Yale University
What Lies Beneath: A Strategy for Introducing Literary Symbolism
“It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.” You’re never too old for Dr. Seuss and using The Sneetches and The Lorax is a great way to introduce readers to allegories, parables, and literary symbolism. The lessons...
Curated OER
Political Cartoons: Literacy
Readers decode and deconstruct political cartoons to heighten critical thinking, extra-textual literacy, and making meaning from symbolism and metaphor. A compatible activity to use in English class when your 8th or 11th graders are...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Defining a Revolution with Symbols
Cartoons for the Classroom has put out another thought-provoking image along with some great discussion questions. Learners will consider the symbolism used to portray this and other cartoons about Egypt. They will also discuss the genie...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Interpreting the "Tank Man" Symbol
The iconic image of the Tank Man is imitated in this political cartoon analysis, in which learners examine a cartoon depicting a similar standoff. The original image is pictured, and learners compare it to a more modern cartoon of the...
Curated OER
American Symbols and Figures
Students examine a variety of symbols important in American culture. They investigate the history of the Great Seal of the United States and the painting "The Spirit of 1776". They create an original seal and identify important monuments.
Curated OER
Gilded Age Politics
Whisk your students through the politics of the Gilded Age with this presentation, which features the contexts and characteristics of the 1880-1888 Presidential Elections. Clever political cartoons and clear, concise bullet points about...
Curated OER
Artists Teach Us to See the World through Visual Symbols
Tenth graders analyze a biographical piece of art by Raymond Saunders. They identify shapes, symbols, and lines that are used, and how the piece relates to the artist's life and modern society. They design and create an original piece of...
Curated OER
Politics and Religion in 17th Century Dutch Art
Seventh graders examine different pieces of Dutch Art. They identify its social and political meanings by using cultural and historical information. They examine maps of the time period as well.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Berryman, Roosevelt, and the Teddy Bear
Do your historians know the story behind the teddy bear? Background information clues learners in to the context of a political cartoon, which depicts Teddy Roosevelt on his famous hunting trip. They will read about renown cartoonist...
Eastconn
Learning to Analyze Political Cartoons with Lincoln as a Case Study
Discover the five main elements political cartoonists use—symbolism, captioning and labels, analogy, irony, and exaggeration—to convey their point of view.
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 Cartoons
Students examine a variety of historical cartoons. They recognize a political cartoon and identify the main idea, symbolism, exaggeration and caricature in political cartoons. Students analyze a political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin.
Curated OER
Animal Farm: Symbolism and Theme
If you want some help with teaching themes and symbols in Animal Farm, this may be beneficial. After a class discussion about possible themes, class members write a paragraph explaining which they believe is the most important. Next,...
Curated OER
Fossil Fuels and the Debt Crisis: Political Cartoons
Wondering what dinosaurs have to do with the debt crisis? This analysis handout includes two political cartoons using dinosaur metaphors, and prompts pupils to consider the symbolism to understand the cartoonist's point. You may want to...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom
Political cartoons have been used to decades. What do they symbolize? Why use a political cartoon instead of an editorial piece? Look at the two political cartoons illustrated here and analyze them as a class or in pairs. Consider...
Curated OER
George Washington: The Living Symbol
Students discuss George Washington's life and how he became a symbol of this nation. They categorize various images of Washington into the various roles he plays.
Curated OER
A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words
Students explore the power of images through political cartoons, particularly in light of the Danish caricatures of Muhammad that have incited violence around the world. They create their own original artwork to submit to an appropriate...
National First Ladies' Library
All the News That's Fit to Draw: Political Cartooning and the Presidency
Students 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 cartoons....
Curated OER
Political Cartoons: Introduction to Symbols
Students make a list of every day symbols they know of and write down what each symbol stands for. Then they are asked to help their knowledge further by considering all the meanings various symbols might have.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Loaded with Symbols
In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about the Christian Right support of President Bush and respond to 4 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Political Cartoons Illustrating Progressivism and the Election of 1912
Learners study a current political cartoon to introduce the ideas of symbolism, humor, exaggeration, and caricature in editorial cartoons. They study cartoons from the past to gain an understanding of the culture of 1912.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Symbolism, Octopus
In this current events worksheet, students analyze political cartoons regarding the symbolism of the octopus and respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Seasonal Symbols
In this current events worksheet, students analyze political cartoons featuring Santa Claus as a symbol. Students respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Symbolism - Peace
In this symbolism worksheet, students analyze political cartoons about war and peace that utilze symbols. Students then respond to 2 short answer questions.