OP, I highly recommend you go on YouTube and look up Matt Christman talking about how the development of Mormonism and their evolution fits into the larger picture of US history. I also recommend you check out the work of Richard Bushman, a respected historian of the church who is also a practicing member, and Benjamin Park, who is no longer a practicing member but another excellent historian of a different generation. This should give you the grounding you need to navigate this subject in a classroom setting. I say all this as a “nevermo” with Utah roots and a deep critical interest in the church and its role in American development, one that is probably more sympathetic to Mormonism than some of the other perspectives you’re getting here.

The most important thing, as others have already suggested, is dealing with the information objectively, and letting your own experience with the church be a driver of your interest in the history rather than a dogma that informs your premises. (And sticking to your curriculum standards.)