Presidents’ Day Crossword Puzzle (free printable)
A free Presidents’ Day crossword with thirteen words and clues for grades 3 to 6: Washington, Lincoln, Congress, Constitution, election 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 (15 × 14 squares).
About this set
Thirteen words for a short civics lesson, with clues that describe each in a sentence. Two presidents students meet first, Washington and Lincoln, sit beside the places and groups of American government (the White House, the Capitol, Congress) and the words of choosing a leader (president, election, vote, democracy) and of the country’s founding (Constitution, liberty, flag). The puzzle names only historic presidents, so it does not go out of date. A word bank for third grade is one click away, and the answer key is the second page.
Grades: 3rd to 6th grade. Best in: February.
The words and clues
- President :
- The leader of the United States government
- Washington :
- The first president of the United States
- Lincoln :
- The president who led the country during the Civil War and gave the Gettysburg Address
- Capitol :
- The building in Washington, D.C. where Congress meets
- Congress :
- The group of senators and representatives who make the country’s laws
- Constitution :
- The written plan that sets up the government of the United States
- Election :
- The way people choose their leaders by voting
- Vote :
- To make your choice in an election
- Democracy :
- A kind of government in which the people choose their leaders
- Liberty :
- Freedom, the word on the Statue that welcomes people to New York Harbor
- Flag :
- Fifty stars and thirteen stripes make up the one for the United States
- Eagle :
- The bald one is the national bird of the United States
- Inauguration :
- The ceremony when a new president takes the oath of office
How to use it: five ideas
- Exit ticket: use the crossword at the end of a civics lesson to see which words students remember.
- Write the clue: students write a clue for “vote” or “election” in their own words.
- Compare: students solve the Washington and Lincoln clues, then write one more fact about each.
- Class vote: use “vote” and “democracy” to start a real class vote and talk about what makes it fair.
- Partner check: swap puzzles and check each other’s answers with the key.
Related
Questions
Are the facts in the clues right?
Yes. They state that Washington was the first president, Lincoln led the country during the Civil War, and Congress makes the laws. Check against your class text if you add clues.
Can I add the presidents my class is studying?
Yes. Type a name, a colon and a clue on a new line in the box.
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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