Back to School Crossword Puzzle (free printable)
A free back-to-school crossword with thirteen words and easy clues for grades 1 to 4: backpack, eraser, cafeteria, recess, principal and more, with an answer key.
To save a PDF, choose Print, then “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheets print.
All 13 words are in the crossword (12 × 14 squares).
About this set
Thirteen words from the first week of school, each with a clue in plain words: a bag you carry on your shoulders, a break in the day when you go outside, the person who leads the whole school. They are all things students see on the first day, so every child, even the quietest new student, can solve at least a few answers, and the clues give the other words away. It is an easy first crossword for first and second grade with the word bank on, and a quick warm-up for third and fourth grade without it. The layout is fresh each time, so every table has its own puzzle.
Grades: 1st to 4th grade. Best in: August, September.
The words and clues
- Backpack :
- A bag you carry on your shoulders with your books and lunch
- Pencil :
- You write with it, and it has an eraser on the end
- Eraser :
- It rubs out mistakes you made in pencil
- Scissors :
- A tool with two blades for cutting paper
- Ruler :
- A straight edge for measuring and drawing lines
- Teacher :
- The person who plans lessons and helps you learn at school
- Recess :
- The break in the school day when you go outside to play
- Library :
- A room full of books you can borrow
- Cafeteria :
- The big room where you eat lunch at school
- Principal :
- The leader of the whole school
- Crayon :
- A waxy colored stick for drawing
- Desk :
- The table where a student sits to work
- Bell :
- It rings to tell you when class starts or ends
How to use it: five ideas
- Arrival task: leave the puzzle on desks as the first activity of the day so students settle in as they arrive.
- Read the clues together: for first grade, read each clue aloud and let the table whisper the answer before anyone writes.
- Draw it: students pick three answers and draw each with a label for a wall display about the school.
- Write a clue: students write their own clue for “classroom” or “lunch” and trade with a neighbor.
- Open house: print one for each family and let students teach their grown-up how to solve it.
Related
Questions
Is this too hard for first grade?
With the word bank on and a partner reading the clues, first graders can do it. Delete the longest words (cafeteria, principal) from the box to make it shorter.
Can I add my own school’s words?
Yes. Add a word and a clue on a new line (the name of your mascot or your art room) and the crossword rebuilds with it.
Can I change the words and clues?
Yes. Each of the 13 lines is a word, a colon and its clue. Edit any of them, and the crossword is rebuilt with new numbers.
How do I save it as a PDF?
Press Print and choose “Save as PDF” as the printer. The puzzle is page one and the answer key is page two.
How do I get a different layout?
Press “Make another”. The same words and clues are placed in a new arrangement, so each table can have its own puzzle.
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