political cartoon analysis assignment

political cartoon analysis

All Formats

Resource types, all resource types, political cartoon analysis.

• Rating Count
• Price (Ascending)
• Price (Descending)
• Most Recent

Political Cartoon Analysis Activity: Monopolists in the Gilded Age

Social Media Addiction - Political Cartoon Analysis - Print / Digital

• Google Apps™
• Internet Activities

Origins of the Cold War Political Cartoon Analysis

Political Cartoon Analysis / Evaluation Handout

American Revolution Political Cartoon Image Analysis

POLITICAL CARTOON ANALYSIS

Cuban Missile Crisis Political Cartoon Analysis

Join or Die Political Cartoon Analysis and puzzle (digital)

• Google Slides™

Electoral College Political Cartoon Primary Source Document Analysis 1968 #7

North vs. South Political Cartoon Analysis FREEBIE

• Easel Activity

Join or Die political cartoon analysis worksheet

• Word Document File

American Revolution Intolerable Acts Political Cartoon Analysis

Nixon Corrupt Justice Political Cartoon Primary Source Document Analysis 1968 #9

McCarthyism Political Cartoon Analysis Handout

C.A.P.E.S.- Political Cartoon /Excerpt Analysis

Supreme Court Powers Political Cartoon Analysis

Political Cartoon Analysis POWER Tool

American Revolution Political Cartoon Analysis

Child Labor - Political Cartoon Analysis

Robert F. Kennedy Political Cartoon Primary Source Document Analysis 1968 #3

Political Cartoon Analysis

Vietnam & Treasury Political Cartoon Primary Source Document Analysis 1968 #1

Nixon vs Humphrey Political Cartoon Primary Source Document Analysis 1968 #10

Political Cartoon Analysis Sheet

• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think

<strong data-cart-timer="" role="text"></strong>

Flickr user aleriy osipov, Creative Commons

• English & Literature
• Grades 9-12
• Comics & Animation

Drawing Political Cartoons How do political cartoons convey messages about current events?

In this 9-12 lesson, students will analyze cartoon drawings to create an original political cartoon based on current events. Students will apply both factual knowledge and interpretive skills to determine the values, conflicts, and important issues reflected in political cartoons.

Get Printable Version   Copy to Google Drive

Lesson Content

• Preparation
• Instruction

Learning Objectives  

Students will: 

• Analyze visual and language clues to determine the meaning of contemporary and historical political cartoons.
• Research and gather information to plan a visual story. 
• Create a political cartoon based on a current event.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts Standards National Core Arts Standards

VA:Cr1.2.Ia Shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present-day life using a contemporary practice of art or design.

VA:Cr3.1.Ia Apply relevant criteria from traditional and contemporary cultural contexts to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for works of art and design in progress.

VA:Re.7.1.Ia Hypothesize ways in which art influences perception and understanding of human experiences.

VA:Re.7.2.Ia Analyze how one’s understanding of the world is affected by experiencing visual imagery.

VA:Cn11.1.Ia Describe how knowledge of culture, traditions, and history may influence personal responses to art.

MA:Re7.1.Ia Analyze the qualities of and relationships between the components, style, and preferences communicated by media artworks and artists.

MA:Re7.1.Ib Analyze how a variety of media artworks manage audience experience and create intention through multimodal perception.

MA:Cn11.1.Ia Demonstrate and explain how media artworks and ideas relate to various contexts, purposes, and values, such as social trends, power, equality, and personal/cultural identity.

Common Core State Standards Common Core State Standards

ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

• Rubric: Drawing Political Cartoons
• Vocabulary: Drawing Political Cartoons
• Political Cartoon Analysis
• PBS News Hour
• The Cartoon
• Daryl Cagle's Political Cartoon Trends
• The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists
• The Week Cartoons
• Politico Cartoons

Teacher Background

Teachers share articles or a list of media resources that are appropriate for their class in order to read current events. Teachers will need to find a variety of political cartoons, preferably displaying opposing sides of an issue. Carefully review each cartoon prior to sharing them with students. Optional articles to discuss include: How Women Broke Into the Male-Dominated World of Cartoons and Illustrations , What is a Cartoonist? , and Cartoonists - left, right, and center - have their say on Texas freeze and power outage .

Student Prerequisites  

Students should have familiarity with current events and strategies for analyzing and interpreting events.

Accessibility Notes

Modify handouts, text, and utilize assistive technologies as needed. Allow extra time for task completion.

