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Analyzing political cartoons -- middle grades.

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Political cartoons are an excellent way to assess the popular culture of a particular time period. This lesson will combine history and language arts by asking students to examine various political cartoons in order to analyze point of view, symbolism, analogy, captions/labels, and irony, as is recommended in Pennsylvania’s Core Standards.

This lesson also will help students use their critical thinking skills to understand various historical events and, at the end of the lesson, students will have the opportunity to create their own cartoon. HSP has hundreds of political cartoons so if you find that you would like to use more, feel free to contact us for a full list of age appropriate cartoons for your classroom.

Essential Questions

Students will:

  • Learn how to analyze political cartoons.
  • Apply figures of speech such as Exaggeration, Irony, Analogy, and Symbolism.
  • Understand the author’s point of view.
  • Determine the importance of the historical moment.

Other Materials

Common Uses of Symbolism in Political Cartoons Workshee t Political Cartoon Analysis Worksheet

Suggested Instructional Procedures

1. To begin this lesson, it is important to discuss each of the vocabulary for analysis. These vocabulary words are set up to help your students determine the author’s point of view. You can use the examples given or come up with your own as you see fit. If your students have never seen some of the vocabulary words, this will probably take a little longer, yet for students who are already familiar with the terms this will work as a refresher.

2. Next, go over with the students the vocabulary for historical context. These are people or terms that will show up in the political cartoons; therefore, they should at least know the bare minimum. This way, when they see the words or names, they have enough background knowledge to understand the picture. It will be best for each student to be given a handout with the historical content necessary so that he or she can refer to it while observing the cartoons.

3. Now, explore the Common Symbolism worksheet with students. This will help them grasp common themes that will pop up in political cartoons, such as donkeys representing the Democratic Party, elephants representing the Republican Party, and rats representing dirt or filth, etc.

4. Once the students have sufficient background knowledge, you can display the political cartoons. Have the students take out their Political Cartoons Analysis worksheet and fill out a row for each cartoon. Make sure to walk students through the first cartoon, pointing out how each of the vocabulary is used in the cartoon.

5. By cartoon two or three, begin to let students write out on their own the symbolism, irony, point of view, exaggeration, and analogy that they find in the cartoons. By the end, they should be able to work independently to figure out what the cartoon is depicting, using their vocabulary and common symbolism worksheets as a guide. After students finish their independent assessment of a couple cartoons, present the findings with the class to make sure students understood.

6. As a final objective, ask students, individually or in pairs, to create a cartoon of their own which expresses their point of view on a specific topic. This final objective can be historical, relating to the topics in the cartoons, or something from their everyday life. For example, ask them how they would use symbolism to show things in their everyday life, such as “Cleaning their room,”  “Lunchtime at school,” or “Snow Day,” just to give a couple of topic examples.  Also, you could ask them to create a cartoon that talks about a specific topic in history that was being discussed such as the Civil War or a Presidential election etc.

Vocabulary needed for analysis: Symbolism: Something that stands for something else. For example, a heart can be a symbol for love. Irony : Words that mean that opposite of their usual meaning, for Example, a bald man named “Harry.” Analogy: Comparison between two different things that may have similar characteristics. For example, he is as loyal as a dog or she runs as fast as a cheetah. Exaggeration: Making something seem more that it really is, for example, telling your parents that if you do not get the toy you want, it will be the ‘end of the world.’ Inference: Conclusions reached based upon reasoning and evidence.  For example, if I draw a picture of a bug with a big red X over it, based on the evidence from the picture you could infer that I do not like bugs.

Vocabulary for Historical Context : Abraham Lincoln: 16th president of the United States (1861-65). He was the president during the Civil War and he signed the Emancipation Proclamation that emancipated the slaves. Jefferson Davis: President of the South (confederacy) during the Civil War from 1861-65. William Taft: President of the United States from 1909-1913. Known for being a very large man. Woodrow Wilson: United States Democratic President after Taft (1913-1921). He is sometimes depicted as weak in political cartoons due to his views on maintaining neutrality rather than entering World War I. George McClellan: A General for the North during the Civil War. He believed in preserving the union first. Inauguration: A ceremony that begins a president’s term in office. Secession: Withdrawing or removing yourself from membership, usually withdrawing from membership in a government. For example, the southern states seceded from the Union during the civil war to form the Confederate States of America. Garfield: President of the United States (1881), yet only briefly because he was assassinated.  

political cartoon worksheet middle school

Plans in this Unit

Grade level, standards/eligible content, about the author.

Alicia Parks, Education Intern, Historical Society of Pennsylvania

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  • English & Literature
  • Grades 9-12
  • Comics & Animation

Drawing Political Cartoons How do political cartoons convey messages about current events?

In this 9-12 lesson, students will analyze cartoon drawings to create an original political cartoon based on current events. Students will apply both factual knowledge and interpretive skills to determine the values, conflicts, and important issues reflected in political cartoons.

Get Printable Version   Copy to Google Drive

Lesson Content

  • Preparation
  • Instruction

Learning Objectives  

Students will: 

  • Analyze visual and language clues to determine the meaning of contemporary and historical political cartoons.
  • Research and gather information to plan a visual story. 
  • Create a political cartoon based on a current event.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts Standards National Core Arts Standards

VA:Cr1.2.Ia Shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present-day life using a contemporary practice of art or design.

VA:Cr3.1.Ia Apply relevant criteria from traditional and contemporary cultural contexts to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for works of art and design in progress.

VA:Re.7.1.Ia Hypothesize ways in which art influences perception and understanding of human experiences.

VA:Re.7.2.Ia Analyze how one’s understanding of the world is affected by experiencing visual imagery.

VA:Cn11.1.Ia Describe how knowledge of culture, traditions, and history may influence personal responses to art.

MA:Re7.1.Ia Analyze the qualities of and relationships between the components, style, and preferences communicated by media artworks and artists.

MA:Re7.1.Ib Analyze how a variety of media artworks manage audience experience and create intention through multimodal perception.

MA:Cn11.1.Ia Demonstrate and explain how media artworks and ideas relate to various contexts, purposes, and values, such as social trends, power, equality, and personal/cultural identity.

Common Core State Standards Common Core State Standards

ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

  • Rubric: Drawing Political Cartoons
  • Vocabulary: Drawing Political Cartoons
  • Political Cartoon Analysis
  • PBS News Hour
  • The Cartoon
  • Daryl Cagle's Political Cartoon Trends
  • The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists
  • The Week Cartoons
  • Politico Cartoons

Teacher Background

Teachers share articles or a list of media resources that are appropriate for their class in order to read current events. Teachers will need to find a variety of political cartoons, preferably displaying opposing sides of an issue. Carefully review each cartoon prior to sharing them with students. Optional articles to discuss include: How Women Broke Into the Male-Dominated World of Cartoons and Illustrations , What is a Cartoonist? , and Cartoonists - left, right, and center - have their say on Texas freeze and power outage .

Student Prerequisites  

Students should have familiarity with current events and strategies for analyzing and interpreting events.

Accessibility Notes

Modify handouts, text, and utilize assistive technologies as needed. Allow extra time for task completion.

  • Display a variety of cartoons about a current event that the students are familiar with as an introduction. Be sure that the cartoons represent opposing positions about the same topic. Explain to the students that political cartoons are biased because they represent the artist’s point of view, as does an editorial. They are intended to be controversial and characterized in nature. Their meaning is conveyed by both visual and verbal clues.
  • Read the following quote to the class: “A cartoonist is a writer and artist, philosopher, and punster, cynic and community conscience. He seldom tells a joke and often tells the truth, which is funnier. In addition, the cartoonist is more than an asocial critic who tries to amuse, infuriate, or educate. He is also, unconsciously, a reporter and historian. Cartoons of the past leave records of their times that reveal how people lived, what they thought, how they dressed and acted, what their amusements and prejudices were, and what the issues of the day were.” (Ruff and Nelson, p. 75.)
  • Tell students that they are going to analyze political cartoons and create one of their own based on a current event. Have students create a variety of political cartoons displaying contrasting viewpoints. Share the following websites with students: Daryl Cagel's Political Cartoon Trends , The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists , The Week Cartoons , GoComics , and Politico Cartoons . 
  • Distribute and review the resource, Vocabulary: Drawing Political Cartoons . Discuss with students some of the elements present in the cartoons: caption, caricature, symbolism, the proportional size of objects and people, and personification . Help students identify the personalities in the cartoons you have displayed and ask them what issue or event they think the cartoon is about. Ask the students what details they used to make an inference.
  • Divide students into small groups. Distribute a political cartoon to each group and ask them to identify the elements and context of the cartoon. Students can utilize the following, Read, Write, Think resource to assist with the research and planning of their drawing: Political Cartoon Analysis . Teachers should encourage the class to brainstorm ideas to evoke different responses. Divergent answers should be accepted. Interpretation must be open-ended.
  • Have each group summarize their political cartoon analysis. The rest of the class should have an opportunity to weigh in about whether or not they agree with the group’s analysis of the cartoon.
  • Introduce print and web new resources with students to identify political topics. PBS News Hour , Newsela , NPR are examples of media organizations that share current events. 
  • Have students create their own political cartoon depicting their opinion about a current issue. Review the Criteria for Success: Political Cartoons resource with students and discuss examples of each criterion. Allow time for students to create their political cartoon.  
  • Have students share their political cartoon with the class, briefly describing the issue involved and key elements used during the cartoon-making process.
  • Assess the students’ knowledge of drawing political cartoons with the Rubric: Drawing Political Cartoons .
  • Have students read The Cartoon by Herb Block , one cartoonist’s take on the role played by political cartoons. Ask students: Why would Lucy, the character from Peanuts, have made a good cartoonist according to Block? What does Block mean when he says that the political cartoon is a means for “puncturing pomposity?” How do political cartoonists help “the good guys?” How do political cartoonists’ relationships with their newspapers differ? What does Block say about the “fairness” of political cartoons? What different opinions about this are held?
  • Analyze the differences between cartoons and comics. Have students explore contemporary webcomics: Huda Fahmy , Alec With Pen , Aditi Mali , Brown Paperbag Comics , and Christine Rai . 

