Where Am I And Where I Want To Go

As previously stated, my content area is Social Studies and my intention is to teach 9th-12th grade students. When introducing a topic for a 10th grade Social Studies class that has a focus on literacy I would introduce the topic of the beginning of the American constitution and how it was written, how the cabinet meetings were held, the Bill of Rights was advocated for and the real life stories of people living in the states at that time, including records from personal Native American accords, textbook explanations, and a virtual introduction about the story line from the infamous Broadway play Hamilton. I would introduce the play, with the preface that a few of the situations are exaggerated for theatric effect but hope that the music and visual representation would cause interest. I would then continue on to the textbook to help give further detail to that time period. In order for the students to have a deeper understanding and further a larger attachment to the material, my main literacy pieces that would include the most reading time would be personal accords from a variety of people during that time period. How were these people feeling? What was their motivation for the events that proceeded? I currently have quite a large understanding of that time period and how each historical event and document built on each other. However my questions would include how to find credible sources for students at the appropriate age and reading level. I would also want to know more about the Native Americans' experience during this time period. Most of the written and taught information goes deeply into what the founding fathers were thinking and doing at the time, however does not take into consideration the experiences or timeline of the Native Americans who were still living throughout most of America at that point. 

I have provided links below to what kind o sources I would include for my students to utilize in my classroom in order to further their understanding of the topic.

Bill of Rights Song:

https://youtu.be/efKy4J81PTg?si=7grpqetfPAOwonRg

Cabinet Meetings: Hamilton: 

https://youtu.be/lNTssCJJTHY?si=1AIgOOjrrKAXc0UI  (I would of course pause this after 2:18, due to language.) 

Native American Origins in the U.S. Constitution:

https://daily.jstor.org/the-native-american-roots-of-the-u-s-constitution/

Letters from Thomas Jefferson to James Madison convincing him to approve the Bill of Rights: 

https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/historic-document-library/detail/thomas-jefferson-and-james-madison-correspondence-on-a-bill-of-rights#:~:text=In%20this%20series%20of%20letters,Rights%20in%20the%20First%20Congress.

(I would of course include the descriptive paragraph and then choose three to four paragraphs from the letters listed and ask them to provide evidence from the letters that supports the claim that Jefferson convinced Madison to approve the Bill of Rights and which arguments that felt were the most convincing for themselves and why. This would promote reading comprehension and induce critical thinking when analyzing the text.)