Cinco de Mayo word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

Cinco de Mayo word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this Cinco de Mayo vocabulary puzzle set for my 2nd and 3rd graders during our May cultural unit. The kids loved the celebration but had no idea what words like battle, victory, or independence meant when we learned about the history behind the day. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words like Cinco de Mayo, May, battle, victory, Mexico, Puebla, independence, celebration, parade, music, dance, food, culture, and heritage. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the Cinco de Mayo 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 or indoor recess. The scramble gets them talking because they argue about whether Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day. The crossword I use for partners or as a review. I added a couple simple flag, sombrero, and maraca drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 2nd through 4th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers write one fact about the Battle of Puebla on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.