Hamilton is not just a musical about history; it is a masterclass in language. Lin-Manuel Miranda uses a stunning array of literary devices, poetic forms, and rhythmic styles to tell a story that is both centuries old and urgently modern. By bringing Hamilton into your Language Arts classroom, you can help students see that poetry, rap, and spoken word are not dusty relics, but living, breathing forms of expression that shape how we understand our world and our history.
This page offers lesson starters, teacher-generated ideas, and two full lesson plans designed to help Monterey County 8th graders explore the power of words. These activities are also perfect for partnering with colleagues in History, Music, and even Drama to create a truly interdisciplinary unit.
Teacher Ideas & Lesson Starters
These activities are flexible entry points for exploring poetry, rhetoric, and voice. They have been inspired by the creative ways local educators are using the musical to engage their students.
✍️ The Anatomy of a Conflict
The Idea: Use the song “Ten Dual Commandments” as a mentor text for teaching narrative structure and procedural writing. The song breaks down a complex event (a duel) into a clear, step-by-step process.
Language Arts Focus: Text structure, sequencing, procedural writing.
The Activity: After analyzing the song’s structure, challenge students to write their own “Ten Commandments” for a modern conflict. This could be “The Ten Commandments of Arguing with a Sibling,” “The Ten Commandments of a Group Text Gone Wrong,” or “The Ten Commandments of Asking for a Raise (at a part-time job).”
🗽 “The Roast”
The Idea: This short, aggressive track is a perfect text for studying diction, tone, and rhetorical appeals (specifically pathos). It’s essentially a two-minute roast set to music.
Language Arts Focus: Speaking and listening, tone, word choice, invective, and logos/ethos/pathos.
The Activity: Discuss why the words Miranda chose are so effective. Why “fat ass” instead of “stubborn”? Why “traitor” instead of “opponent”? Then, have students engage in a “Historical Roast.” Assign them different figures from the Revolutionary era (or any era you’re studying). Their task is to write a short, poetic roast of their figure from the perspective of a rival, using specific historical grievances to fuel their insults.
📜 Finding Your Own Voice
The Idea: Use Washington’s reflective song to explore the concept of legacy and the responsibility that comes with telling a story—whether your own or someone else’s.
Cross-Curricular Partner: An ELD teacher could use this as a framework for students to share stories from their families or cultures.
Language Arts Focus: Personal narrative, voice, theme, audience.
The Activity: After listening to the song and discussing Washington’s fears and advice to Hamilton, ask students to write a short personal narrative about a moment they learned a difficult lesson or felt the weight of others’ expectations; a small, true moment that reveals something about their character.
“I wanted to try something different with teaching sequence, so I used ‘The Ten Duel Commandments’ as a model. I had my students map out the steps of a conflict from a short story we had just read, and then they wrote their own ‘Commandments’ for resolving it. One of my quieter students, who usually struggles with writing, wrote a brilliant piece called ‘The Ten Commandments of Asking My Mom for Money.’ It was funny, it was structured perfectly, and it showed me he understood the assignment on a deep level.”
— ELA Teacher, Seaside
“I used ‘History Has Its Eyes On You’ as a journal prompt. I just asked, ‘When have you felt like someone was watching you, expecting you to make the right choice?’ The writing that came out of it was so honest. Students wrote about being the first to go to college, about helping raise younger siblings, about standing up to friends. It turned into a unit on personal narrative that felt more meaningful than anything I’ve done before. They really connected to the idea that their stories matter, too.”
— ELA Teacher, Marina
“My co-worker in the History department and I decided to try a joint project. In History, they were learning about the election of 1800 and the Adams-Jefferson rivalry. In ELA, we used ‘The Adams Administration’ to analyze how political attacks were crafted then vs. now. The kids then had to write a series of attack ads or insult poems from the perspective of either an Adams or Jefferson supporter. It was loud, it was competitive, and they were using primary source documents to find their ammunition. “
— ELA Teacher, King City
Lesson Plan 1: Analyzing Rhythm, Rhyme, and Figurative Language
This lesson introduces students to the concept of rap as a modern poetic form, using “My Shot” as a central text for identifying and analyzing classic poetic devices.
| Lesson Overview | Details |
| Grade Level | 8th Grade |
| Time Allotment | Two 50-minute class periods |
| CA Common Core Standards (ELA) | RL.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.RL.8.5: Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style. |
| Materials Needed | – Access to the Hamilton soundtrack (“My Shot”) and a printed copy of the lyrics- Printed copies of a classic poem (e.g., “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus or “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman)- Annotation tools (highlighters, pens) |
Day 1: Exploring “My Shot” as Poetry (50 min)
- Hook (5 min): Ask students: “Is rap music poetry?” Let them debate briefly. Explain that today, they will be analyzing a rap song the same way they would a poem in a textbook.
- First Listen (5 min): Play “My Shot.” Ask students to just listen and note one or two phrases that stand out to them.
