The Literacy Project- Curriculum/Activity Description

Date: 3-26-03

Submitted by:  Sharon Feeney

Subject:  Political Cartoons

Level: any

Assessment/Evaluation:  students analyze political cartoons without the use of the worksheet aid; students perform self-assessment and describe their confidence/ability to analyze Political Cartoons; teacher observation

Massachusetts ABE Curriculum Frameworks

        Curriculum Framework(s): Social Science and English Language Arts

     Strand                                                                           Learning Standard

Perspective and Interpretation                    What influences perspective and interpretation

                                      How perspective and interpretation affect people’s understanding

     Strand                                                                           Learning Standard

Oral Communication (ELA)                         Participate effectively in structured conversation

Critical Thinking (ELA)                          Use appropriate tools to express ideas and opinions

                                                                 Use computers as learning and research tools

Habits of Mind:  Appreciate that social issues are complicated and require comprehensive critical analyses if they are to be effectively understood and addressed.  Also, recognize the importance of multiple viewpoints and sources for understanding people, events, and issues.

Duration:  25 minutes

Brief Description (for website index): Political Cartoons; tools for practicing interpretation

Lesson Objective(s):  To get students interested in successfully analyzing political cartoons and to express their views with others. 

Lesson Procedure:

~ Choose several editorial cartoons based on student prior knowledge of the topic and their interest in it.  Present to students for discussion/interpretation.  Have students generate a list of clues with regard to understanding the cartoon’s meaning.  

~ Students can analyze several cartoons individually, using the worksheet as an aid. 

~ Class discussion about author’s perspective, student’s views, and whether or not they agree with the artist

Materials Needed:  editorial cartoons, analyzing editorial cartoons worksheet

Special Comments:

Students can also find their own editorial cartoons on the internet, and share them with others to analyze.

 

Other Related Links and Resources (including citations for original sources):

http://cagle.slate.msn.com/