Colonial America word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

Colonial America word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this Colonial America puzzle set for my 3rd and 4th graders during our social studies unit. The kids had heard of the thirteen colonies but couldn't name them or explain what life was like back then. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words like colony, settler, Jamestown, Plymouth, thirteen colonies, apprentice, blacksmith, farmer, merchant, trading, plantation, indigo, tobacco, and independence. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the vocabulary 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 all colonies were the same. The crossword I use for partners. I added a couple simple colonial house and wagon drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 3rd through 5th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers name one job a colonial kid might have on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.