Authors Craft Vocabulary word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

Authors Craft Vocabulary word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this author's craft puzzle set for my 4th graders during our reading unit. The kids could read a story but had no idea how to talk about what the author did to make the story interesting. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words like word choice, sentence length, repetition, imagery, dialogue, description, figurative language, simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, idiom, and tone. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the author's craft vocabulary finally stick.

The PDF is four pages. Three puzzles plus one answer key page. The word search works well for quiet time after recess. The scramble gets them talking because they argue about whether an author chooses short sentences to create excitement. The crossword I use for partners. I added a couple simple quill and thought bubble drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 4th through 5th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers name one craft move an author used in a book they recently read on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.