Original Writer

Daniella Garran

Diane Dotson

JoDee Scissors

July 22, 2021

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political cartoon worksheet middle school

Analyzing the Purpose and Meaning of Political Cartoons

Analyzing the Purpose and Meaning of Political Cartoons

  • Resources & Preparation
  • Instructional Plan
  • Related Resources

The decisions students make about social and political issues are often influenced by what they hear, see, and read in the news. For this reason, it is important for them to learn about the techniques used to convey political messages and attitudes. In this lesson, high school students learn to evaluate political cartoons for their meaning, message, and persuasiveness. Students first develop critical questions about political cartoons. They then access an online activity to learn about the artistic techniques cartoonists frequently use. As a final project, students work in small groups to analyze a political cartoon and determine whether they agree or disagree with the author's message.

Featured Resources

It’s No Laughing Matter: Analyzing Political Cartoons : This interactive activity has students explore the different persuasive techniques political cartoonists use and includes guidelines for analysis.

From Theory to Practice

  • Question-finding strategies are techniques provided by the teacher, to the students, in order to further develop questions often hidden in texts. The strategies are known to assist learners with unusual or perplexing subject materials that conflict with prior knowledge.
  • Use of this inquiry strategy is designed to enhance curiosity and promote students to search for answers to gain new knowledge or a deeper understanding of controversial material. There are two pathways of questioning available to students. Convergent questioning refers to questions that lead to an ultimate solution. Divergent questioning refers to alternative questions that lead to hypotheses instead of answers.

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

  • 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
  • 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
  • 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
  • 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

Materials and Technology

  • Computers with Internet access and printing capability
  • Several clips of recent political cartoons from a local newspaper
  • Overhead projector or computer with projection capability
  • Editorial Cartoon Analysis
  • Presentation Evaluation Rubric

Preparation

Student objectives.

Students will

  • Develop critical question to explore the artistic techniques used in political cartoons and how these techniques impact a cartoon's message
  • Evaluate an author or artist's meaning by identifying his or her point of view
  • Identify and explain the artistic techniques used in political cartoons
  • Analyze political cartoons by using the artistic techniques and evidence from the cartoon to support their interpretations

Session 2 (may need 2 sessions, depending on computer access)

Sessions 3 and 4.

  • Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonist Index and The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists: Cartoons for the Classroom both provide additional lesson plans and activities for using political cartoons as a teaching tool. Students can also access these online political cartoons for additional practice in evaluating their meaning, message, and persuasiveness.
  • Students can create their own political cartoons, making sure to incorporate a few of the artistic techniques learned in this lesson. Give students an opportunity to share their cartoons with the class, and invite classmates to analyze the cartoonist's message and voice their own opinions about the issue.
  • This lesson can be a launching activity for several units: a newspaper unit, a unit on writing persuasive essays, or a unit on evaluating various types of propaganda. The ReadWriteThink lesson "Propaganda Techniques in Literature and Online Political Ads" may be of interest.

