The Civil Rights Movement word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

The Civil Rights Movement word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this Civil Rights Movement puzzle set for my 4th graders during our social studies unit. The kids had heard of Martin Luther King Jr. but had no idea about segregation, protests, or why the movement was necessary. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words like civil rights, equality, segregation, discrimination, protest, boycott, march, speech, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., justice, freedom, vote, law, and change. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the vocabulary finally make sense.

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 Rosa Parks was tired or making a planned protest. The crossword I use for partners. I added a couple simple bus and handshake drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 4th through 5th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers write one fact about the March on Washington on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.