Principles of Design word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

Principles of Design word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this principles of design puzzle set for my 4th graders during our art unit. The kids could make art but had no idea what words like balance, contrast, or emphasis meant when I asked them to describe their compositions. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words like balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, unity, variety, proportion, scale, repetition, harmony, and design. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the design vocabulary finally stick.

The PDF is four pages. Three puzzles plus one answer key page. The word search works well for quiet time after art class. The scramble gets them talking because they argue about whether balance means everything is exactly the same on both sides. The crossword I use for partners. I added a couple simple balance scale, arrow, and grid drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 4th through 5th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers name one principle of design and give an example on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.