Teaching the Colonial Era

Educator Support Resources

Suggested Bill of Rights Institute resources for teachers to support their knowledge in the content in the Colonial Era lesson.

These resources are for teachers to deepen their knowledge while teaching the content of the lesson. Many teacher preparation programs do not dive deep into U.S. History, causing knowledge gaps for elementary social studies teachers. Think of this as your “cheat sheet” to building your own background knowledge along with your students.  

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 The following scholar-written essays are part of the Bill of Rights Institute’s high school resource collection.

• John Smith and Diligence Lesson 
• The Pilgrims’ Courageous Journey 
• Pilgrims to the New World 
• The Origins of American Slavery 
• Native People 
• First Contacts 

Classroom Book Recommendations

Picture Books 

Building a New Land: African Americans in Colonial America by James Haskins  

The Adventurous Life of Myles Standish and the Amazing-but-True Survival Story of Plymouth Colony: Barbary Pirates, the Mayflower, the First … Much, Much More by Cheryl Ha

Chapter Books 

A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple, Mayflower, 1620 by Kathryn Lasky 

Standing in the Light: The Captive Diary of Catharine Carey Logan, Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania, 1763 by Mary Pope Osborne  

Reference Books 

Enduring Wisdom: Sayings from Native Americans by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve