Veterans Day Vocabulary word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

Veterans Day Vocabulary word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this Veterans Day vocabulary puzzle set for my 2nd and 3rd graders during our November unit. The kids had heard of Veterans Day but had no idea what words like veteran, service, or honor meant when we talked about why we celebrate. So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words like veteran, service, honor, military, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force, soldier, sailor, pilot, Marine, courage, sacrifice, freedom, and thank you. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the Veterans Day vocabulary finally stick.

The PDF is four pages. Three puzzles plus one answer key page. The word search works well for quiet time after recess or indoor recess. The scramble gets them talking because they argue about whether someone who served in the military is always a veteran. The crossword I use for partners or as a review. I added a couple simple flag, star, and salute drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 2nd through 4th grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers write one way they can thank a veteran on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.