Educational Resources

The following resources are based upon the Library’s manuscripts and early printed books. They aim to support teachers and students by supplementing and extending the National Curriculum, and are freely available to all. School visits to the Library, in conjunction with these resources or otherwise, are encouraged.

If you have any questions or feedback about these resources please contact the Librarian's Assistant, Ryan Cronin on 01223 338711 or email rcc40@cam.ac.uk.

The copyright in the images used in these resources belongs to the Master and Fellows of St John's College, Cambridge. If you would like to publish any of the images in any way please contact the Library for permission.

		Curious People: The History of Exploration Discover how Europeans explored the rest of the world through illustrations and first hand accounts in books, maps and papers from the Library's special collections. This online resource can be accessed by people, places or topics, as well as by using an interactive timeline.
		The Art of Anatomy An online resource offering a background to how the study of anatomy changed during the Renaissance and the importance of Andreas Vesalius' great work On the Fabric of the Human Body. It utilises illustrations from medieval manuscripts and early printed anatomical texts.
		The Way to the Stars: Build Your Own Astrolabe Learn about the astrolabe, an ancient astronomical instrument, and download a template to build your own to try at home. This resource was created as part of the Library's Fred Hoyle Project.
		Slave Trade Abolition in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk An online resource looking at the abolition of the slave trade on a regional level. It provides teaching materials designed for Key Stages 1, 2 and 3, created by the Slave Trade Abolition in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk (STACS) project.
		Letters from the Past Using four historical letters from the Library's special collections, this teaching resource aims to encourage young people to engage critically with primary sources. This was originally created to be part of Cambridge University's 2009 event, 'Letters to the Future'.
		How to Build a Book An instructive or explanatory text with diagrams (PDF 3.5MB). St John's College Library has used book making as a basis for a variety of different projects with schools. Making a simple sewn pamphlet is a creative way of displaying your work.