American History Word Search, Grade 5 Native History

Grade 5 Native American History word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this Native American history puzzle set for my 5th graders during our social studies unit. The kids knew a few tribe names but had no idea what words like confederation, reservation, or potlatch meant, and they kept mixing up which region each tribe belonged to. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using vocabulary from the major cultural regions—tribes like Iroquois, Sioux, Navajo, Apache, Cherokee, Hopi, Tlingit, and Blackfoot . I also included key terms like longhouse, tepee, pueblo, travois, wampum, totem pole, hogan, shaman, nomadic, and reservation .

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 which region the Iroquois lived in (Eastern Woodlands—they always debate it) or whether a tepee and a wigwam are the same thing (they're not) . The crossword I use for partners, and I usually have a cultural regions map nearby for the kids who need the visual support to connect each tribe to its environment .

Works for 4th through 6th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers pick one tribe and write one way they adapted to their environment on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.