- Guided Annotation (20 min): Distribute the lyrics. Play the song again, pausing at key moments. Guide students to identify:
- Rhyme Scheme: Point out internal rhymes and multi-syllabic rhymes. (“I’m past patiently waitin’… passionately facin’…”)
- Allusion: Discuss lines like “I’m just like my country / I’m young, scrappy, and hungry.” How is Hamilton like the young United States?
- Metaphor: Analyze the central metaphor of the “shot.”
- Tone: How does the rhythm and word choice create a feeling of urgency and ambition?
- Exit Ticket (10 min): On a slip of paper, students answer: “Find one line from ‘My Shot’ that you think is a great example of poetry. Write the line and explain why.”
Day 2: Comparing to a Classic Poem (50 min)
- Warm-up (5 min): Review the definition of one device they found in “My Shot” (e.g., metaphor).
- Introduce the Poem (5 min): Provide students with a printed copy of a classic American poem, such as “The New Colossus.”
- Partner Analysis (20 min): In pairs, students read the poem and annotate it for the same devices they looked for in “My Shot”: figurative language, allusions, and the effect of word choice on tone.
- Whole Class Discussion (15 min): Create a T-chart on the board. On one side, list observations about “My Shot.” On the other, list observations about the classic poem. Guide a discussion: How are they similar? How are they different? Do both qualify as poetry? Why or why not?
- Final Reflection (5 min): Students write one sentence answering the hook question: “Is rap music poetry? Why or why not?”
Lesson Plan 2: Writing Spoken Word Poetry
This lesson focuses on student voice and expression, using “The Story of Tonight” as a launching point for students to write and perform their own spoken word pieces about their hopes, friendships, or visions for the future.
| Lesson Overview | Details |
| Grade Level | 8th Grade |
| Time Allotment | Three 50-minute class periods |
| CA Common Core Standards (ELA) | W.8.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.SL.8.6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 8 Language standards 1 and 3 for specific expectations.) |
| Materials Needed | – Access to the Hamilton soundtrack (“The Story of Tonight,” “Dear Theodosia,” “One Last Time”)- Video examples of youth spoken word poetry (from YouTube channels like Button Poetry)- Writing notebooks or Chromebooks |
Day 1: What is Spoken Word? (50 min)
- Hook (5 min): Play the first minute of “The Story of Tonight.” Ask: “What feeling does this song capture? What is being celebrated?” (Friendship, hope, a shared moment, a belief in the future).
- Introduction to Spoken Word (15 min): Explain that spoken word poetry is meant to be performed. It’s personal, rhythmic, and often addresses themes of identity, community, and hope. Show one or two brief, age-appropriate examples of youth spoken word poetry online.
- Analyzing Hamilton as Spoken Word (15 min): Go back to “The Story of Tonight.” Listen again, but this time with the lyrics. Discuss:
- How does the repetition (“The story of tonight”) create a sense of unity?
- How do the simple words convey a big emotion?
- What is the “story” they are choosing to tell?
- Brainstorming (15 min): In their notebooks, students begin brainstorming for their own “Story of Tonight” poem. Prompts: What is something you and your friends dream about? What is a moment you want to celebrate? What is a hope you have for your community? What is “your story” right now?
Day 2: Crafting the Poem (50 min)
- Warm-up (5 min): Play “Dear Theodosia” or “One Last Time” as examples of songs that express deep, personal hopes. Discuss the tone.
- Writing Workshop (35 min): Students use their brainstorming to draft their own spoken word poems. Provide a simple structure if needed:
- Start with a statement: “This is the story of…”
- Add detail: What does it look like? Feel like? Sound like?
- Include a hope or a wish: “Someday, we will…”
- End with a powerful image or repeated line.
- Peer Feedback (10 min): In pairs, students share their drafts and give one specific compliment and one specific suggestion.
Day 3: Performance and Celebration (50 min)
- Warm-up (5 min): Discuss what makes a good spoken word performance. (Eye contact, pacing, emotion, volume). Model a short line from “The Story of Tonight” with and without emotion.
- Rehearsal (15 min): Give students time to practice reading their poems aloud. Encourage them to find the rhythm in their own words.
- Open Mic (20 min): Create a supportive “open mic” environment. Invite volunteers to the front of the class to perform their poems. Lead the class in respectful applause after each performance. (Be mindful of students who may be nervous; offer alternative ways to share, such as a recorded video or reading from their seat).
- Wrap-up (10 min): Reflect as a class. How did it feel to share your own “story of tonight”? How does spoken word give us a voice that other forms of writing might not?
We would love to hear your stories. If your students create something wonderful, please email us. Your ideas may end up on this page inspiring other Monterey County teachers.
We hope these resources help your students find their own voices while discovering the power of language in Hamilton. For more ideas on integrating arts into your curriculum, please explore the resources available through the Monterey County Office of Education.