Student Assessment / Reflections

Assessment for this lesson is based on the following components:

  • The students' involvement in generating critical questions about political cartoons in Lesson 1, and then using what they have learned from an online activity to answer these questions in Lesson 2.
  • Class and group discussions in which students practice identifying the techniques used in political cartoons and how these techniques can help them to identify an author's message.
  • The students' responses to the self-reflection questions in Lesson 4, whereby they demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of political cartoons and the artistic techniques used to persuade a viewer.
  • The final class presentation in which students demonstrate an ability to identify the artistic techniques used in political cartoons, to interpret an author's message, and to support their interpretation with specific details from the cartoon. The Presentation Evaluation Rubric provides a general framework for this assessment.
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The New York Times

The Learning Network | Drawing for Change: Analyzing and Making Political Cartoons

The Learning Network - Teaching and Learning With The New York Times

Drawing for Change: Analyzing and Making Political Cartoons

This cartoon by Patrick Chappatte appeared in the April 25, 2015 International New York Times. He titled the cartoon "Migrants and the European Union," and added the caption, "Europe looks for an answer to the migrants reaching for its shores."

Updated, Nov. 19, 2015 | We have now announced the winners of our 2015 Editorial Cartoon Contest here .

Political cartoons deliver a punch. They take jabs at powerful politicians, reveal official hypocrisies and incompetence and can even help to change the course of history . But political cartoons are not just the stuff of the past. Cartoonists are commenting on the world’s current events all the time, and in the process, making people laugh and think. At their best, they challenge our perceptions and attitudes.

Analyzing political cartoons is a core skill in many social studies courses. After all, political cartoons often serve as important primary sources, showing different perspectives on an issue. And many art, history and journalism teachers take political cartoons one step further, encouraging students to make their own cartoons.

In this lesson, we provide three resources to assist teachers working with political cartoons:

  • an extended process for analyzing cartoons and developing more sophisticated interpretations;
  • a guide for making cartoons, along with advice on how to make one from Patrick Chappatte, an editorial cartoonist for The International New York Times ;
  • a resource library full of links to both current and historic political cartoons.

Use this lesson in conjunction with our Editorial Cartoon Contest or with any political cartoon project you do with students.

Materials | Computers with Internet access. Optional copies of one or more of these two handouts: Analyzing Editorial Cartoons ; Rubric for our Student Editorial Cartoon Contest .

Analyzing Cartoons

In this famous anti-Tweed cartoon from 1871, Thomas Nast writes: "'Who Stole the People's Money?' -- Do Tell.  N. Y. Times. 'Twas Him."

While political cartoons are often an engaging and fun source for students to analyze, they also end up frustrating many students who just don’t possess the strategies or background to make sense of what the cartoonist is saying. In other words, understanding a cartoon may look easier than it really is.

Learning how to analyze editorial cartoons is a skill that requires practice. Below, we suggest an extended process that can be used over several days, weeks or even a school year. The strength of this process is that it does not force students to come up with right answers, but instead emphasizes visual thinking and close reading skills. It provides a way for all students to participate, while at the same time building up students’ academic vocabulary so they can develop more sophisticated analyses over time.

Throughout this process, you might choose to alternate student groupings and class formats. For example, sometimes students will work independently, while other times they will work in pairs or small groups. Similarly, students may focus on one single cartoon, or they may have a folder or even a classroom gallery of multiple cartoons.

Open-Ended Questioning

We suggest beginning cartoon analysis using the same three-question protocol we utilize every Monday for our “ What’s Going On in This Picture? ” feature to help students bring to the surface what the cartoon is saying:

political cartoon worksheet middle school

  • What is going on in this editorial cartoon?
  • What do you see that makes you say that?
  • What more can you find?

These simple, open-ended questions push students to look closely at the image without pressuring them to come up with a “correct” interpretation. Students can notice details and make observations without rushing, while the cyclical nature of the questions keeps sending them back to look for more details.

As you repeat the process with various cartoons over time, you may want to ask students to do this work independently or in pairs before sharing with the whole class. Here is our editorial cartoon analysis handout (PDF) to guide students analyzing any cartoon, along with one with the above Patrick Chappatte cartoon (PDF) already embedded.

Developing an Academic Vocabulary and a Keener Eye

Once students gain confidence noticing details and suggesting different interpretations, always backed up by evidence, it is useful to introduce them to specific elements and techniques cartoonists use. Examples include: visual symbols, metaphors, exaggeration, distortion, stereotypes, labeling, analogy and irony. Helping students recognize and identify these cartoonists’ tools will enable them to make more sophisticated interpretations.

The Library of Congress (PDF) and TeachingHistory.org (PDF) both provide detailed explanations of what these elements and techniques mean, and how cartoonists use them.

In addition to those resources, three other resources that can help students develop a richer understanding of a cartoon are:

  • The SOAPSTone strategy, which many teachers use for analyzing primary sources, can also be used for looking at political cartoons.
  • This student handout (PDF) breaks up the analysis into two parts: identifying the main idea and analyzing the method used by the artist.
  • The National Archives provides a cartoon analysis work sheet to help students reach higher levels of understanding.

