The purpose of this paper is to share with social science educators a coherent framework for implementing Hamilton: An American Musical into their classrooms, while also supporting the wider objective of leveraging music to foster disciplinary literacy skills and culturally relevant practices. The framework is a construct that draws on author’s previous teaching experience and its purpose is to inform and support teachers’ practice.
The author first highlights literature focused on the effectiveness of using music in the social science classroom as a response to author’s own teaching experience using Hamilton: An American Musical, then hones in on the impact of hip-hop music specifically. Finally, the author unites Pellegrino’s (2013) models (close reading, inquiry, student discovery and creative development) to songs from Miranda’s Hamilton to provide pedagogical strategies and examples that are ready to be implemented in the Secondary US History Classroom.
Lin Manuel Miranda’s portrayal of Hamilton and his historical compatriots as ethnically diverse, combustible and provocative figures bring to life experiences that are unexpectedly and uniquely American, connecting with current generations, while remaining anchored in history (Mason, 2017). The success and relatability of Miranda’s Hamilton and this time-warped story of the founding fathers has led social studies teachers to explore ways to use the music, dialogue and messages in their classrooms.
While many lesson examples related to Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton have proliferated online, there remains a lack of pedagogical coherence to help teachers extend this work as part of a larger framework of practice designed to support teaching and learning through music. The author strives to provide social science educators a strategic, adaptable and ready-to-use framework for implementing Miranda’s Hamilton: An American Musical into their classrooms.
