There�s a lot going on during the first week of school. Assigning seats, learning names, testing for reading groups, math assessments - the list goes on and on. With all this activity swirling around you, wouldn�t it be nice to give your students something fun to do that will focus their attention and give you some blessed peace and quiet. That�s where my Beginning of the Year Word Searches come into play. Each one features words kids need to be familiar with including the names of color, number words, the names of foods served at lunch, the text of the Pledge of Allegiance, and useful classroom manners. Students need to look up, down, across, and diagonally. Words are often presented backwards as well as forward. Kids will find these word searches challenging. Allowing them to find words together in small groups can be a fun way to ease kids into the practice of working cooperatively. These word searches can be used at other times of the year, as well, perhaps when you are teaching a unit whose vocabulary incorporates them. I hope you find these word searches as useful as I did.