HARNESSING THE POWER OF HAMILTON

I'm going to assume that most of you have heard about the revolutionary musical taking the nation by storm, Hamilton.  

If there is any question in your mind as to what I am referencing, here are your cliff notes via Wikipedia.

Hamilton: An American Musical is a sung-through musical about the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, with music, lyrics and book by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The show, inspired by the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by historian Ron Chernow, achieved both critical acclaim and box office success.

So, what makes it so revolutionary?  It is predominantly written in rap and has managed to capture the hearts and minds of America's youth.   It has been especially galvanizing for the kid who feels history is irrelevant.  And, I'm personally fond of the fact that the creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda is a former English teacher.

Do you need some proof of it's magic?

From snippets of songs to build interest in the Revolutionary war, to rap battle style debates, or even engaging bulletin boards,  teachers across the nation are harnessing the power of Hamilton.

Education Week shares this video about teachersreceiving training on how to incorporate Hamilton in the classroom.

Mind/Shift shared this video of students, inspired by Hamilton, rapping about the virtues of Henry Knox for an eighth grade American history project.

As someone who lives with a huge Hamilton fan, I can assure you, for some, this musical has opened up an entire world. My daughter has a new fascination with history and gobbles up all she can get her hands on related to the Revolutionary War.  And, just nine short months ago, she would have told you history was her least favorite subject.

Hamilton is just another example of how we can channel students' interest into relevant learning.  If you work with secondary students, or even upper elementary, try mentioning Hamilton.  Their reaction might surprise you!