Classroom Community Words word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

Classroom Community Words word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this classroom community puzzle set for my 2nd and 3rd graders during our back-to-school and social-emotional learning unit. The kids could name their classmates but had no idea what words like community, respect, or cooperation meant when we talked about building our classroom family. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words like community, respect, kindness, share, help, listen, teamwork, cooperation, include, responsibility, trust, and celebrate. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the classroom community 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 respect and kindness are the same thing. The crossword I use for partners or as a review. I added a couple simple handshake, heart, and group of stick figure drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 2nd through 4th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers write one way they can help build classroom community on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.