Crossword Puzzles

 

We’ve had times during the school year when we’ve had to send packets home.  For the most part, my students do not do the work. In fact, many of them “forget” it at home or “lose” it. For the last packet, I sent home a crossword puzzle to help students become more familiar with the vocabulary associated with the current section.  My principal said I needed to send home real work because crossword puzzles are not real work.

It turns out that the use of crossword puzzles can help students learn vocabulary because the clues makes the student think about what they’ve learned in the past and recently. It helps them go through their own vocabulary to see if they know the word.  In addition, it helps students work independently while actively engaged.  

There has been research conducted on the use of educational crossword puzzles in schools.  They are good for introducing and reinforcing mathematical concepts.  Puzzles can be used to informally identify what students are missing from their knowledge base and provides students with a way to self-assess their understanding.   It allows students to study together and work collaboratively. Many students felt they learned more using this form of review than standard methods.    

Fortunately, there are so many premade puzzles online or sites where teachers can make their own puzzles but there are things to keep in mind when looking for a or creating a puzzle. 

It is suggested that the crossword puzzle have single word answers rather than answers composed of multiple words.  Unfortunately, math often has vocabulary with multiple words such as greatest common factor, or mixed numbers or improper fractions.  The hints should also be short if possible.  

Try to group words that are related in the same area of the crossword because it makes it easier for students to come up with related words.  For instance, you might use  hypotenuse and right angle in the same part as the Pythagorean Theorem.It is important to make sure the clues are extremely specific.  If the clues are too vague, students might think of the wrong word.  

In addition,  a good way to help students with their vocabulary is to have them create their own crossword puzzles and have other students try them out.  This comes highly recommended by several sources.  Graph paper is wonderful for making crosswords by hand or students can go to a site specifically designed to create crosswords from a list of clues and words.

I love using crossword puzzles.  I have given students the opportunity to use the computer to look up the word associated with the clues.  I find it’s another way for them to learn vocabulary.  Let me know what you think, I”d love to hear.  Have a great day.