Grade 3 Root Words word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

Grade 3 Root Words word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this root words puzzle set for my 3rd graders during our vocabulary unit. The kids could memorize word meanings but had no idea that many words share the same root that gives a clue to the meaning, like "spect" meaning to look. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using roots like spect (inspect, spectator, respect), dict (dictate, predict, dictionary), port (transport, portable, import), form (reform, form, uniform), graph (autograph, paragraph, biography), and aud (audio, audience, audible). Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the root concept finally click.

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 "predict" and "dictate" share the same root. The crossword I use for partners. I added a couple simple tree root and plant drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 3rd through 5th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers write another word that shares a root from the puzzle on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.