PE Word Walls: How to Create and Use Word Walls in Physical Education
Updated: Oct 26
Word walls are a great addition to any PE program. They help students learn new words and terms, and they help students talk about what they're learning. In this post, I'll share what a PE word wall is, the different types, how to make and hang one, and lots of ideas for using word walls in your gym!
Quick Answer: A PE word wall is a display of PE and health words posted in the gym, organized by letter or by unit. It helps students learn and use movement vocabulary, gives them a visual reference during class, and shows families what students learn in PE. Make the words big and colorful, add pictures, involve students, and update it often.
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What Is a PE Word Wall?
A word wall is a collection of words a PE teacher displays to build students' vocabulary, spelling, and understanding of movement terms. The words are usually posted on a wall or other large space in the gym and can be organized by unit or in alphabetical order.
When you use word walls well, students see, hear, and use new words in lots of different ways. Seeing the words over and over helps students learn them faster and remember them longer. Word walls also give students a visual reference they can check during class, so they're more likely to use the new words they're learning.
Types of PE Word Walls
There are lots of ways to use word walls in your gym. Here are a few types that work in any PE program:
Alphabet Word Wall: A big list of PE words for each letter, in alphabetical order. Great for large spaces.
Unit Word Walls: Words that go with the unit you're teaching right now.
Bulletin Boards: Key words on a bulletin board that share ideas and concepts. Change them out often.
Top 10 Lists: The top 10 words or skills for a topic or unit in PE or health.
Health Word Walls: Words for the health and body concepts you teach all year. Great for permanent spots in your space.
Word walls can also be interactive displays that get students actively learning. They support SHAPE America's Standard 2: Applies knowledge related to movement and fitness concepts.* When students know the words for skills and concepts, they can talk about and apply them.
The Benefits of Using Word Walls in PE
Here are a few great reasons to use a PE word wall in your gym or classroom:
A Teaching Focus: You can point to words on the wall as you teach, which keeps students engaged.
A Student Reference: Students have a visual reference to check when they're learning and using PE words. Pair it with a Ways to Praise poster to build positive language, too.
A PE Showcase: A word wall shows families, visitors, administrators, and other teachers what students learn in PE. My PE Advocacy Poster Super Bundle is another great way to show it off.
A Review Tool: Use the word wall to check understanding and review key facts before a test or quiz.
How to Make and Hang a PE Word Wall
Keep these tips in mind when you design your word wall and put it up:
Mix Up the Words: Include words for physical activity, creative movement, sports, and PE concepts.
Use Color: Use different fonts and colors to make the word wall eye-catching.
Go Big: Make the words big and easy to see from across a large gym.
Add Pictures: Include pictures or graphics to help students remember the words.
Involve Students: Let students help make the word wall so they feel ownership.
Keep It Fresh: Update the word wall often so it stays fresh and connected to what you're teaching.
Laminate: Laminate everything before you put it on a wall or bulletin board.
Hang It Up: Attach the laminated words and graphics to your gym wall or bulletin board.
Make It Stick: I've found that double-sided Velcro and Mavalus tape work best for keeping words and letters in place. Here are links to check prices on Amazon: 1. Double-sided Velcro 2. Mavalus tape
Ideas for Using a Word Wall in PE
Here are some ways teachers and students can use PE word walls in daily classes:
Teachers can:
Introduce new words for a unit, like dance, educational gymnastics, basketball, or cup stacking.
Connect your lessons to national, state, and district standards.
Use the words in class during units, activities, and games.
Add "Words of the Week" for skills or SEL words you use in your lessons.
Invite administrators, families, and your community to see what students are learning in PE.
Students can:
Review the words at the end of a unit or semester to lock in what they've learned.
Use the words when they talk about the activities and games they play.
Play a "Spelling Relay." In groups of 4 or 5, students take turns going to a pile of letters to spell words from the word wall. My Fitness Scrabble-Scramble set has printable letters ready to go.
Play a letter challenge. Give small groups a letter and a set time (like 1 minute) to write down as many words as they can that start with that letter and go with a PE topic. See my math in PE and exit checklist posts for more ways to connect learning in the gym.
Final Thoughts
A word wall is a great way to build PE vocabulary and concepts with your students. It gives them a visual reference, and you can also use it for assessment and review. Word walls are also great for advocating for your PE program with families, visitors, and other teachers. When you make your word wall, get your students involved and update it often to keep it fresh. There are lots of ways to use a word wall in PE, so get creative and have fun!
Do you have tips or ideas for using word walls in PE? Share them in the comments below!
Several of the pictures and word wall ideas in this post came from Jason Leach, a PE teacher at Independence Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas. You can find Jason on Twitter at @jkleach01.
*National Physical Education Standards are used under license from SHAPE America. © 2024, SHAPE America, https://www.shapeamerica.org/. All rights reserved.
FREE Top 10 Movement Visuals: Muscular Endurance
Do you need a free, easy-to-use resource to start a PE word wall right now? One with great graphics and clear text for your program? Here's a free set to help! Download this FREE set of visuals with commonly taught muscular endurance exercises for your gym wall.
Need more resources?
If you're looking for a way to build your students' PE and health vocabulary, my PE Alphabet Word Wall: Complete Display and Editable Word Building File is the way to go! This highly rated set of PE words and graphics is used by PE and health teachers in gyms and classrooms around the world.
You can find it in my TPT store: PE Alphabet Word Wall Visual Display for a Gym Wall or Bulletin Board
About Pete Charrette
Pete Charrette is a National Board Certified physical education teacher and former Georgia PE Teacher of the Year with more than 30 years of experience teaching elementary PE. He is the creator of Cap'n Pete's Power PE and has developed more than 1,000 PE and health resources used by teachers around the world. Pete loves helping PE teachers build programs their students enjoy.