Once students get comfortable using the relevant academic vocabulary to describe what’s going on in a cartoon, we suggest returning to the open-ended analysis questions we started with, so students can become more independent and confident cartoon analysts.

Making an Editorial Cartoon

The Making of an Editorial Cartoon

Patrick Chappatte, an editorial cartoonist for The International New York Times, offers advice on how to make an editorial cartoon while working on deadline.

Whether you are encouraging your students to enter our Student Editorial Cartoon Contest , or are assigning students to make their own cartoons as part of a history, economics, journalism, art or English class, the following guide can help you and your students navigate the process.

Learn from an Editorial Cartoonist

We asked Patrick Chappatte, an editorial cartoonist for The International New York Times, to share with us how he makes an editorial cartoon on deadline, and to offer students advice on how to make a cartoon. Before watching the film above, ask students to take notes on: a) what they notice about the process of making a cartoon, and b) what advice Mr. Chappatte gives students making their own cartoons.

After watching, ask students to share what information they find useful as they prepare to make their own editorial cartoons.

Then, use these steps — a variation on the writing process — to help guide students to make their own cartoons.

Step 1 | Brainstorm: What Is a Topic or Issue You Want to Comment On?

As a professional cartoonist, Mr. Chappatte finds themes that connect to the big news of the day. As a student, you may have access to a wider or narrower range of topics from which to choose. If you are entering a cartoon into our Student Editorial Cartoon Contest, you can pick any topic or issue covered in The New York Times, which not only opens up the whole world to you, but also historical events as well — from pop music to climate change to the Great Depression. If this a class assignment, you may have different instructions.

Step 2 | Make a Point: What Do You Want to Say About Your Topic?

Once you pick an issue, you need to learn enough about your topic to have something meaningful to say. Remember, a political cartoon delivers commentary or criticism on a current issue, political topic or historical event.

For example, if you were doing a cartoon about the deflated football scandal would you want to play up the thought that Tom Brady must have been complicit, or would you present him as a victim of an overzealous N.F.L. commissioner? Considering the Republican primaries , would you draw Donald Trump as a blowhard sucking air out of the room and away from more serious candidates, or instead make him the standard- bearer for a genuine make-America-great-again movement?

You can see examples of how two cartoonists offer differing viewpoints on the same issue in Newspaper in Education’s Cartoons for the Classroom and NPR’s Double Take .

Mr. Chappatte explains that coming up with your idea is the most important step. “How do ideas come? I have no recipe,” he says. “While you start reading about the story, you want to let the other half of your brain loose.”

Strategies he suggests for exploring different paths include combining two themes, playing with words, making a joke, or finding an image that sums up a situation.

Step 3 | Draw: What Are Different Ways to Communicate Your Ideas?

Then, start drawing. Try different angles, test various approaches. Don’t worry too much about the illustration itself; instead, focus on getting ideas on paper.

Mr. Chappatte says, “The drawing is not the most important part. Seventy-five percent of a cartoon is the idea, not the artistic skills. You need to come up with an original point of view. And I would say that 100 percent of a cartoon is your personality.”

Consider using one or more of the elements and techniques that cartoonists often employ, such as visual symbols, metaphors, exaggeration, distortion, labeling, analogy and irony.

Step 4 | Get Feedback: Which Idea Lands Best?

Student cartoonists won’t be able to get feedback from professional editors like Mr. Chappatte does at The International New York Times, but they should seek feedback from other sources, such as teachers, fellow students or even family members. You certainly can ask your audience which sketch they like best, but you can also let them tell you what they observe going on in the cartoon, to see what details they notice, and whether they figure out the ideas you want to express.

Step 5 | Revise and Finalize: How Can I Make an Editorial Cartoon?

Once you pick which draft you’re going to run with, it’s time to finalize the cartoon. Try to find the best tools to match your style, whether they are special ink pens, markers or a computer graphics program.

As you work, remember what Mr. Chappatte said: “It’s easier to be outrageous than to be right on target. You don’t have to shoot hard; you have to aim right. To me the best cartoons give you in one visual shortcut everything of a complex situation; funny and deep, both light and heavy; I don’t do these cartoons every day, not even every week, but those are the best.” That’s the challenge.

Step 6 | Publish: How Can My Editorial Cartoon Reach an Audience?

Students will have the chance to publish their editorial cartoons on the Learning Network on or before Oct. 20, 2015 as part of our Student Contest. We will use this rubric (PDF) to help select winners to feature in a separate post. Students can also enter their cartoons in the Scholastic Arts & Writing Awards new editorial cartoon category for a chance to win a national award and cash prize.

