Comic Book and Graphic Novel Terms word search, scramble and crossword

Comic Book and Graphic Novel Terms word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this comic book and graphic novel puzzle set for my 3rd and 4th graders during our visual literacy unit. The kids loved reading comics but had no idea what words like panel, gutter, or speech bubble meant when I tried to teach them how to "read" the illustrations. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words like panel, gutter, frame, speech bubble, thought bubble, caption, sound effect, onomatopoeia, splash page, page layout, illustrator, inker, colorist, letterer, and graphic novel. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the comic 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 during indoor recess. The scramble gets them talking because they argue about whether a thought bubble and speech bubble are the same thing. The crossword I use for partners or as a review. I added a couple simple comic panel and speech bubble drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 3rd through 5th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers draw their own comic panel on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.