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Intro to Calculus Word Wall

Give calculus students a wall reference connecting limits and derivatives with formulas and graphs. Arrange the sheets by topic and number them to match the sequence you teach.
Grades
High School
Pages
40
File type
PDF
Preparation
Print ready

Updated Sep 27, 2026

Subject
Math
Topic
Calculus, Limits
Resource types
Posters
Preparation
Print ready

Product description

From the author

This is an Intro to Calculus Word Wall that includes limits and derivatives. Your pre-calculus/calculus students will find this word wall beneficial as it provides them with many skills that will be covered in your course. As a teacher, you will find it helpful to quickly reference topics on the wall that were covered last week (or last semester).

Each sheet features a title, a subtopic, and a sheet number. This will help you keep cards organized. The box for the sheet number is left blank on each sheet to give you the flexibility to rearrange sheets and number them however you like.

Some sheets will need to be combined because they are too big to fit on one sheet. An “incomplete” border on the sheet indicates topic extends to multiple pages.

For a long lasting resource, after printing, I suggest laminating each one of the pages. If wall space allows, post sheets as you cover them in class and leave them up throughout the year. If space is limited, print sheets half-size or replace sheets after completing a unit of study.

In addition to using them as posters, this resource may be used in math centers, or as guidance for individual work, or for group work.

The topics included are:

1. Limits & Derivatives

– Limit Notation

– One-Sided Limits: Left-Hand & Right-Hand Limits

– Average Rate of Change: Formula & Graph

– Instantaneous Rate of Change: Formula & Graph

– Derivative: Formula & Graph

– Properties of Limits:

• Sum Rule

• Difference Rule

• Product Rule

• Quotient Rule

• Constant Multiple Rule

• Power Rule

• Root Rule

– Finding Limits: Graphs & Tables

– Velocity: Average & Instantaneous

– Limits at Infinity: Graph & Table

– Infinite Limits: Graph & Table

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

  • Read limit notation aloud correctly and state what it asserts about f(x) as x approaches c

  • Distinguish left-hand from right-hand limits and explain why a two-sided limit fails when they disagree

  • Tell average rate of change from instantaneous rate of change by their formulas and by the secant and tangent lines that represent them

Teaching tips

  • Number the sheets after choosing your display order.

  • Use the limits-and-derivatives topics alongside the corresponding calculus lessons.

  • Direct students to a relevant numbered sheet when they need a reference during independent practice.

Skills covered

  • Notation reading - the limit notation sheet gives the symbol, the sentence that reads it aloud, and the meaning, so students can decode the notation from the wall during practice.

  • Distinguishing secant from tangent - paired sheets put the average rate of change beside its secant line and the instantaneous rate beside its tangent line, making the difference visual rather than verbal.

  • Limit law recall - the sum, difference, product, quotient, constant multiple, power and root rules sit together across three sheets as a permanent reference.

Good to know

Questions teachers ask about this resource

How do you know which sheets belong together?

By the border. An incomplete border around the edge of a sheet indicates it is meant to be combined with others, and the file interleaves pages reading "Piece sheets together as shown" before each multi-sheet topic. Limit notation, one-sided limits, the rate-of-change pairs and the limit properties all span more than one sheet.

Why is the sheet-number box empty?

Arrange the sheets to suit your wall, then number them in that order. Use those numbers to direct students to a relevant sheet during independent practice.

Which calculus topics does the set cover?

The set focuses on limits and derivatives: limit notation, one-sided limits, average and instantaneous rates of change, the derivative, limit properties, limits from graphs and tables, average and instantaneous velocity, limits at infinity and infinite limits.

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Resource details

Concepts & topics

Core concepts

  • Limits

  • Derivatives

  • Rate of change

  • Limit laws

  • Calculus notation

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