🌟 The Crossing Classroom

Bring History to Life Through the Music and Story of The Crossing

An engaging classroom resource for Grades 6–8

Bring the Ten Crucial Days of 1776 to life through the characters, stories, and music through the Theatrical Concert Version of The Crossing: A Revolutionary New Musical.

The Crossing Classroom is not a curriculum or a replacement for existing history, civics, ELA, music, or theatre programs. It is a flexible, multidisciplinary classroom and performance resource paired with the Theatrical Concert Version script designed to complement what educators are already teaching about the American Revolution.

Using original music, historical context, character exploration, primary-source connections, discussion, writing, role-play, and creative activities, students can experience the people, choices, and ideas of the Revolution in a fresh and memorable way.

Why The Crossing Classroom?

The resources help teachers:

  • Make history memorable through music, storytelling, and dramatic characters.

  • Explore primary sources and powerful ideas, including Thomas Paine's The American Crisis, point of view, author’s purpose, symbolism, theme, leadership, civic duty, sacrifice, freedom, and equality.

  • Connect disciplines including history, civics, ELA, music, and drama.

  • Encourage critical thinking through character analysis, moral dilemmas, discussion, and writing.

  • Explore different perspectives through the experiences of soldiers, civilians, women, Black Americans, and Revolutionary leaders.

  • Use the materials flexibly—from individual activities to a series of classroom activities complementing an existing Revolutionary War unit.

Students Can:

  • Step into the world of characters and historical figures including James, Jacob, Elizabeth, Thomas Paine, and George Washington.

  • Grapple with the difficult choices faced by ordinary people during the crisis of 1776.

  • Explore how Thomas Paine's words helped inspire a struggling Continental Army.

  • Listen and respond to original songs from The Crossing.

  • Examine themes of courage, perseverance, sacrifice, equality, freedom, and civic responsibility.

  • Participate in discussion, writing, role-play, character analysis, and cooperative learning activities.

  • Discover how ordinary people helped shape extraordinary events.

What You Receive

Your Middle School license provides a collection of digital classroom resources built around The Crossing, including:

  • Teacher Resource Guide

  • Classroom Script 

  • Printable Activity Sheets

  • Character and Role-Play Materials

  • Vocabulary, Discussion, Writing, and Listening Activities

  • Lyric Sheets for Seven Songs

  • Seven MP3 Listening/Karaoke Tracks

Additional Music Resources for Performance

For schools wishing to incorporate live student performance, the Middle School package also includes:

  • Piano/Vocal Scores for Three Songs

  • Lead Sheets for Three Songs

These materials give choir and music teachers the option of bringing selected songs from The Crossing into rehearsal or performance.

A New Way to Experience History

The Delaware Crossing and the Ten Crucial Days aren't simply dates and battles to memorize. They are stories of real people confronting fear, uncertainty, sacrifice, and extraordinary choices at a pivotal moment in American history.

The Crossing Classroom helps middle school students experience those stories through the music and characters of an exciting new American musical.

Don't just teach the Ten Crucial Days. Let your students hear the music, meet the people, confront the choices, and step into the story.

Middle School Grades 6–8 License

For just $497, the license provides access to the Middle School Crossing Classroom digital resources in accordance with the terms of the Licensing Agreement.

All materials are delivered digitally by download only. Written materials are provided as PDF files and audio materials as MP3 files. No printed or physical materials are included. Teachers may print the PDF resources as permitted under the license for use within the licensed school district.

Once your order and Licensing Agreement are received, Crossing Theatrics, LLC will countersign the agreement and email you a completed copy along with the link to download your licensed PDF and MP3 materials.

Click here to order today

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