Hard Science Word Search | Free Printable
About This Worksheet
The word bank here is drawn from actual science vocabulary -- the kind of terms a child meets in upper primary science and then forgets by the following term. Hunting for a word forces you to look at how it is spelled, which is why word searches are better vocabulary practice than they look.
It is one of the two hardest sheets on the site: a large grid, long words, and placements running in every direction. Built for nine to eleven, and a reasonable challenge for an adult sitting alongside.
The word bank has 10 words in a 18x18 grid: Ecosystem, Organism, Atmosphere, Telescope, Astronomy, Chrysalis, Laboratory, Evaporation, Herbivore, Microscope.
Skills Practiced
How to Use This Worksheet
- Define the words before you search. Look up any term they cannot explain. The puzzle is the excuse; the vocabulary is the actual lesson.
- Hunt the longest words first. Long words are the easiest to spot and clearing them opens up the grid, which makes the short ones easier to isolate.
- Use a highlighter, not a pen. On a dense grid, a highlighter lets them see through their own marks when words cross -- and in a grid this size, they will.
- Pick one word to investigate. Choose the most interesting term and spend ten minutes reading about it together. That is where the real value is.
Not sure this is the right level? Our guide to free printable word search puzzles for kids walks through every age in turn — see what to expect from a word search for 9 year olds or a word search for 10 year olds, and which puzzle to print next.