13 Colonies Literacy Activities
This section contains numerous colony-themed literacy activities including reading comprehension and cloze reading exercises, sentence surgeons and correct-me passages, exciting writing prompts, and critical thought activities.. Use the filters on the left side of the page to isolate activities by grade level or format.
13 Colonies Informational Text Reading Comprehension Bundle for Google Classroom
Description: This bundle contains 20 informational text reading comprehension passages and multiple choice question sets for Google Classroom related to the 13 colonies. It's an amazing way to integrate language arts with social studies. This resources is available to subscribers to MrNussbaum.com or for purchase on my Teachers Pay Teachers Page: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/mr-nussbaum-9070
13 Colonies Reading Comprehension Bundle
Description: This resource includes 31 reading comprehension passages designed for students in grades 4-8. Each passage contains a narrative passage and seven-ten multiple choice questions, and in a few cases short answer. These passages and question sets will encourage students to analyze, infer, re-read, double-check, consider, compare, contrast, find, detail, make connections between, make connections within, deduce, and clarify the events in the history of the 13 colonies and the people involved. An answer sheet for all passages is included. Rated 4.8 stars on TPT. Available to subscribers of MrNussbaum.com - only $49 per year
Lost Colony at Roanoke Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH: 426 Words; LEXILE: 910
Lost Colony at Roanoke Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and seven multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 426 Words; LEXILE: 910
Roanoke Island - the Anatomy of a Mystery
Description: This fun writing prompt requires students to analyze the mystery of the Lost Colony before detailing a mystery in their own lives, or, another mystery they're familiar with in history, literature, movies, video games, or current events.
Roanoke Island - Supplies for Survival
Description: This fun critical thinking exercise requires students to role play as a Roanoke settler, who has the magical power to warp to the future to garner modern supplies. There are rules, however, that students must follow in selecting three supplies that they would bring to Roanoke that would help the colony survive.
Jamestown Colony Reading Comprehension Part 1
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 530 Words; LEXILE: 1210
Jamestown Colony Reading Comprehension Part 2
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 570 Words; LEXILE: 1210
Jamestown Colony Reading Comprehension Part 3
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions.
Jamestown Colony Reading Comprehension Part 1 - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH: 530 Words; LEXILE: 1210
Jamestown Colony Reading Comprehension Part 2 - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH: 570 Words; LEXILE: 1210
Jamestown Sentence Surgeons
Description: This innovative activity requires students to correct the flawed spelling, grammar, and punctuation. The online versions show the numbers and types of errors. As students check their answers, they can see how many of each type of error still need to be corrected.
Jamestown Colony Correct-me Passage - Online
Description: This fun activity requires students to correct a passage about the history of Jamestown that has ten factual errors. Students first must discover the errors, then click on them and select the correct answer from the drop down menu.
John Smith Digital Centers - by Computer Mice
Description: This resource includes numerous bundled digital learning, researching, communicating, reviewing, and gaming activities on John Smith in a single resource. Students can conduct research , fill out graphic organizers and Venn diagrams, write e-books with pictures, conduct interviews, determine fact or opinion, play games, and much, much more! If you're teaching about John Smith, you're sure to find any number of unique opportunities for your students here.
Pocahontas Digital Centers - by Computer Mice
Description: This resource includes numerous bundled digital learning, researching, communicating, reviewing, and gaming activities on Pocahontas in a single resource. Students can conduct research , fill out graphic organizers and Venn diagrams, write e-books with pictures, conduct interviews, determine fact or opinion, play games, and much, much more! If you're teaching about Pocahontas you're sure to find any number of unique opportunities for your students here.
Pocahontas Reading Comprehension - Printable
Description: This resource includes a reading passage on Pocahontas and four multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. LEXILE LEVEL: 710; WORD COUNT: 148.
Adventures Through the Lives and Times of the Pilgrims
Description: In this interactive story, students travel through key moments in the history of Pilgrims heading to the New World, guided by their thoughts, hopes, and experiences. At each historic location, they explore illustrated scenes, read narrated passages, and answer thoughtful comprehension questions to track their progress. When all sites are visited, students receive a printable score report showing their journey through America’s founding story.
Adventures on the Mayflower - An Interactive Comprehension Story
Description: In this interactive story, students take an interactive tour of the Mayflower, guided by the captain and crew. In each part of the ship, they explore illustrated scenes, read narrated passages, and answer thoughtful comprehension questions to track progress. When all sites are visited, students receive a printable score report showing their journey onboard this iconic ship.
