The Lost Colony of Roanoke is an enduring mystery that fascinates students year after year.

After learning about Roanoke in class, students often use their free time to research the mystery surrounding the lost settlers. They also check out books from the library to learn more about one of America’s first mysteries.

If you need a free, helpful teacher’s guide, definitely grab this one: How to Teach the Lost Colony of Roanoke – A Guide for Teachers

The Story of Roanoke

In 1587, John White led a group of over 100 men, women, and children to a small island off the coast of North Carolina.

After a short time, John White left the group and sailed back to England for fresh supplies. He didn’t return for three years due to the raging war between England and Spain.

When John White finally returned, he reported that the settlers he’d left behind had vanished, all of the animals were missing, and the houses were taken down.

He said that there was no sign of a struggle and that the only clues left behind were the word CROATOAN carved into a wooden post and the letters CRO carved into a tree.

Disappearance Theories

There are many theories out there that seek to explain the fate of the lost colonists, which range from purely plausible to waaaay out there. These are the disappearance theories that I pose to students:

⇨ Perhaps the settlers divided into smaller groups and went to live with nearby Native American groups.

⇨ The settlers could have been attacked and killed by hostile enemies.

⇨ The Roanoke settlers were killed by Spanish troops marching up the coastline. England and Spain were at war during this time.

⇨ The settlers, desperate for supplies and tired of waiting for John White to return, tried to sail back to England, but were lost at sea.

I give students time to discuss the disappearance theories in their groups. They usually come to the conclusion, initially, that the settlers separated into smaller groups and assimilated into sympathetic Native American tribes.

I make sure that students understand that it was not possible for all of the settlers to join a single tribe. We discuss the following quote:

“No single [tribe or village] could have supported them. They would be even larger than some villages.” – Eric Klingelhofer (Historian)

My Own Theory About What Happened to the Roanoke Settlers…

Let me tell you what I think happened to the Roanoke settlers.

Personally, I think that when John White returned to Roanoke, he and his crew found the settlers dead due to attack, disease, or starvation. They buried the bodies and created the “mystery” story.

If news spread to England that all of the men, women, and children living in Roanoke had died, no one else would be willing to make the risky voyage to colonize the New World.

This History.com video explains my theory really well.

Historical research on the Lost Colony is ongoing. Historians are using primary source maps, DNA testing, ground-penetrating radar, and many other resources to find clues about what happened to the lost settlers.

I hope that this mystery will be solved in our lifetimes. How exciting would that be?!?

Teach the Lost Colony of Roanoke with confidence and clarity using this free teacher’s guide: Teaching Roanoke – A Guide for 5th Grade Teachers

How I Teach the Lost Colony of Roanoke

First, I use a Google Slides presentation to give students an overview of the Roanoke settlement and the mystery of what happened to the settlers.

Next, we read an informational text about the Lost Colony, discuss theories, and complete a couple of quick interactive notebook activities.

Finally, I lead students in a few engaging activities to solidify their knowledge of the Lost Colony and to help them think critically about their opinions on what happened to the settlers.

SURPRISE! I have a free Lost Colony of Roanoke Cloze Passage for you. This resource is an excellent review for students after learning about the Lost Colony. Answer key included 🙂