Cartoons Lesson Plans

Seventh graders view political cartoons about segregation and analyze them.  In this primary sources lesson, 7th graders label the techniques used in the political cartoon of Herblock.  Students examine four cartoons and label the techniques used to persuade readers.

Students view and evaluate editorial cartoons from newspapers or magazines, create their own editorial cartoons pertaining to Bill of Rights, current political situation, historical event, school rules, local issue, and/or international politics, and analyze editorial cartoons to obtain information about current events and issues.

Art is a great motivator and wonderful teaching medium. Pupils will learn how California's economy shifted from purely agricultural to the influx of movie, cartoon, and arts-based industries. They will review vocabulary, facial expressions, and then draw an exaggerated cartoon face. This is a perfect lesson for an art teacher or after school program. Several worksheets are included.

Students explore mathematics by viewing cartoons. In this math functions instructional activity, students read several "Peanut" cartoons on their worksheets as they solve fraction problems and compare them to the comic strip. Students utilize addition, subtraction and multiplication functions when solving the problem.

Students explore parts of speech. In this creative writing and grammar lesson, students collect examples of cartoons from home to share. Students remove the speech bubbles and provide their own dialogue, focusing on using one part of speech and the definition as part of the story line. Students work in groups using the Think Pair Share strategy to assess the cartoons and related story.

Young scholars evaluate the use of scientific concepts in political cartoons. In this critical thinking lesson, students are shown a variety of cartoons by Zoom-In, in which misconceptions about scientific truths are illustrated. Young scholars work in small groups to understand what the misconceptions are, and create a PowerPoint presentation explaining their findings.

Students explore cartoon writing. For this literacy syntax and vocabulary lesson, students work cooperatively to draw 6 pictures and add captions including prepositions of place. ELL students practice oral language skills using proper prepositional phrases.

Students explore women's rights by viewing cartoon images. In this women's history lesson plan, students view several images depicting women in a certain way while discussing the meaning of the imagery among their classmates. Students write a summary discussing the changes women have gone through since these images were created.

Students analyze a editorial cartoon about Foreign Aid. In this critical analysis activity, students examine, interpret and analyze editorial cartoons. Students are given a complete step by step process to follow to assist them in analyzing the political cartoon. This activity includes many online links and steps that could be used to analyze other materials.

Students analyze political cartoons. In this labor union lesson, students analyze a political cartoon to develop an understanding of the historical context, symbolism, and exaggerated characteristics of the cartoon regarding the repeal of the Taft-Hartley labor law.