Ten words that tell when or where are hidden in a 12 by 12 letter grid on this 2-page 3rd grade word search. The list is above, after, before, beneath, beyond, during, inside, later, meanwhile, and until. Words run only across or down, which keeps the search manageable. It connects to L.3.6, the standard that names words for spatial and temporal relationships. The answer key gives the row, column, and direction for each word.
L.3.6
“Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them).”
All ten search words signal time (meanwhile, until, during) or place (above, beneath, inside).
Students find the ten words in the grid. Before and during run down, and the other eight run across.
The starting row and column for every word, such as MEANWHILE across row 2 from column 1.
Sort afterward
Once students find the words, have them sort the list into time words and place words. Before can go in both, which makes a good short discussion.
Sentence challenge
Ask early finishers for three sentences that each use one time word and one place word, like "After lunch we sat beneath the tree."
Guest teacher day
It needs almost no teaching, so it suits a day with a substitute. Leave the answer key and the sorting task together in the folder.
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