Plymouth Colony Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 533 Words; LEXILE: 1110
Plymouth Colony Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH: 533 Words; LEXILE: 1110
The Mayflower Compact - Primary Sources Super Comprehension
Description: These primary source comprehension activities guide students through close reading of authentic historical texts. By working across three skill-focused tabs—Main Idea, Details, Inference, and Contextual Vocabulary—students develop a deeper understanding of the passages and strengthen essential literacy skills. The interactive tools and structured layout help readers analyze, annotate, and interpret the text with clarity and confidence. These also include detailed online and printable score reports. These activities reflect of Lexile of 950+ (grades 6 + ).
Plymouth Colony Reading Comprehension for Google Classroom
Description: This modified google quiz form allows you to collect data and scores using this reading comprehension exercise as part of your google classroom. These are designed for you to customize, add to, subtract from, and change . PLEASE MAKE A COPY AND DO NOT TYPE ON THE ORIGINAL.
The First Thanksgiving, or Not so Much? - Flip the Narrative Debate Comprehension
Description: These Flipping the Narrative activities help students explore history by comparing two contrasting perspectives on the same event. Students read both passages, annotate key ideas, and examine how each side uses evidence to support its arguments. By toggling between viewpoints and answering deeper-level questions, learners build critical thinking skills and a richer understanding of historical complexity.
Massachusetts Bay Colony Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions
Cotton Mather Reading Comprehension - Printable
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions.
Cotton Mather Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. You can also print out detailed results. PASSAGE LENGTH: 443 WORDS; LEXILE: 1210
Life in Puritan Massachusetts Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. You can also print out detailed results. PASSAGE LENGTH: 309 Words; LEXILE: 910
Life in Puritan Massachusetts Reading Comprehension - Printable
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 309 Words; LEXILE: 910
King Phillip's War Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. You can also print out detailed results. PASSAGE LENGTH: 333 Words; LEXILE: 1210
King Phillip's War Reading Comprehension - Printable
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions. 333 Words; LEXILE: 1210
Salem Witch Trials Reading Comprehension
Description: This resources includes a historical passage and seven multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 467 Words; LEXILE: 1010
Salem Witch Trials Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and seven multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH: 467 Words; LEXILE: 1010
The Girls of the Salem Witch Trials: Sick, or Not? - Flip the Narrative Multiple Perspective Comprehension
Description: These Flipping the Narrative activities help students explore history by comparing two contrasting perspectives on the same event. Students read both passages, annotate key ideas, and examine how each side uses evidence to support its arguments. By toggling between viewpoints and answering deeper-level questions, learners build critical thinking skills and a richer understanding of historical complexity.
Salem Witch Trials Reading Comprehension for Google Classroom
Description: This modified google quiz form allows you to collect data and scores using this reading comprehension exercise as part of your google classroom. These are designed for you to customize, add to, subtract from, and change . PLEASE MAKE A COPY AND DO NOT TYPE ON THE ORIGINAL.
New Amsterdam Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a detailed historical passage and ten multiple choice questions.
New Amsterdam Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback.
Pennsylvania Colony Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH: 231 Words; LEXILE: 910
Pennsylvania Colony Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 231 Words; LEXILE: 910
Pennsylvania Colony Reading Comprehension for Google Classroom
Description: This modified google quiz form allows you to collect data and scores using this reading comprehension exercise as part of your google classroom. These are designed for you to customize, add to, subtract from, and change . PLEASE MAKE A COPY AND DO NOT TYPE ON THE ORIGINAL.
Pennsylvania Colony Paragraph Paramedics
Description: Find and correct the spelling, punctuation, and usage errors in the paragraph. Click on the error and then type in the correction. Immediate feedback is given.
William Penn Cloze Reading - Online
Description: This online cloze reading exercise requires students to type the words from the word bank into the correct fields in the paragraph. It gives immediate feedback.
William Penn Digital Centers - by Computer Mice
Description: This resource includes numerous bundled digital learning, researching, communicating, reviewing, and gaming activities on William Penn in a single resource. Students can conduct research , fill out graphic organizers and Venn diagrams, write e-books with pictures, conduct interviews, determine fact or opinion, play games, and much, much more! If you're teaching about William Penn you're sure to find any number of unique opportunities for your students here.
Who were the Quakers? -Reading Comprehension Online
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. You can also print out detailed results. PASSAGE LENGTH: 485 Words; LEXILE: 1210
Who were the Quakers? Reading Comprehension - Printable
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 485 Words; LEXILE: 1210
Comparing and Contrasting the Puritans and Quakers
Description: This fun writing activity requires students to sort whether various statements apply to the Puritans, Quakers, or both.
New Jersey Colony Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions.
Colonial New Haven Reading Comprehension
Description: This activity requires students to read a short passage and then answer seven multiple choice questions.
Connecticut Colony Reading Comprehension
Description: This activity requires students to read a short biography and then answer ten multiple choice questions.
