The 13 original colonies are literally the start of the United States, though not the start of American history. Use the worksheets in this printable bundle to lead students through an entire unit about colonial times, from labeling a 13 Original Colonies map to reading about who arrived on the Atlantic Coast in the 17th century and why. In the end, students will know all about how the United States started and have gained knowledge they’ll use when reading novels, history books, and more.
13 Original Colonies Map Bundle
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers
13 Original Colonies Map (Blank)
Use this map to locate and label each colony. Help students understand more about the context of this time period by labeling the map with the Native American tribes that lived in each area.
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers
13 Original Colonies Map (Labeled)
This map is a great reference for students who need a reminder as they answer questions, work on research projects, or complete writing tasks about the colonies.
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers
13 Original Colonies KWL Chart
Use this KWL chart (Know–Want To Know–Learned) to activate students’ background knowledge and ignite their curiosity. First, students complete the “Know” column with information they already know about the 13 Colonies. You can also talk about where students learned that information.
Then, students generate questions to write in the “Want To Know” section. As they learn more, they answer their questions and add to the “Learned” column. This activity can be done as a class, in small groups, or individually, depending on your students.
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers
13 Original Colonies Reading Passage
Read this overview of the 13 original colonies, why people came from Europe and other parts of the world, how they interacted with the Native Americans, and how the colonists survived to become self-governing.
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers
13 Original Colonies Web
After students read about the 13 Colonies, they use a web to organize what they learn. Students write the topic (13 Original Colonies) in the center circle. Then they use the article to complete each of the five question stems in the web:
What were the colonies?
Who lived in the colonies? (Who lived in these places first, and who arrived in the 17th century?)
Where were the colonies?
Why did settlers come to the colonies?
When were the colonies settled?
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers
13 Original Colonies Travel Brochure
Students choose an area or region and use online resources to create a trifold. When students have finished, match them in groups so they have the 13 Original Colonies between them and can share what they learned about each area.
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