We would like to congratulate everyone who applied for the 2018 Educational Word Search Teacher Grant. We had the pleasure to review so many lessons that effectively used word searches to advance the lesson objectives. The usage of the word search varied depending on the grade level and subject, and we were delighted to see the varied ways word searches were used to advance student engagement and understanding.

Without further ado, we present to you the 2018 Educational Word Search Teacher Grant recipients. We highly encourage you to read through each of their lessons, and see how they used word searches to foster student learning.

$500 Grant

Teacher: Amanda Callahan-Mims
School: Spring Hill Elementary School
Subject: STEM
Grades: 3-5
Lesson: Searching for the “Write” Words
Word Search: “Coding Word Search”

Lesson Overview: This lesson uses the rules of a word search to talk about the rules of coding.  Students begin by working on a word search, and afterward discuss the rules of the word search and some what-ifs for scenarios where the rules are broken.  Students then perform an introduction-to-coding activity. After the coding activity, students discuss similar what-if questions about the rules of coding. The lesson concludes with coding practice and reflection on how the rules of coding are similar to the rules of word searches.

As lovers of both coding and word searches, we appreciated how this lesson began by helping students think about the rules for an activity they know (word searches) to help them appreciate the importance of details in rules for coding.

$200 Grant

Teacher: Nicole Dean
School: Tobacco Road Elementary
Subject: Math
Grades: 3-5
Lesson: Geometry Vocabulary
Word Search: “Geometry Terms Third Grade”

Lesson Overview: This lesson is designed to reinforce geometry vocabulary.  Students begin by demonstrating the vocabulary with their arms (parallel lines, acute angle, etc.)  Afterward, students are assessed with a word search that has the word list replaced by definitions. Students must write the terms next to the definitions in order to solve the word search.  (And the students only get credit for finding the term if the word is written next to the definition).

What we loved most about this lesson is that the students are so excited to solve the word search that they may not even realize that they’re taking a quiz.  How many quizzes are students excited to take?

$100 Grants

Teacher: Mara Liechty
School: Oaklea Middle School
Subject: Music
Grades: 5-8
Lesson: Music Vocabulary
Word Search: “Oaklea Band Vocabulary“

Lesson Overview: Similar to the previous lesson, students are given the definitions of their vocabulary words instead of a word list.  Students are motivated to do the vocabulary review in order to solve the word search.

Teacher: Alexandra Vasile
School: Arkansas Arts Academy
Subject: Science
Grade: 7
Lesson: Science Lab Equipment
Word Search: “Science Lab Equipment”

Lesson Overview: This lesson covers lab safety.  The word search in this lesson has the words in the word list, and asks students to provide the definition of the words.

We appreciated the number of ways that Alexandra differentiates the word search activity: asking students with specific learning needs to draw a picture of the equipment instead of writing the definition, and converting the word search to a crossword to provide a challenge for more proficient students.

Teacher: Harmony Jones
School: Drake Middle School
Subject: Science
Grade: 8
Lesson: Fusing Science and Art
Word Search: “Energy”

Lesson Overview: This lesson uses glassblowing to teach students about chemical and physical changes.  Students use a word search to review key vocabulary about state changes and energy transfer.

Thank you to all of our applicants and to those who shared our grant with the special teachers in their lives. From the team at My Word Search, we wish you a productive and fulfilling year ahead in the classroom and, of course, happy puzzling!