Even if your students aren’t making a cartoon for our contest, the genre itself is meant to have an audience. That audience can start with the teacher, but ideally it shouldn’t end there.

Students can display their cartoons to the class or in groups. Classmates can have a chance to respond to the artist, leading to a discussion or debate. Students can try to publish their cartoons in the school newspaper or other local newspapers or online forums. It is only when political cartoons reach a wider audience that they have the power to change minds.

Where to Find Cartoons

political cartoon worksheet middle school

Finding the right cartoons for your students to analyze, and to serve as models for budding cartoonists, is important. For starters, Newspaper in Education provides a new “ Cartoons for the Classroom ” lesson each week that pairs different cartoons on the same current issue. Below, we offer a list of other resources:

  • Patrick Chappatte
  • Brian McFadden

A Selection of the Day’s Cartoons

  • Association of American Editorial Cartoonists
  • U.S. News and World Report

Recent Winners of the Herblock Prize, the Thomas Nast Award and the Pulitzer Prize

  • Kevin Kallaugher in the Baltimore Sun
  • Jen Sorensen in The Austin Chronicle
  • Tom Tomorrow in The Nation
  • Signe Wilkinson in the Philadelphia Daily News
  • Adam Zyglis in The Buffalo News
  • Kevin Siers in The Charlotte Observer
  • Steve Sack in the Star Tribune

Historical Cartoonists

  • Thomas Nast
  • Paul Conrad

Other Historical Cartoon Resources

  • Library of Congress | It’s No Laughing Matter
  • BuzzFeed | 15 Historic Cartoons That Changed The World

Please share your own experiences with teaching using political cartoons in the comments section.

What's Next

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  • Treaty of Versailles

Lesson Plan

Ohio content standard:.

Grade 9, History 7-D; Grade 10, History 6-C

Duration of Lesson:

1-2 Class Periods

Objectives:

  • Students will analyze the causes and effects of the Treaty of Versailles.
  • Students will evaluate US Congressional opposition to the Treaty of Versailles.
  • Students will analyze arguments for and against the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles.
  • Students will predict outcomes of the Treaty of Versailles.

Using political cartoons students will become familiar with the core issues and concerns of the treaty process, including President Woodrow Wilson's support of said treaty and US Congressional (mostly Republican) opposition.

Materials needed:

Printout of lesson plan

Copies of cartoons on paper and/or transparency.

Copies of Treaty_of_Versailles_Cartoon_Analysis_Worksheet.pdf

Pre-Assessment:

Define the following:

  • Reparations

Identify the following:

  • Woodrow Wilson
  • Henry Cabot Lodge
  • Kaiser Wilhelm II  

Instructional Steps:

  • Divide the students into three topical groups. Assign each group one of the following topics: Stereotype, Symbol, or Caricature.
  • Distribute copies of the cartoons to each member of the topical group so all cartoons are in use for each group. (example: Stereotype group will have all cartoons, as will Symbol, etc.)
  • Distribute Cartoon Analysis Worksheet to each student.
  • Students are to find examples of their assigned topic using each of the cartoons present in their group and fill in the appropriate space on the worksheet in Part I. (5-10 minutes)
  • Students are to then arrange themselves in a group according to their individual cartoon, thus forming 6-8 new groups centered on one specific cartoon.
  • Students are to complete Worksheet Part II using information from other members of their group.(5-10 minutes)
  • Individual groups will briefly present analysis of their cartoon to the class (Note: an overhead copy of the cartoon will expedite this process)  

Post-Assessment Activity:

As a class, students will answer and discuss remaining questions (Part III) on Cartoon Analysis Worksheet.

Extension Activity:

  • Using a pre-World War One and post-World War One map of Europe, have students assess winners and losers of the war based on land loss or acquisition. How did the post- war settlement lead to later conflict?
  • Find an example of an editorial cartoon portraying a recent/current treaty process.

Cloudy and Unsettled

Cloudy and Unsettled

In Order To Get the Sugar

In Order To Get the Sugar

Don’t Worry!

Don’t Worry!

The Train Pulls Off Without Us

The Train Pulls Off Without Us

The Art Student's Masterpiece and the Professor's Criticism

The Art Student's Masterpiece and the Professor's Criticism

UN Likely to Vote Tuesday on Gaza Ceasefire, US Signals Veto

Reuters

FILE PHOTO: Palestinian child sits at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, February 7, 2024. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/File Photo

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council is likely to vote on Tuesday on an Algerian push for the 15-member body to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, said diplomats, a move the United States signaled it would veto.

