My First Challenge as a Teacher: Motivation!!

Ok so now I'm teaching Math, Science, and Social Studies at a secondary private school. I'm realizing my work is cut out for me. I'm teaching middle school and high school. Planning and grading is chaotic. I'm sort of stuck on an issue. My students are behind in social studies, specifically history. I have started routines for math and covering what needs to be covered with great lessons and motivating activities. Science seems to be the biggest inteterest to my students so it doesn't take a whole lot to catch their attention with that, not that I don't try. But social studies is coming off as super boring already and I'm not sure what all I can do the make it more interesting. I did a game the other day where students had index cards with terms and definitions regarding the causes of World War 1 and the alliances. It was great practice and they really had to pay attention and listen. But while doing another activity where I had the students analyze a map with dots representing the population distribution in the US to help with critical thinking, I realized that I may have to take it further back. I had a student ask if slavery was in the south. I was stunned because to me it's obvious, but to someone who does not have the knowledge, it may not be and I just never considered that before. Now, I'm trying to figure out how to find the right resources for my classroom and school, make social studies way more exciting, give all my students all the knowledge they need to succeed in college and the career world, and provide them with the proper awareness of their surroundings and world, of themselves as involvled citizens and to grow as professionals. This issue is mostly with my high school students because I have lots of hands-on and exciting lessons planned for my middle school students. It is just difficult trying to reach my high school students without giving them "kiddie" stuff. I'm also trying to figure out how to get my students to come to school. Each day I have at least two students that do not show up (out of 9 high school students total). So I'm trying to come up with some sort of incentive or policy to help improve the attendence. My students are at this school because they struggled in public school because of distractions and behavioral issues. I can tell who my hard working students are and those who haven't quite realized how important this is. THOSE are the ones I'm really trying to motivate. I've been online all day trying to find ides and so far no luck. But I'm still trying and will continue until...well I won't because it's my job! I enjoy what I do so much, no matter the obstacles and challenges. They only make it more interesting.