How it works
This August word scramble holds 30 words of the month: the Perseid meteor shower, National Aviation Day, the county fair and the dog days of summer. Each word has a hint, and the answer key prints on its own page.
Read the full guide
Meteors, planes, the county fair
The easy list is short words: Hazy, Muggy, Comet, Pickle. Medium, the opening sheet, holds Fireball, Biplane, Midway and Dog days. The hard list reaches Ferris wheel and Meteor shower, at 11 and 12 letters.
Before school starts
Back to school words have a page of their own, so this sheet stays with the end of summer. Print it for a camp afternoon or the first warm-up of the year. Each press of New scramble deals the letters again.
- Comet, Fireball, Meteor shower and Shooting star make a sky set for the Perseids, which peak in mid-August.
- Propeller, Cockpit, Hangar and Biplane suit National Aviation Day, August 19: pupils can label a drawn plane.
Questions and answers
What is the August meteor shower?
The Perseids, which peak in mid-August. NASA says the meteors are bits left by comet Swift-Tuttle and seem to come from the constellation Perseus. Comet, Fireball and Meteor shower are on the list.
When is National Aviation Day?
August 19. Federal law lets the President proclaim the day each year to stir interest in aviation. Aviation, Biplane, Propeller and Cockpit are on the list.
What are the dog days?
The hot, sultry stretch of summer from early July to early September, named for the Dog Star. Dog days, Muggy, Humid and Sweltering are on the list.
How is this different from the summer and back to school scrambles?
Those pages hold beach words such as Sandcastle and classroom words such as Notebook. This list is late summer's own, and it repeats no word from either.
What grades is it for?
The easy list (Hazy, Comet) suits kindergarten and grade 1 with hints on. Medium suits grades 2 and 3, and the hard list (Propeller, Livestock) suits grade 4 and up. The answer key prints on its own page.