Algeria put forward an initial draft resolution more than two weeks ago. But U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield quickly said the text could jeopardize "sensitive negotiations" aimed at brokering a pause in the war.

Algeria requested on Saturday that the council vote on Tuesday, diplomats said. To be adopted, U.N. Security Council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Britain, France, China or Russia.

War in Israel and Gaza

A Palestinian girl collects salvageable items in a building damaged during Israeli bombardment in Rafah, on the southern Gaza Strip on February 12, 2024, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Israel announced on February 12 the rescue of two hostages in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where the Hamas-run health ministry said "around 100" Palestinians including children were killed in heavy overnight air strikes. (Photo by SAID KHATIB / AFP) (Photo by SAID KHATIB/AFP via Getty Images)

"The United States does not support action on this draft resolution. Should it come up for a vote as drafted, it will not be adopted," Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement on Saturday.

Washington traditionally shields its ally Israel from U.N. action and has already twice vetoed council action since Oct. 7. But it has also abstained twice, allowing the council to adopt resolutions that aimed to boost humanitarian aid to Gaza and called for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses in fighting.

Talks between the U.S., Egypt, Israel and Qatar are on to seek a pause in the war and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

"It is critical that other parties give this process the best odds of succeeding, rather than push measures that put it - and the opportunity for an enduring resolution of hostilities - in jeopardy," Thomas-Greenfield said.

The Gaza war began when fighters from the Hamas militant group that runs Gaza attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. In retaliation, Israel launched a military assault on Gaza that health authorities say has killed more than 28,000 Palestinians with thousands more bodies feared lost amid the ruins.

The likely council vote comes as Israel also plans to storm Rafah in southern Gaza, where more than 1 millions Palestinians have sought shelter, prompting international concern that such a move would sharply worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

"The situation in Gaza is an appalling indictment of the deadlock in global relations," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

When asked to explain, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Guterres was "pointing the finger" at the lack of unity in the Security Council "and how that lack of unity has hampered our ability ... to improve situations around the world."

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Raju gopalakrishnan)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

Join the Conversation

Tags: United Nations , United States , Israel , Middle East

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  3. Cartoons for the Classroom: The Political Dr. Seuss Worksheet for 8th

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  3. Test IQ CHALLENGE For Jax vs Pomni: Which Way? Who Is Winner? The Amazing Digital Circus #shorts

COMMENTS

  1. Analyzing Political Cartoons -- Middle Grades

    Political Cartoon Analysis Worksheet Suggested Instructional Procedures 1. To begin this lesson, it is important to discuss each of the vocabulary for analysis. These vocabulary words are set up to help your students determine the author's point of view. You can use the examples given or come up with your own as you see fit.

  2. How to Read a Political Cartoon

    Students can apply these strategies as they analyze the political cartoon provided on the worksheet. Then, for additional practice, have them move on to the Analyzing Political Cartoons: Women's Right to Vote worksheet next! Download Free Worksheet Add to collection Add to assignment Grade Sixth Grade Seventh Grade Eighth Grade Subject

  3. Drawing Political Cartoons

    In this 9-12 lesson, students will analyze cartoon drawings to create an original political cartoon based on current events. Students will apply both factual knowledge and interpretive skills to determine the values, conflicts, and important issues reflected in political cartoons. Get Printable Version Copy to Google Drive Preparation Instruction

  4. Analyzing the Purpose and Meaning of Political Cartoons

    In this lesson, high school students learn to evaluate political cartoons for their meaning, message, and persuasiveness. Students first develop critical questions about political cartoons. They then access an online activity to learn about the artistic techniques cartoonists frequently use.

  5. Interpreting Political Cartoons in the History Classroom

    1. Symbol and Metaphor 2. Visual Distortion 3. Irony in Words and Images 4. Stereotype and Caricature 5. An Argument Not a Slogan 6. The Uses and Misuses of Political Cartoons Teacher Preparation 1. Make copies of three political cartoons taken from recent newspapers and magazines.

  6. PDF Teacher's Guide primary source. Political Cartoons I T

    Intermediate Compare two political cartoons that are on the same side of an issue. Identify the different methods — like symbols, allusions, or exaggeration — that the two cartoons use to persuade their audience. Advanced Select a political cartoon. Think about the point of view of the cartoonist. Describe or draw how the cartoon might be ...

  7. Political Cartoons Middle School Teaching Resources

    political cartoons middle school Featured Common Core Aligned Bundles Formats Easel Google Apps PDF See all formats Grades PreK K 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th Other Not Grade Specific Higher Education Adult Education Homeschool Staff CCSS Subjects Arts & Music

  8. Results for analyzing political cartoons middle school

    A two- page worksheet explaining the various methods used by cartoonists when designing a political cartoon. An excellent vehicle to encourage critical thinking as the students analyze the message and how it is delivered in the cartoon. Grades 6-9This activity was designed by a middle school social studies teacher and has been student tested.

