- Using a Page Number as part of a clue.
Generally I tailor the puzzle to the particular book that I use for take-home reading. I’ll create a puzzle; in addition to the hints, I will also add the page # to the book. The students first try to answer the puzzle by seeing the clue, then writing in the answer. If the word seems too elusive, the students can go back to the page in their textbook to find the word. The clue might look like this:
(p. 4) It has been estimated that humans did this over a ‘land bridge’ from Asia to the Western Hemisphere during the last Ice Age. (word = migrated). - Using the class date as a particular clue.
What I’ve done on occasion here is rather post the particular class date that we made some observations that were written on the board as part of our class notes. These could also call out those students who have attendance issues. and push those students who attend but do not write all of the notes to do so. The clue looked like this:
(11/5/12) Access to this particular resource allowed for steam engines to profligate across Britain. (word = coal) - Using the Crossword Puzzle to create their own Q & A as a test review.
After the students complete the puzzle, then I’ll make an extra credit assignment for the students to develop their own question-and-answer packet for an upcoming exam. For example:
12 Down – Napoleon suffered his most significant failure invading this country – word: Russia. Where did Napoleon suffer his most significant failure? Russia. - Using a Crossword with a Word Search puzzle. I’ve done these as fun assessments for chapter studies. The word search will have a hidden message, such as a chapter’s main idea. Then the crossword will serve to assess more specific details within the chapter or the unit.
If you would like to use one of my crossword puzzles, I have them for sale at my online store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/All-Things-History-Lesson-Plans
