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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Herblock at 100

For Students 8th - 12th
In celebration of renowned cartoonist Herb Block's Library of Congress exhibition, this handout includes 2 of his famous political cartoons for scholars to analyze. Background information describes "Herblock's" career, and talking points...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Joseph Wilson Accuses the President

For Students 9th - 12th
Get a fun discussion going with this current events worksheet, which has scholars analyzing 2 political cartoons about an incident in 2009, when Congressman Joseph Wilson accused President Barack Obama of lying during a speech....
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Berryman, Roosevelt, and the Teddy Bear

For Students 8th - 12th
Do your historians know the story behind the teddy bear? Background information clues learners in to the context of a political cartoon, which depicts Teddy Roosevelt on his famous hunting trip. They will read about renown cartoonist...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Inspiration from the Classics

For Students 11th - 12th
Even cartoonists can take inspiration from the masters. Learners will learn about Fuseli's The Nightmare and compare it to the cartoon it inspired. They'll analyze the cartoon in relation to the original piece as well as the political...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Human Rights

For Students 11th - 12th
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a political cartoon is like reading an essay. Have your critical thinkers examine three cartoons to read between the lines, gaining insight and information. They analyze how these cartoons...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons in the Classroom: Doves, Flags, and Bombs

For Students 9th - 11th
A political cartoon is timely and thought-provoking. Learners analyze the symbolism found in the cartoon as it relates to current tensions between North and South Korea. Three in-depth analysis questions guide and stimulate class...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Dems and dat dang debt

For Students 10th - 12th
Warm up the class with this political cartoon analysis. They use the provided guiding questions to analyze a cartoon depicting issues of debate regarding Federal debt. Critical thinking is a must with this worksheet.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Oil Spill Perspectives

For Students 9th - 12th
With the BP oil spill still fresh on your scholars' minds, take the opportunity to analyze various perspectives on it through political cartoons. This critical-analysis handout features 2 cartoons on the incident. Background information...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons in the Classroom: Gas Pains Again

For Students 10th - 12th
The price of gas has increased around the country, and many political cartoons, such as this one, have used humor to get people thinking about it. With the help of three very good critical thinking prompts, learners will analyze a...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Recession Puts our Patients to the Test

For Students 10th - 12th
Cartoons for the classroom has put out another great worksheet intended to get upper graders thinking. They analyze a political cartoon regarding economic recovery and President Obama. Three great discussion questions and a web link make...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: The End Times

For Students 9th - 12th
Are these the end times? Combine current events with religious prophecy in this activity, where scholars analyze a 2007 political cartoon in the context of current issues. Background information explains the Four Horsemen of the...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Vanishing Newspapers

For Students 8th - 12th
What is happening to our newspapers? In the context of the current trends of media and the ever-declining print news industry, this handout includes two political cartoons for pupils to analyze, both created by artists working for...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Oh, What's the Next Crisis?

For Students 10th - 12th
As scholars examine a simple political cartoon, they consider some of the crises of 2009: oil, foreign wars, energy, global warming, Swine Flu, etc. A list is provided for background information, and 3 talking points (or writing points)...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Congress and the President

For Students 11th - 12th
Learners take a critical look at the ways in which the president interacts with Congress in order to make political and economic decisions. They use a series of well-constructed discussion questions to guide their thinking as they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interpreting Political Cartoons in the History Classroom

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students analyze political cartoons. For this historical perspectives lesson, students use the provided cartoon analysis worksheet to examine the political cartoons that their instructor shares with them.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Syrian Government Censorship

For Students 9th - 12th
Approach censorship through the controversy of the Syrian government's violence against kidnapped cartoonist Ali Ferzat. Background information gives learners context of the issue, and a link offers further media coverage of the event....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Immigration

For Teachers 8th - 12th
This 3-day immigration study draws on historical trends and current events. A worksheet accompanies initial research on one group's U.S. immigration history, giving opportunity for collaborative learning through sharing findings. Groups...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Political Cartoons

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore political cartoons.  In this government current events lesson, students analyze the visual language and symbolism present in five different political cartoons.  Students discuss the event or issue that inspired the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Political Cartoons Illustrating Progressivism and the Election of 1912

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers study a current political cartoon to introduce the ideas of symbolism, humor, exaggeration, and caricature in editorial cartoons. They study cartoons from the past to gain an understanding of the culture of 1912.
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Lesson Plan
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Smithsonian Institution

Us vs. Them: The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

For Teachers 8th - 11th Standards
Immigration issues are nothing new. An interesting lesson focuses on the racially motivated Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and its impact on the Chinese American community. Scholars read articles, analyze political cartoons, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Drawing Political Cartoons

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students draw political cartoons. In this editorial cartoons lesson, students discover the history of the cartoons in America, analyze some cartoons, and then draw their own cartoons that make social statements.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Political Cartoons of Political Machines: New Your City

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discover details about political machine bosses. In this political cartoon lesson, students use the provided political cartoon analysis worksheet to analyze cartoons of Boss Tweed. Students then compose essays about the...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Decoding an Editorial Cartoon

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What advantages do political cartoons have over written editorials? Scholars discuss the topic by exploring editorial cartoons. Working in small groups, pupils analyze an Uncle Sam cartoon and complete a worksheet. As a fun extension,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Political Cartoons

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers analyze and interpret political cartoons, then use this knowledge to create their own.