This 4th of July Crossword Puzzle gives 4th grade students eight Independence Day clues to solve with no word bank, plus a short written question and a full answer key, so holiday vocabulary practice is ready to print.
Stars, stripes and a little history
Fourth graders learn that the 4th of July, or Independence Day, celebrates July 4, 1776, when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. They learn that Thomas Jefferson wrote most of it and that the colonies were declaring freedom from Great Britain. Kids also explore symbols like the flag, the Liberty Bell and the bald eagle, and vocabulary like independence, colony and patriot. The big moment comes when they realize the country was only thirteen colonies back then.
A little history, a lot of vocabulary and some summer fun.
After a short reading about the holiday, kids solve a crossword using the new vocabulary. Puzzles make kids recall the words, which helps them remember far better than rereading.
Why it works: researchers who compared ten study methods found practice testing is one of the two that work best (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013).
Try it with4th Of July Crossword PuzzleWorksheetsOpen it →Ask "What would you want to be free to decide for yourself?" Kids discuss, then connect their ideas to why the colonies wanted independence. Personal connections make history meaningful.
Why it works: using clear, consistent math words out loud is one of the U.S. Department of Education's recommendations for elementary math.
Show images of the flag, Liberty Bell and bald eagle. Groups research one symbol and share what it stands for. Use clip art to make a class symbol poster.
Why it works: children learn more from words and pictures together than from words alone (Mayer, 2009).
Try it with4th Of July Clip ArtFlash CardsOpen it →It marks July 4, 1776, when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The colonies declared they were free from Great Britain.
Thomas Jefferson wrote most of the first draft. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and others helped edit it.
There were thirteen colonies. That's why the American flag has thirteen stripes.
Many teachers teach it in late May or June with a short reading, a vocabulary puzzle and a symbol project. It's a fun way to end the year.
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