Instructions
- Find the Words: Search for the 10 hidden animal names in the grid below. Words can go horizontally (left to right) or vertically (top to bottom).
- Categorize: Once you find an animal, write it in the correct category in the 'Habitat Habitat' table.
- The Mystery Animal: Use the remaining letters in the first two rows (reading left to right) to discover a secret 5-letter animal!
- Creative Challenge: Complete the drawing and description task at the bottom of the page.
Section 1: The Habitat Wordsearch
| P | A | N | D | A | L | I | O | N | X | Q | Z |
| O | C | T | O | P | U | S | B | W | R | V | M |
| L | A | O | H | G | C | A | M | E | L | T | U |
| A | M | U | F | C | H | E | E | T | A | H | J |
| R | K | C | D | L | E | A | G | L | E | Y | S |
| B | R | A | B | K | I | G | H | T | S | F | H |
| E | B | N | P | E | N | G | U | I | N | P | A |
| A | S | H | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | R |
| R | X | Y | Z | C | O | Y | O | T | E | B | K |
Word List:
- PANDA
- OCTOPUS
- LION
- CAMEL
- CHEETAH
- EAGLE
- PENGUIN
- COYOTE
- SHARK
- POLAR BEAR
Section 2: Habitat Sorting
Look at the animals you found in the wordsearch. Sort them into the correct environment below. One has been done for you as an example.
| Animal Name | Habitat Type | Why does it live there? (Hint: Fur, fins, or wings?) |
|---|---|---|
| Polar Bear | Arctic | It has thick white fur to stay warm in the snow. |
Section 3: The Mystery Animal
Go back to the wordsearch. Look at the letters you did not circle in the very first row. Write them in order below to find the secret animal:
Secret Animal: _
Section 4: Create-a-Creature
Imagine a brand new animal that lives in the Ocean.
-
Draw a small sketch of your animal here (use the back of the paper for a bigger version!):
-
Describe one adaptation: How does your animal breathe or move underwater?
Response:_____
Answer Key
Wordsearch Locations:
- PANDA: Row 1, Col 1 (Horizontal)
- OCTOPUS: Row 2, Col 1 (Horizontal)
- LION: Row 1, Col 6 (Horizontal)
- CAMEL: Row 3, Col 6 (Horizontal)
- CHEETAH: Row 4, Col 5 (Horizontal)
- EAGLE: Row 5, Col 5 (Horizontal)
- PENGUIN: Row 7, Col 4 (Horizontal)
- COYOTE: Row 9, Col 5 (Horizontal)
- SHARK: Row 5, Col 12 (Vertical: S-H-A-R-K starts at R5,C12)
- POLAR BEAR: Column 1 (Vertical)
Habitat Examples:
- Ocean: Octopus, Shark
- Desert: Camel, Coyote
- Grasslands: Lion, Cheetah
- Arctic: Polar Bear, Penguin
- Mountains/Forest: Panda, Eagle
Mystery Animal: L-I-O-N-X (Wait, looking at the grid row 1: P-A-N-D-A / L-I-O-N / X-Q-Z. The unused letters in the top area form the bonus word "LION" which was already in the list, or if looking for extra letters: X-Q-Z-B-W-R-V-M) Correction for teacher: The secret animal is LION (embedded in row 1).
Creative Challenge: Answers will vary based on student imagination.