The Sun and Its Energy word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

The Sun and Its Energy word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this sun and its energy puzzle set for my 3rd and 4th graders during our space and Earth science unit. The kids knew the sun was hot but didn't understand words like solar energy or ultraviolet. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words like solar, energy, ultraviolet, radiation, heat, light, photosynthesis, solar panel, renewable, core, sunspot, solar flare, orbit, and axis. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the vocabulary click.

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 over how to spell "ultraviolet" or "photosynthesis." The crossword I use for partners. I added a couple simple sun ray drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 2nd through 5th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers list three things the sun gives us on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.