  9. PDF Studying U.S. Elections with Political Cartoons

    1. How do political cartoons convey ideas about politics that are universal and not specific to one time? 2. How does a cartoonist's use of personification (representing ideas or organizations as a person or animal) help convey complex ideas through simple drawings? 3. The cartoons in this lesson were all created between 1900 and 1931 by one ...

  10. PDF Analyzing Political Cartoons

    English Language Arts Illinois State Goal 1: Read with understanding and fluency. A. Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections. B. Apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency. C. Comprehend a broad range of reading materials.

  11. PDF Sample Lesson

    Sample Lesson - Handout 3. Irony in Words and Images. The Cartoon: This cartoon on the evils of political patronage is by one of America's most famous cartoonists, Thomas Nast. It appeared in Harper's Weekly, April 28, 1877. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division,

  12. PDF Protest cartoons singles

    Materials Master copies of the following political cartoons and the political cartoon worksheet are provided. Political cartoons 1. ÒThe Bostonians in Distress,Ó by Philip Dawe, 1774 2. ÒThe Bostonians Paying the Excise-man, or Tarring & Feathering,Ó by Philip Dawe, 1774

  13. Drawing for Change: Analyzing and Making Political Cartoons

    Patrick Chappatte Updated, Nov. 19, 2015 | We have now announced the winners of our 2015 Editorial Cartoon Contest here . Political cartoons deliver a punch. They take jabs at powerful...

  14. PDF Lesson 5 Analyzing Political Cartoons

    create their own political cartoon incorporating some of the five key ele-ments studied above. 4. Have students explain their drawing by answer-ing the questions on the back of the Activity Sheet. 5. Have students present their cartoons for the class. Let the class ana-lyze the cartoons using the Cartoon Analysis Worksheet. 6. Hang the cartoons

  15. Lesson Plan Political Cartoons: Finding Point of View

    Jump to: Preparation Procedure Evaluation A careful analysis of political cartoons can provide a glimpse into key moments of U.S. political history. In this activity, students will closely examine political cartoons about the Stamp Act; make inferences about the political, social, and economic situations depicted therein; and offer informed speculations concerning each creator's point of ...

  16. Results for political cartoon template

    This tool can be used for any political cartoon and in a variety of subjects, grade levels, and content areas.This product includes:Page 1: Comprehensive teacher directions for using this political cartoon analysis template Page 2: Fully editable and customizable political cartoon analysis templatePage 3: Sample. Subjects:

  17. Teachinghistory.org

    An engaging political cartoon analysis exercise is also included. The cartoon illustrates the balance of powers between the three branches of government, equating the Supreme Court to referees in a football game. In addition, excerpts of the most significant passages and other related texts are provided for students to read and interpret ...

  18. PDF Teaching Social Studies through Political Cartoons

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    2. Distribute Political Cartoons Worksheet sets of "The Bostonians Paying the Excise-Man." 3. Referring to the "Political Cartoon Worksheet: Focus on the Cartoon's Subject," teachers closely observe details in the cartoon and use them to infer the subject of the cartoon. 4.

  20. Social studies political cartoons

    With this resource, students will enhance their ability to analyze political cartoons over the course of at least 4 activities and lessons.The political cartoon lessons serves as a skill builder, enhancing critical thinking, visual literacy, cultural awareness, and communication skills while fostering engagement with current events and encouragi...

  21. Treaty of Versailles

    Students are to find examples of their assigned topic using each of the cartoons present in their group and fill in the appropriate space on the worksheet in Part I. (5-10 minutes) Students are to then arrange themselves in a group according to their individual cartoon, thus forming 6-8 new groups centered on one specific cartoon.

  22. Political Cartoon Worksheet Teaching Resources

    These Andrew Jackson Political Cartoon Analysis Worksheets are an excellent Common Core-aligned primary source analysis activity for students! The download features 5 political ca

  23. UN Likely to Vote Tuesday on Gaza Ceasefire, US Signals Veto

    The Gaza war began when fighters from the Hamas militant group that runs Gaza attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

  24. Political Cartoons American History Teaching Resources

    Zenful Teacher. $19.99. PPT. Experiencing History is a complete social studies curriculum designed for middle school students of Early American History & Social Studies. This package includes 66 Political Cartoons in PowerPoint Format,covering 10 Units of Early American History, Geography, Civics, and Economics.