WILDCAT WORD WALL
To prepare our WHS wildcats with the vocabulary section of the FCAT, ACT, and SAT they are presented with weekly words. Click on the month to see the words we have learned.

August/September | October | November | December | January | February | March | April/May

About Words of the Week: Vocabulary knowledge and achievement in reading and writing are closely related. Students with larger vocabularies are more capable readers and writers, and they have a wider repertoire of strategies for figuring out the meanings of unfamiliar words than less capable readers do (McKeown, 1985).

In order to assist our students in developing larger vocabularies, we are instituting a year long vocabulary program called “Words of the Week.” Two or three days each week a new word will be taught during second period, right after morning announcements. Specific steps for introducing and teaching the Words of the Week are provided below:

Each month, every teacher will receive a Words of the Week sheet containing the words to be taught, definitions, and sentences. The Words of the Week and their definition(s) will be given during morning announcements. After morning announcements, second period teachers should do the following :

1. Write the word, its definition(s), and a sentence on an overhead or white board.

2. Discuss the word and its meaning(s).

3. Try to use the word during class and relate it to your subject area.

4. Encourage students to use the word in their writing assignments and/or classroom discussions.

5. Leave words posted in the classroom on a word wall, (small area or bulletin board). Reinforcement of the words should be provided through periodic review of the words on the word wall. Also, you are encouraged to be creative with the words on the word wall - create word searches, crossword puzzles, and other word games with and for the students.

The Words of the Week will be posted on the Western High School website and on the bulletin board in the Student Affairs office. The Words of the Week for September are listed below. Thank you for your cooperation with this vocabulary program.