Dictionary and Reference Skills Word Search, Scramble and Crossword Puzzle

I made this dictionary and reference skills puzzle set for my Year 3 and Year 4 students during our library unit. The kids could look up a word but had no idea what guide words, entry words, or pronunciation keys were for. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words like thesaurus, encyclopedia, atlas, almanac, index, glossary, guide word, entry, definition, part of speech, pronunciation, syllable, etymology, synonym, and antonym. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the reference terms finally stick.

The PDFs are six pages. Three puzzles, each with its own answer key page. The word search works well for quiet time after break. The scramble gets them talking because they argue about how to use guide words to find a word faster. The crossword I use for partners. I added a couple simple open book and magnifying glass drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for Year 3 through Year 5. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers look up a word in a real dictionary and write its definition on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.