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Cartoons Teacher Resources
Find teacher approved Cartoons educational resource ideas and activities
All ages love to engage in cartoon writing –- little do they know that they actually learn quite a bit from it! In an instructional session focused on literacy syntax and vocabulary, your pupils work cooperatively to draw six pictures and add captions including prepositions of place. English language learners practice oral language skills using proper prepositional phrases.
Do your classes love reading and drawing cartoons? Middle schoolers read an editorial cartoon from a newspaper. They discuss the cartoonist's topic, audience, and purpose. Next, they brainstorm questions they have about the cartoon and the teacher clarifies the humor, sarcasm, or irony. After discussion about when cartoons or essays are more appropriate, they select a topic and address it with both a cartoon and an essay.
Interpret current events using editorial cartoons and other print media. Middle schoolers explore the meanings of literary and artistic terms such as satire, irony, and caricature. They visit internet sites to develop an understanding of symbols and cartooning techniques. They create their own editorial cartoon. Resource is most effective as a collaborative effort among social studies and language arts teachers, but it is not necessary.
Sixth graders develop an understanding of the use of idioms by railroad workers and determine the parts of a political cartoon. In this idiom and political cartoon lesson, 6th graders look at political cartoons to determine the purpose, and themes. They use the political cartoons to examine idioms used by railroad workers during the 1800's before developing their own cartoons.
Young scholars create cartoons to remember science vocabulary words. In this vocabulary lesson, students create cartoons in Paint or Power Point. They share them with the class.
Young literary scholars explore satire with a lesson that incorporates political cartoons and their own experiences. Using Mark Twain's essay, "Only a Nigger", students explore the author's well-honed satirical voice. After some direct instruction on satire and where we see it in modern society, small groups analyze a political cartoon and then compare it to Twain's essay. Materials are missing from this resource so it will need to be supplemented.
Students analyze 19th century cartoons on segregation. In this primary source instructional activity students examine primary source documents and identify the elements of a cartoon then create their own based on The Outsiders by SE Hinton.
It's the classic paradox in this political cartoon analysis; any jobs plan requires extra government spending. However, the unemployed aren't willing to concede to more federal spending for what they want most, jobs. Background information clues scholars in on the big picture, and two talking points prompt deeper analysis. Pupils are finally asked to consider the virtue of saving: could it be a bad thing?
Difficult redistricting concepts are covered in a context that will make it understandable to your government scholars. They begin with a KWL on the term redistricting and then watch a video to answer some questions. They analyze political cartoons using a graphic organizer (included), focusing on satire. Scholars find their own state districting boundaries and reflect on the implications. Finally, they use another handout to create their own political cartoon based on opinions they have formed about gerrymandering. Learners can also write a letter to their state legislature expressing these views. A rubric is included.
Explore the origin of political parties in the United States. Learners work in groups to read and analyze copies of the "Report on Manufactures" written by Alexander Hamilton. Then, they complete a worksheet comparing the Federalists to the Democratic Republicans. In addition, they view related political cartoons, and using what they have learned, identify the point of view being described.