Judicial Branch of California
The Power of the Press: The First Amendment
Was what happened in 1886 at the Haymarket riot a crime or a case of xenophobia? Using political cartoons from the time, young historians consider the role the media played in anti-labor sentiment during the time and how that influenced...
Classroom Law Project
What do cartoonists see in this election?
Cartoons from the 2008 Presidential election provide the text for a lesson designed to help learners understand how political cartoonists use persuasive techniques to present a point of view.
Pulitzer Center
The Paradise Papers: A Lesson in Investigative Journalism
The Paradise Papers, a year-long research project from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism (ICIJ) exposed how political leaders, business people, and wealthy individuals used offshore entities to avoid taxes and hide...
Madison Public Schools
Journalism
Whether you are teaching a newspaper unit in language arts, covering the First Amendment and censorship in social studies, or focusing on writing ethics in journalism, a unit based on the foundations of journalism would be an excellent...
Curated OER
The Way Editorial Cartoons Work
Twelfth graders interpret visual language found in political cartoons.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Censorship, Silencing an Anti-War Voice
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze political cartoons with anti-war messages and respond to 5 talking point questions.
Teaching Tolerance
Consuming and Creating Political Art
A picture is worth a thousand words, but political art may be worth even more! After examining examples of political cartoons, murals, and other forms of public art, class members create their own pieces to reflect their ideals and...
Curated OER
Political Cartoons
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...
Curated OER
Political Cartoon Interpretation - (1886) American Imperialism
High schoolers analyze political cartoons. In this American Imperialism lesson, students examine "The Cuban Melodrama," and write their own interpretations of the political cartoon.
Curated OER
The Birth of the American Empire as Seen Through Political Cartoons (1896-1905)
High schoolers explore the concept of political cartoons. In this political cartoons lesson, students examine political cartoons from different time periods in American history and respond to questions regarding them.
National First Ladies' Library
All the News That's Fit to Draw: Political Cartooning and the Presidency
Young scholars research, analyze and study the history of political cartooning in the United States. They recognize a political cartoon, be able to identify the main idea, the symbols and the exaggeration and caricature in political...
Curated OER
Interpreting Political Cartoons - "Roaring" 20s
Eleventh graders investigate 1920's America. In this political cartoon lesson, 11th graders interpret political cartoons from the 1920's and respond to the provided analysis questions that accompany the cartoons.
Curated OER
Don't Lose Your Way in the News
Students explore language arts by participating in a newspaper analysis activity. In this journalism instructional activity, students identify how newspapers present stories, who is writing them and how they can obtain information from...
Newspaper Association of America
Citizens Together: You and Your Newspaper
Not all news in a newspaper comes in the form of a traditional article; photographs, charts, and even editorial cartoons help spread important information, too. A civics-based unit describes the parts of the newspaper as tools for...
Curated OER
Editorial Cartoons: A Historical Example of Immigration Debates
Eleventh graders analyze political cartoons. For this American History lesson, 11th graders research the Chinese Exclusion Act and the current arguments about immigration to the United States. Students create a graphic organizer...
Curated OER
Energy Crisis: Then and Now
Using political cartoons, scholars analyze the energy crisis of the 1970s and '80s, comparing and contrasting it to current tensions with oil. Display the 6 cartoons (linked) to the class, and demonstrate analysis using the worksheet...
Curated OER
The Election of 1896 - Gold or Silver?
Students analyze the issues behind the Election of 1896 and describe the positions of William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan. They evaluate editorial cartoons supporting McKinley's candidacy via editorial cartoons. Each student...
Curated OER
Progressive Reforms
Tenth graders analyze editorial cartoons focusing on progressive reform. They compare their analysis and research. Students discuss the cost of reform leading to the creation of a national income tax through the passage of the 16th...
Curated OER
No Joke - My Voice Counts!
Students respond to cartoons. In this social and cultural issues lesson plan, students examine how cartoons can be used to get a message across to the reader. After examining numerous cartoons, students create their own cartoon with a...
Curated OER
Using Political Cartoons and Propaganda in Teaching the Holocaust
Students gain an understanding of the Holocaust through analysis of political cartoons. In this Holocaust activity, students examine propaganda in political cartoons that were used in Nazi Germany.
Curated OER
Political Cartoons: Symbols of Fear
Students brainstorm a list of reasons for fear, hate, and mistrust. They assess political cartoons for symbols, messages, and points of view. After researching cartoons, they choose one that best depicts fear or hatred and write...
Curated OER
Toontime
Students examine and discuss how editorial cartoons are made and their role in society. They research and write about Andrew Jackson's presidency, and create an editorial cartoon of a modern presidency.
Curated OER
Analyzing Election Cartoons
Young scholars are introduced to the history of political cartoons and examine both historical and modern examples. They analyze a cartoon that expresses an opinion about a current event different than their own and develop an original...
Curated OER
Interpreting Political Cartoons – Vietnam Era
Eleventh graders explore opinions regarding U.S. involvement in Vietnam. In this primary source analysis lesson plan, 11th graders analyze political cartoons related to the Vietnam War and then respond to the provided discussion questions.