.00 STEM Identity Posters & Bookmarks : Everyone has talents for STEM

#10 STEM Classroom Decorating Ideas: Black Women in STEM Collage

What is it?

For me, transitioning from being a former classroom teacher to a K-5 STEM teacher, this is an area I am growing at in my STEM space. As a white woman, I know that I have a one sided experience.

I took time to read, research and reflect. I found that there were a limited amount of diverse resource out there for students to connect to in STEM. So, I created one, and continuing to create; for my students and for yours.

There are 10 Black Women highlighted in this free resource. Don’t feel like you need to copy & paste this all; I made this all pretty for you to print and share digitally. Here is the entire blog post that is devoted to this topic.

While this isn’t a full comprehensive list, here are 10 Black Women in STEM your students should know. The world of STEM professions is very one-sided and geared towards a certain type of person. We need to provide our students to see heroes in STEM that represent their race, religion, and gender to help change that projection.

Where can I get it?

Free, 10 Black Women in STEM You Need to Know Posters

#11 STEM Classroom Decorating Ideas: Prototype and Patent Images

What is it?

How have some inventions become so popular today? Why are there copy-cats out there, but they aren’t quite the same as the original? Well, there is this fancy thing out there called a ‘patent’ that helps protect the rights of the original design once the patent is applied. Think of all of the amazing inventions presented on Shark Tank.

When applying for a patent, inventors need to include images with every single part labeled and explained. There are so many available to view and print, which makes for great classroom decorations. These also help students see high-quality examples of what invention plans should look like with their explicit details. Also, it’s fun to see where some of their favorite toys got their start.

Where can I get it?

Free- conduct a quick Google Search and see what pops up. Some favorite patents to look for are: LEGO, board games, and NASA

Love these ideas but don’t know where to begin? I have put together my top decorating sets along with my go-to STEM resources in a starter kit bundle!

You can grab the whole set from my Teachers Pay Teachers store by clicking here.

What have you used to decorate your STEM classroom? Feel free to direct message me or tag me on Instagram, @naomimeredith_ and I would love to chat with you!

Want more resources to support Technology & STEM all year long? Grab this FREE downloadable guide that I’ve put together for you!