Skip to Main Content

Lesson 4

We will continue to explore the question, “Who is Alexander Hamilton?” We will listen to the final 11 songs from Act 1 of Hamilton and will track our thinking about the characters as well as where we are confused or need additional background knowledge.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I summarize what is happening in Act 1 of Hamilton: An American Musical?

  • Can I identify different characters and how they relate to the plot?

Texts

Core

  • Tradebook
    • Hamilton: The Revolution, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter, Grand Central, 2016
  • Digital Access
    • “70th Annual Tony Awards ‘Hamilton’,” Lin-Manuel Miranda, YouTube, October 15, 2016
    • “Hamilton: 2016 Tony Awards,” Lin-Manuel Miranda, YouTube, October 15, 2016
  • Multimedia
    • Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording), Lin-Manuel Miranda, Atlantic, October 16, 2015

Optional

  • Multimedia
    • Hamilton, Thomas Kail, Walt Disney Studios, 2020

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Listen – Read

We read the lyrics and listen to the songs “Wait For It,” “Stay Alive,” “Ten Duel Commandments,” “Meet Me Inside,” and “That Would Be Enough.”

Listen to and read the lyrics of the songs "Wait for It," "Stay Alive," "Ten Duel Commandments," "Meet Me Inside," and "That Would Be Enough."

Add responses to your Act 1 Notice and Wonder Note-Taking Tool to track your observations, thoughts, and questions in the correct section. As you do this, think about the following questions:

  1. What Revolutionary War events are described?

  2. What new information have you gained about Alexander Hamilton?

With a partner, share your observations, thoughts, and questions.

Activity 2: Read – View

We will view and discuss the songs “Wait For It,” “Stay Alive,” “Ten Duel Commandments,” “Meet Me Inside,” and “That Would Be Enough” from the filmed stage production of Hamilton.

View the songs "Wait for It," "Stay Alive," "Ten Duel Commandments," "Meet Me Inside," and "That Would Be Enough" from the filmed stage production of Hamilton. Refer to the lyrics in Hamilton: The Revolution book as needed.

While watching, add responses to your Act 1Notice and Wonder Note-Taking Tool in the appropriate sections to track your observations, thoughts, and questions for each song and its scene. Think about the following questions:

  1. What new characters are you introduced to in these songs?

  2. What Revolutionary War events are described?

  3. What new information have you gained about Alexander Hamilton?

  4. What else do you learn about the characters from their movement, facial expressions, gestures, and interactions with other characters in these scenes?

  5. How does the lighting of these scenes impact your understanding of the events and characters in the musical?

In a whole-class discussion, share your observations first, your thoughts second, and your questions last.

Activity 3: Listen – Read

We will read the lyrics and listen to the songs “Guns And Ships,” “History Has Its Eyes On You,” and “Yorktown.”

Step 1

Read the lyrics and listen to the songs "Guns and Ships," "History Has Its Eyes on You," and "Yorktown."

Add responses to your Act 1 Notice and Wonder Note-Taking Tool to track your observations, thoughts, and questions in the correct section. As you do this, think about the following questions:

  1. What Revolutionary War events are described?

  2. What new information have you gained about Alexander Hamilton?

Step 2

Watch the Hamilton cast perform "History Has Its Eye on You" and "Yorktown." Continue taking notes on the Act 1 Notice and Wonder Note-Taking Tool.

With a partner, share your observations, thoughts, and questions.

Activity 4: Listen – Read

We read the lyrics and listen to the songs “What Comes Next?” “Dear Theodosia,” and “Non Stop.”

Listen to and read the lyrics of the songs "What Comes Next?" "Dear Theodosia," and "Non-Stop."

Add responses to your Act 1 Notice and Wonder Note-Taking Tool to track your observations, thoughts, and questions in the correct sections. As you do this, think about the following questions:

  1. What information do you learn from King George’s song?

  2. What new information have you gained about Alexander Hamilton?

With your partner, share your observations, thoughts, and questions.

Activity 5: Read – View

We will view and discuss the songs “Guns And Ships,” “History Has Its Eyes On You,” “Yorktown,” “What Comes Next?” “Dear Theodosia,” and “Non Stop” from the filmed stage production of Hamilton.

View the songs "Guns and Ships," "History Has Its Eyes on You," "Yorktown,” "What Comes Next?" "Dear Theodosia," and "Non-Stop" from the filmed stage production of Hamilton. Refer to the lyrics in Hamilton: The Revolution book as needed.

While watching, add responses to your Act 1Notice and Wonder Note-Taking Tool in the appropriate sections to track your observations, thoughts, and questions for each song and its scene. Think about the following questions:

  1. What new characters are you introduced to in these songs?

  2. What Revolutionary War events are described?

  3. What information do you learn from King George’s song?

  4. What new information have you gained about Alexander Hamilton?

  5. What else do you learn about the characters from their movement, facial expressions, gestures, and interactions with other characters in these scenes?

  6. How does the staging of these scenes impact your understanding of the events and characters in the musical?

In a whole-class discussion, share your observations first, your thoughts second, and your questions last.

Activity 6: Write

We will summarize what has happened in Hamilton: An American Musical so far.

For homework, use the Summarizing Text Tool to summarize the plot of “Non-Stop.”