What words go on a word wall?

Words that go on a word wall depend on grade level and subject but typically include high frequency words that students need to recognize and spell, such as Dolch sight words or Fry words like the, and, you, content vocabulary specific to units like science terms such as ecosystem, math terms like fraction, or social studies terms, thematic words related to seasons, holidays, or topics being studied, word families and spelling patterns like -at words, academic vocabulary, and challenging words students encounter in reading. For younger grades, word walls include alphabet letters with example words and pictures. For older grades, word walls include academic vocabulary, prefixes, suffixes, and root words. Teachers select words that are useful for writing, frequently used, and support current learning objectives. Words are displayed with clear lettering, sometimes with pictures or definitions, and organized alphabetically or by topic to help students find and use them independently in reading and writing.