Indigenous Art Vocabulary word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

Indigenous Art Vocabulary word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this Indigenous art vocabulary puzzle set for my 3rd and 4th graders during our art and social studies unit. The kids could see carvings and woven baskets but had no idea what words like totem, petroglyph, or formline meant when we started learning about the art traditions of North America's First Peoples. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using terms from the glossary like petroglyph, pictograph, totem, formline, ovoid, crest, clan, potlatch, kiva, kachina, pictograph, petroglyph, formline, and material culture. I also included a note about artist as a concept, since in many Indigenous cultures there wasn't a separate word for art or artist—the focus was on the process and purpose rather than the product . The puzzle helps students see the diversity across regions, from Northwest Coast totem poles to Southwest pueblos, and breaks down the stereotype that all Indigenous art looks the same.

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 pictograph is carved or painted, or whether a kiva is a room or a building. The crossword I use for partners or as a review after a lesson, and sometimes I have them reference the glossary page from our unit for support. I added a couple simple line drawings of a totem, a kiva, and a bentwood box but nothing too busy.

Works for 4th through 5th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers choose one term from the puzzle and draw a simple illustration of it on the back, or write a sentence about how it relates to a specific group or region. The kids actually ask for these now.