Famous Women in History word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

Famous Women in History word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this Famous Women in History puzzle set for my 4th graders during our Women's History Month unit. The kids could name Rosa Parks and maybe Marie Curie, but they had no idea about the incredible diversity of women who shaped our world—from ancient rulers like Cleopatra and Boudicca to modern heroes like Malala Yousafzai and Simone Biles. They kept asking things like "Who was the first woman to fly a plane?" or "What did Sacajawea actually do?" So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using names like Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, Susan B. Anthony, Joan of Arc, Frida Kahlo, Florence Nightingale, Helen Keller, and Queen Victoria. I also threw in a few like Anne Frank and Jane Goodall because they always come up in our read-alouds.

The PDF is four pages. Three puzzles plus one answer key page. The word search works well for quiet time after recess or independent practice. The scramble gets them talking because they argue about how to spell "Sacajawea" or whether "Cleopatra" was Egyptian or Greek (she was Greek—ruled Egypt). The crossword I use for partners or as a review after we've looked at pictures and short biographies. I added a couple simple star, book, and flower drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 3rd through 5th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers pick one woman from the puzzles and write one fact about her on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.