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Rocks and Minerals Word Search

Find 15 rocks and minerals words hidden in the grid

Fifteen rocks and minerals words for a grade 3 to 8 earth science unit: the three rock types (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic), rocks such as granite, basalt and marble, and minerals such as quartz, feldspar and calcite. It is timed for Earth Science Week, October 11 to 17, 2026, whose theme is "Critical Minerals for a Thriving Society." A handy fact for the lesson: on the Mohs hardness scale, talc is 1, the softest, and diamond is 10, the hardest.

Free printable PDF with a full answer key, sized for US Letter and free for classroom use. Want your own title or words? Open it in the word search editor with everything already filled in.

Word SearchPreview

Rocks and Minerals Word Search

Find 15 rocks and minerals words hidden in the grid

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Word List

  • SEDIMENTARY
  • METAMORPHIC
  • SANDSTONE
  • LIMESTONE
  • FELDSPAR
  • IGNEOUS
  • GRANITE
  • CALCITE
  • CRYSTAL
  • BASALT
  • MARBLE
  • QUARTZ
  • SLATE
  • MAGMA
  • MICA
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What is a Word Search?

A word search hides a list of words in a grid of letters. Words can run horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Your job is to find and circle each one.

How to solve it

Scan rows and columns for the first letter of each word, then trace in all eight directions. Check off words as you find them.

Who is this for?

Word searches are perfect for all ages — from young students building vocabulary to adults who enjoy a relaxing mental exercise. Teachers use them for vocabulary preview activities, early finishers, and classroom brain breaks.

About this puzzle

Free printable rocks and minerals word search: find 15 words, from igneous to quartz, for Earth Science Week 2026. Medium level, answer key. Instant PDF.

  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Format: US Letter PDF with answer key
  • Free to download, print, and use
  • Commercial use allowed for KDP publishers

Step-by-step: solving the Rocks and Minerals Word Search

  1. Print the PDF. Download the free PDF and print both pages — the puzzle and the answer key — on standard US Letter paper.
  2. Scan for first letters. Read down the word list, then look across rows and columns of the grid for the first letter of each word.
  3. Trace in any direction. Words run horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — and can be forward or backward. Once you spot a starting letter, trace in all eight directions.
  4. Check off found words. Cross each found word off the list. When the list is empty, compare with the answer key to verify.

Frequently asked questions

What are the three types of rocks, and what are critical minerals?›
The three types of rocks are igneous, which forms when magma or lava cools; sedimentary, which forms when layers of sediment are pressed and cemented together; and metamorphic, which forms when heat and pressure change an existing rock. Critical minerals, the theme of Earth Science Week 2026, are minerals considered essential to things like energy, technology and health, such as lithium, copper and nickel; the U.S. Geological Survey keeps an official list that it updates every few years.
What is in this word search?›
Fifteen words: igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic, granite, basalt, sandstone, limestone, marble, slate, quartz, feldspar, mica, calcite, crystal and magma. It is the medium level, for grades 3 to 8, with the answer key on its own page.
Is there a bigger rocks and minerals puzzle pack?›
Yes. The $2.99 Rocks and Minerals Puzzle Pack adds a crossword, a cryptogram, a word scramble, a word fill-in and a bigger word search, with thirty new words from obsidian and pyrite to erosion and the Mohs scale.
Can words go diagonally or backward?›
Yes. Words in this puzzle run horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — and they may go forward or backward. Always scan in all eight directions from a candidate starting letter.
Is there an answer key?›
Yes. Every free PuzzlePage word search PDF includes a separate answer-key page that highlights or lists every hidden word.
What grade level is this for?›
Word searches in this collection work well from upper-elementary through adult. Teachers often use them as vocabulary preview, classroom downtime, or sub-day filler.
Can I customize this puzzle?›
Yes. Open it in the free Word Search editor with the words already filled in, then change the title, edit or add words and pick a difficulty. Downloads are free with your email, and Premium removes the PuzzlePage credit.

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