How to Make a Crossword Puzzle (great for Sunday School)
Crossword puzzles are a way to reinforce a lesson taught in Sunday School. As children work on the puzzle, they recall terms and definitions they have recently studied. Puzzles are meant to be fun, so while they should offer a little challenge to students, they should still be at a content and reading level that is appropriate to the students' skills. Online puzzle generators take the challenge out of creating a crossword puzzle and can make this a fun activity for the teacher, too.
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Things You'll Need
- Sunday school curriculum
- Dictionary
- Computer
- Printer
- Internet access
- Paper
Instructions
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Choose a theme for the crossword puzzle. If you are using the puzzle as a Sunday school activity, select a theme that relates to the topic you are studying in the class. For example, if the class is studying Noah's ark, use that as the theme for your puzzle.
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Identify key words associated with the theme you selected. If you are using a printed curriculum, select words from the lesson materials or Bible verses the students are studying. You can make a simple puzzle with seven to nine words. Choose more words for older children.
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Write definitions for each of the key words. Keep the definitions simple for young children. Definitions usually consist of a phrase with just a few words. For example, a simple definition of a rabbit can be "an animal that hops." A more challenging definition for older children might be "a hare." Consult a dictionary for the correct spelling and meaning of words, but craft your own definitions.
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Select an online puzzle creator. Discovery Education's Puzzlemaker, which calls a crossword puzzle a "criss-cross," can generate a crossword puzzle design from the words and definitions you supply. When you click the website's "Create My Puzzle!" button, the crossword puzzle appears in a new screen. If you aren't satisfied with the puzzle layout, click "Create My Puzzle!" again and a different layout may appear. The puzzle generator may not be able to use every word you provide in a particular layout.
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Create more sophisticated crossword puzzles by purchasing a program such as Crossword Compiler for Windows. Like Puzzlemaker, this program can generate a crossword from words and definitions you supply. Crossword Compiler offers additional options, including shaped puzzles, word searches and Sudoku.
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Check the policy of the puzzle-generating company as to whether you can print and reproduce the crossword puzzles. If you are allowed to reproduce the puzzle, find out whether a limit exists on the number of copies you can make and whether the company has any other rules that affect your use of the puzzle.
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References
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