Political Cartoons

The lesson will incorporate primary sources, specifically political cartoons, relating to government spying and our interpretations of it. It will use a Socratic Seminar to explore the different viewpoints and arguments of student regarding the issue and will culminate in a short student reaction essay.

Students will complete in-class and outside of class assignments using political cartoons, posters and documents.

The students will receive a copy of Margaret Hays’ letter Number 35, and will read, interpret and answer questions.  The class will discuss individual interpretations.

Students will examine the Marshall Plan through political cartoons of the era.

Reflection and analysis of symbols and their use in political cartoons

Students analyze a biographical comic book summarizing President Harry S. Truman's life prepared by the Democratic Party.

Students will be analyzing two political cartoons featuring the United Nations (one from the Korean War-Truman administration and one from the War in the Persian Gulf-circa Bush 41 administration). After independent analysis, students will pair up or join small groups and share analysis and then discuss two questions about U.S. foreign policy decisions concerning the two events and the Presidential choices made about when and how to involve the U.S. in war. 

The students will produce a monthly magazine from WWI. The time frame (month) will be chosen to coincide with a particular battle of their choice.

In the classroom students will be creating a list, taking notes, pair sharing, brainstorming, discussing answer, and analyzing posters.

Students will study excerpts from FDR's fireside chat about changing the supreme court and study editorial cartoons about reactions to it. They will discuss and evaluate the plan and analyze editorial cartoons.