Prefixes word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

Prefixes word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this prefixes puzzle set for my 3rd graders during our vocabulary unit. The kids could read words like "happy" but had no idea that adding "un" changed the meaning to "unhappy." So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words with common prefixes like un, re, pre, dis, mis, non, and bi. Examples include unhappy, undo, rewrite, replay, preheat, preview, disagree, dislike, misplace, misbehave, nonfiction, nonstop, bicycle, and bilingual. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the prefix meanings finally stick.

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 "undo" and "rewrite" mean the same thing. The crossword I use for partners. I added a couple simple plus and minus symbol drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 3rd through 5th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers add a prefix to a base word and write the new meaning on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.