Thomas Hooker (Connecticut) Cloze Reading - Online
Description: This online cloze reading exercise requires students to type the words from the word bank into the correct fields in the paragraph. It gives immediate feedback.
Thomas Hooker Digital Centers - by Computer Mice
Description: This resource includes numerous bundled digital learning, researching, communicating, reviewing, and gaming activities on Thomas Hooker in a single resource. Students can conduct research , fill out graphic organizers and Venn diagrams, write e-books with pictures, conduct interviews, determine fact or opinion, play games, and much, much more! If you're teaching about Thomas Hooker you're sure to find any number of unique opportunities for your students here.
Connecticut Cloze Reading
Description: This exercise requires students to read the paragraph and write the missing words. Word bank is provided.
Rhode Island Colony Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions.
Colonial New Haven Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This interactive exercise features a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text.
Colonial Rhode Island Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text.
How Rhode Island Got Its Name Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and seven multiple choice questions.
How Rhode Island Got Its Name Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH = 194 Words; LEXILE = 810
Maryland Colony Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions.
Maryland Colony Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text.
The Maryland Toleration Act Online Reading Comprehension
Description: These interactive reading comprehension activities feature a scrollable passage paired with multiple-choice questions that students can answer one at a time or view all at once. Each activity includes tools for text-to-speech, highlighting, font customization, and generates a printable, color-coded score report with elapsed time for a complete and engaging learning experience.
Maryland Toleration Act Printable Reading Comprehension
Description: These reading comprehension exercises provide students with an engaging informational passage followed by challenging questions that build critical thinking skills. The activities focus on main idea, inference, compare-and-contrast, and summarization to help students deepen understanding and improve reading proficiency. Word Count: 395. Lexile: 1100
House of Burgesses Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH: 199 Words; LEXILE: 1010
House of Burgesses Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 199 Words; LEXILE: 1010
Delaware State Quarter Outline
Description: his resources include a beautifully detailed outline of the New Hampshire state quarter, featuring Caesar Rodney. Perfect for state reports and interactive notebooks.
Delaware Colony Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. PASSAGE LENGTH: 287 Words; LEXILE: 1110
North Carolina Colony Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text.
North Carolina Colony Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 297 Words; LEXILE: 1010
South Carolina Colony Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 301 Words; LEXILE: 1010
South Carolina Colony Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH: 301 Words; LEXILE: 1010
Georgia Colony Reading Comprehension
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH = 182 Words; LEXILE = 1110
Georgia Colony Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH = 182 Words; LEXILE = 1110
James Oglethorpe Digital Centers - by Computer Mice
Description: This resource includes numerous bundled digital learning, researching, communicating, reviewing, and gaming activities on James Oglethorpe in a single resource. Students can conduct research , fill out graphic organizers and Venn diagrams, write e-books with pictures, conduct interviews, determine fact or opinion, play games, and much, much more! If you're teaching about James Oglethorpe, you're sure to find any number of unique opportunities for your students here.
Popham Colony Reading Comprehension
Description: This activity features a short historical passage followed by seven multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 377 Words; LEXILE: 1010
Popham Colony Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource requires students to read a short historical passage and answer seven multiple choice-questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH: 377 Words; LEXILE: 1010
Life as a Blacksmith Sentence Surgeons - Online
Description: This innovative activity requires students to correct the flawed spelling, grammar, and punctuation. The online versions show the numbers and types of errors. As students check their answers, they can see how many of each type of error still need to be corrected.
Life as a Colonial Blacksmith Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. You can also print out detailed results. PASSAGE LENGTH: 198 Words; LEXILE: 910
Life as a Colonial Blacksmith Reading Comprehension - Printable
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions. PASSAGE LENGTH: 198 Words; LEXILE: 910
Life as a Colonial Blacksmith Sentence Puzzles
Description: This fun online activity requires students to re-arrange the words and punctuation to form a coherent sentence about life as a colonial blacksmith. There are three total sentences. immediate feedback is given.
Life as a Colonial Blacksmith Cloze Reading - Printable
Description: This contextual vocabulary exercise requires students to insert the vocabulary words from the word bank that complete the paragraph.
Life as a Colonial Blacksmith Cloze Reading - Online
Description: This contextual vocabulary exercise requires students to insert the vocabulary words from the word bank that complete the paragraph. This exercise gives immediate feedback
Tobacco in the Southern Colonies Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. You can also print out detailed results.
Tobacco in the Southern Colonies Reading Comprehension - Printable
Description: This resource includes a reading passage and seven multiple choice questions.
French and Indian War Reading Comprehension - Online
Description: This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text. PASSAGE LENGTH = 423 Words; LEXILE: 1210
