Climate Change Crossword Puzzle Activity

About this resource

What's inside this resource

Fifteen climate-science vocabulary terms, from greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide to sea level rise and sustainability, are clued in a crossword puzzle built around one-sentence definitions such as "the earth's average temperature rising due to increased greenhouse gases." The puzzle ships in two versions: one presenting only the clue list, and a second adding a word bank of all fifteen terms so students can match rather than recall from scratch. Both versions come as a Word document and a matching PDF, and each includes a completed answer key listing every term beside its definition. A one-page bonus insert from the contributor links out to additional free classroom resources on an external site.

Product description

From the author

This activity is a fantastic way to review Climate Change with your students. It covers multiple standards and concepts within Climate Change and comes in two different forms. The first is a basic crossword with a set of 15 clues. The second option includes a word bank where students can match the answers to the questions.

I've used these crossword puzzles in my classroom to great success and have found that my students really enjoy completing them.

It can be used as:

straight review of Climate Change
additional work for those who finish early
bonus activity
introduction to tectonic plates if you allow your students access to a device to help them get the answers

This activity can be used for students in middle and high school, individually or in a group. In class or at home. It comes in Word and PDF formats and can also be uploaded to your Google Drive for easy access.

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

Recall or select the correct climate-science vocabulary term for a given definition, such as identifying 'greenhouse gases' from 'gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.'
Distinguish between related climate terms with overlapping meanings, such as global warming, greenhouse gases and carbon footprint.
Spell 15 climate-change vocabulary terms correctly while completing the crossword grid.

Teaching tips

Assign the clues-only version to students who are ready to recall vocabulary independently, and the word-bank version to students who need term choices provided (pages 2, 3).
Use the printed definitions on the key (pages 5, 9) as a quick vocabulary review or quiz-prep handout separate from the puzzle itself.
Skip the bonus insert page when printing for students, since it is a promotional page linking to the contributor's outside website rather than classroom content (page 1).

Skills covered

Climate-vocabulary recall — students match one-sentence definitions such as 'a gas that is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect' to the correct term (carbon dioxide) while solving the grid (page 5).
Term discrimination — students distinguish closely related concepts like emissions, carbon footprint and carbon tax that all involve greenhouse gas output (page 5).
Spelling accuracy — students must spell each of the 15 climate terms correctly for the crossword answer to fit the grid (pages 2-3).
Self-checking — students or teachers verify answers against a full answer key listing every term and its definition (pages 5, 9).

Good to know

Questions teachers ask about this resource

What is the difference between the two crossword versions included?

One version lists only the clues, requiring students to recall each term from memory; the second adds a word bank of all 15 terms so students can match rather than recall.

No reviews yet

Downloaded this resource? Tell other teachers how it went.

Resource details

Concepts & topics

Core concepts

climate change
greenhouse gases
global warming
carbon footprint
sustainability

Topics

crossword puzzle science crossword crossword review ecology climate climate change global warming

Explore more

Categories this resource belongs to

Research Crosswords Science Crosswords Earth Science Worksheets Science Worksheets 7th Grade Worksheets 10th Grade Worksheets

Explore related searches

More to explore