End of Year - Freeform Crossword Puzzles

How do freeform crossword puzzles support independent learning? Freeform crossword puzzles are a list of words organized by number of letters. To solve the puzzle students need to place each word in the blanks in the crossword shaped grid. Each letter occupies its own space in the grid. There are shared letters in the puzzle, similar to standard crossword puzzles.

Freeform puzzles support vocabulary building because they need to 'hold' the words in short term memory while locating the correct location in the grid. Independent learning is developed as students gain experience with these brain teasers.