Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Editorial Cartoons

For Teachers 5th - 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Immigration

For Teachers 8th - 12th
This 3-day immigration study draws on historical trends and current events. A worksheet accompanies initial research on one group's U.S. immigration history, giving opportunity for collaborative learning through sharing findings. Groups...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating Civic Awareness Through Artistic and Literary Forms

For Teachers 7th - 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
Pulitzer Center

The Paradise Papers: A Lesson in Investigative Journalism

For Teachers 6th - Higher Ed Standards
The Paradise Papers, a year-long research project from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism (ICIJ) exposed how political leaders, business people, and wealthy individuals used offshore entities to avoid taxes and hide...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Political Cartoons: Symbols of Fear

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students brainstorm a list of reasons for fear, hate, and mistrust. They assess political cartoons for symbols, messages, and points of view. After researching cartoons, they choose one that best depicts fear or hatred and write...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analyzing Election Cartoons

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students are introduced to the history of political cartoons and examine both historical and modern examples. They analyze a cartoon that expresses an opinion about a current event different than their own and develop an original cartoon...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Political Cartoons and Propaganda in Teaching the Holocaust

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars gain an understanding of the Holocaust through analysis of political cartoons. In this Holocaust lesson, students examine propaganda in political cartoons that were used in Nazi Germany.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interpreting Political Cartoons - "Roaring" 20s

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders investigate 1920's America. In this political cartoon lesson, 11th graders interpret political cartoons from the 1920's and respond to the provided analysis questions that accompany the cartoons.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interpreting Political Cartoons – Vietnam Era

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore opinions regarding U.S. involvement in Vietnam. In this primary source analysis lesson, 11th graders analyze political cartoons related to the Vietnam War and then respond to the provided discussion questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Canada's Press: Making a Historical Newspaper

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students examine several colonial-era editorial cartoons. They evaluate the effectiveness of the techniques the cartoonists used to display their messages and share one editorial cartoon with the class emphasising what message has been...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Toontime

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils examine and discuss how editorial cartoons are made and their role in society. They research and write about Andrew Jackson's presidency, and create an editorial cartoon of a modern presidency.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Progressive Reforms

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders analyze editorial cartoons focusing on progressive reform. They compare their analysis and research. Students discuss the cost of reform leading to the creation of a national income tax through the passage of the 16th...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Don't Lose Your Way in the News

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Young scholars explore language arts by participating in a newspaper analysis activity. In this journalism lesson, students identify how newspapers present stories, who is writing them and how they can obtain information from...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Through the Eyes of Others

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners consider perspective as they analyze a political cartoon. In this media awareness lesson, students use the provided discussion questions to explore the meaning of the political cartoon "The Scream," by Edvard Munch. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Studying the Use and Effect of Media

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars consider mediums used to explore current issues. In this media awareness lesson plan, students use a Venn diagram to compare the meaning of the painting "The Scream," to that of a selected political cartoon.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil Rights after MLK and RFK

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students are assigned to groups representing minority populations who produce a research project in a digital format from the list. A few of the choices are: speech, letter to the editor, editorial cartoon, etc.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Vietnam War

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students acquire information about the Vietnam War Era from the internet, textbook and various sources. They transfer the information that they have acquired into a newspaper format. Students create editorials, cartoons, graphics and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Newspaper Lesson Plan

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create a newspaper in order to examine the process and impact of political revolutions. In this newspaper lesson, student analyze the impact of selected revolutions while discussing the language style of each newspaper. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rise and Fall of the Jim Crow Era

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore African American history by researching the Jim Crow laws. In this Civil Rights instructional activity, students define the Jim Crow laws, the reasons they were put into place, and how they were ultimately defeated....
Lesson Plan
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Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary

B. Franklin, Printer and the Public Eye

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore U.S. history by researching famous Americans. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson plan, students read portions of a biography about Franklin and identify his position within U.S. politics and as a leader in the battle for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reconstruction to Civil Rights

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders complete a unit of lessons on the period of time from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights movement. They analyze and interpret political cartoons and editorials, conduct research on famous civil rights places, and complete...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chinese Immigration 1860s-1880s

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders consider the plight of Chinese immigrants to America. In this immigration lesson, 8th graders analyze political cartoons from the late 1800's that exemplify American public opinion regarding Chinese immigrants. The...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why Was the United States Filled With Self-Doubt at the End of the Carter Administration?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners research the events of the 1960s and 1970s using the internet. In groups, they draw their own political cartoons about one of the events. They also write a summary about how one specific event of their choosing gave the United...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Campaign: Issues and Strategies. What do you think?

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students research a candidate in an election and discuss how the media portrays that candidate and how the media influences voters. In this candidate lesson plan, students also distinguish fact from opinion, look at political cartoons,...