Drawing Political Cartoons

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Drawing Political Cartoons

• Jim Ellis
• ED-648
• 2-22-03

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Rationale

• It is important for high school social studies
  students to have an understanding of the visual
  arts in relation to history and culture. By
  relating the lesson to students own lives,
  providing opportunities for choice, and allowing
  them to respond actively, as well as interact
  with peers this lesson should interest, involve,
  and motivate students.

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Grade Level

• Eleventh grade

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Goal

• The students will gain a better understanding of
  current events and how they affect their lives as
  well as the techniques involved in creating a
  political cartoon.

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Objectives

• The students will be able to identify elements of
  a political cartoon, caption, caricature,
  symbolism, proportional size of objects and
  people, and personification.
• The students will be able to interpret the biased
  slant applied to the cartoon by the artist.
• The students will be able to construct their own
  political cartoon based on a current event issue
  of their choice.
• The students will be able to analyze visual and
  language clues to determine the meaning of
  political cartoons and state the biased
  perspective of the artist.
• The students will be able to suggest the message
  of political cartoons by analyzing only the
  visual clues.
• The students will be able to articulate both the
  issue and elements involved in his, or her, own
  political cartoon.

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Materials and Resources

• Handout Vocabulary
• Rubric for assessment
• Paper
• Ruler
• Thin Markers
• Examples of political cartoons showing opposing
  views

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Procedures

• 1. Introduce the students to various political
  cartoons by giving examples of cartoons with
  opposing views concerning the same topic.
  Cartoons should provide an element of novelty
  while at the same time relating to students
  lives. Inform students political cartoons are
  intended to be both biased and controversial
  while conveying their meaning using both visual
  and verbal clues.

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Procedures Continued

• 2. Present the following political cartoon
  techniques to the students caption, caricature,
  symbolism, proportional size of objects and
  people, and personification, and tell how they
  relate to political cartoons. Identify
  personalities in political cartoons and recognize
  their historical significance.

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Procedures Continued

• 3. Divide the students into small groups and
  provide them with an example of a political
  cartoon. While interacting with their peers the
  students must identify the elements of context
  for the cartoon. Students will then be given the
  opportunity to respond actively in a class
  discussion concerning their findings.

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Procedures Continued

• 4. For the assignment the students will
  research a current event of their choice and
  create a political cartoon using the knowledge
  they have gained through the study of historical
  and contemporary cartoons as well as their
  knowledge of current events. Students will be
  instructed to refer to newspapers, the Internet,
  and television news, for further ideas or topics.
  The completion of their own political cartoon
  will provide the students with the experience of
  creating a finished product.

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Examples of Political Cartoons
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Examples Continued
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Examples Continued
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Examples Continued
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Examples Continued
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Evaluation

• The students will provide visual evidence that
  their cartoon is based on a current event as well
  as articulating both the issue and elements
  involved in their creation. Students will then
  give an oral presentation briefly describing
  their creation to the class.

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Web Sites

• Political Cartoons from Around the World -
• http//cagle.slate.msn.com/politicalcartoons/
• Political Cartoons and Modern Issues Links Page -
• http//www.tcoml.com/hall8ss/links/misclnx.html
• A Brief History of Political Cartoons
• http//xroads.virginia.edu/MA96/PUCK/part1.html
• Articles on Current American Issues
• http//www.thenewamerican.com/focus/
• Daily National News Reports
• http//www.cnn.com/