• Display a variety of cartoons about a current event that the students are familiar with as an introduction. Be sure that the cartoons represent opposing positions about the same topic. Explain to the students that political cartoons are biased because they represent the artist’s point of view, as does an editorial. They are intended to be controversial and characterized in nature. Their meaning is conveyed by both visual and verbal clues.
• Read the following quote to the class: “A cartoonist is a writer and artist, philosopher, and punster, cynic and community conscience. He seldom tells a joke and often tells the truth, which is funnier. In addition, the cartoonist is more than an asocial critic who tries to amuse, infuriate, or educate. He is also, unconsciously, a reporter and historian. Cartoons of the past leave records of their times that reveal how people lived, what they thought, how they dressed and acted, what their amusements and prejudices were, and what the issues of the day were.” (Ruff and Nelson, p. 75.)
• Tell students that they are going to analyze political cartoons and create one of their own based on a current event. Have students create a variety of political cartoons displaying contrasting viewpoints. Share the following websites with students: Daryl Cagel's Political Cartoon Trends , The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists , The Week Cartoons , GoComics , and Politico Cartoons . 
• Distribute and review the resource, Vocabulary: Drawing Political Cartoons . Discuss with students some of the elements present in the cartoons: caption, caricature, symbolism, the proportional size of objects and people, and personification . Help students identify the personalities in the cartoons you have displayed and ask them what issue or event they think the cartoon is about. Ask the students what details they used to make an inference.
• Divide students into small groups. Distribute a political cartoon to each group and ask them to identify the elements and context of the cartoon. Students can utilize the following, Read, Write, Think resource to assist with the research and planning of their drawing: Political Cartoon Analysis . Teachers should encourage the class to brainstorm ideas to evoke different responses. Divergent answers should be accepted. Interpretation must be open-ended.
• Have each group summarize their political cartoon analysis. The rest of the class should have an opportunity to weigh in about whether or not they agree with the group’s analysis of the cartoon.
• Introduce print and web new resources with students to identify political topics. PBS News Hour , Newsela , NPR are examples of media organizations that share current events. 
• Have students create their own political cartoon depicting their opinion about a current issue. Review the Criteria for Success: Political Cartoons resource with students and discuss examples of each criterion. Allow time for students to create their political cartoon.  
• Have students share their political cartoon with the class, briefly describing the issue involved and key elements used during the cartoon-making process.
• Assess the students’ knowledge of drawing political cartoons with the Rubric: Drawing Political Cartoons .
• Have students read The Cartoon by Herb Block , one cartoonist’s take on the role played by political cartoons. Ask students: Why would Lucy, the character from Peanuts, have made a good cartoonist according to Block? What does Block mean when he says that the political cartoon is a means for “puncturing pomposity?” How do political cartoonists help “the good guys?” How do political cartoonists’ relationships with their newspapers differ? What does Block say about the “fairness” of political cartoons? What different opinions about this are held?
• Analyze the differences between cartoons and comics. Have students explore contemporary webcomics: Huda Fahmy , Alec With Pen , Aditi Mali , Brown Paperbag Comics , and Christine Rai . 

Original Writer

Daniella Garran

Diane Dotson

JoDee Scissors

July 22, 2021

Related Resources

Lesson creating comic strips.

In this 3-5 lesson, students will examine comic strips as a form of fiction and nonfiction communication. Students will create original comic strips to convey mathematical concepts.

• Visual Arts
• Drawing & Painting

Lesson Cartooning Political and Social Issues

In this 6-8 lesson, students will examine political cartoons and discuss freedom of speech. They will gather and organize information about a current or past issue that makes a political or social statement and analyze the different sides. Students will plan, design, and illustrate a political cartoon that presents a position on a political or social issue.

• Social Studies & Civics

Lesson Multimedia Hero Analysis

In this 9-12 lesson, students will analyze the positive character traits of heroes as depicted in music, art, and literature. They will gain an understanding of how cultures and societies have produced folk, military, religious, political, and artistic heroes. Students will create original multimedia representations of heroes.

• Literary Arts
• Myths, Legends, & Folktales

Media Picturing the Presidency

Shadowing the president is difficult, but White House photographers must capture every moment for history

• Jobs in the Arts

Lesson Media Awareness I: The Basics of Advertising

In this 6-8 lesson, students will examine the influence of advertising from past and present-day products. Students apply design principles to illustrate a product with background and foreground. This is the first lesson designed to accompany the media awareness unit.

Lesson Media Awareness II: Key Concepts in Advertising

In this 6-8 lesson, students will continue the exploration of advertising and media awareness.  Students will examine the purpose, target audience, and value of advertisements. Students will then create original, hand-drawn advertisements. This is the second lesson designed to accompany the media awareness unit.

Lesson Media Awareness III: Crossing the Finish Line

In this 6-8 lesson, students will develop and market a new children’s product. They will apply advertising design strategies to market their product. This is the third lesson designed to accompany the media awareness unit. 

Article Dealing with Sensitive Themes Onstage

Staging controversial shows in school theaters presents rewards and risks. Veteran arts educators share insights about the pros and cons of such shows, and how to produce them successfully.

• Sensitive Themes

Kennedy Center Education Digital Learning

Eric Friedman  Director, Digital Learning

Kenny Neal  Manager, Digital Education Resources

Tiffany A. Bryant  Manager, Operations and Audience Engagement

Joanna McKee  Program Coordinator, Digital Learning

JoDee Scissors  Content Specialist, Digital Learning

Connect with us!

Generous support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education. The content of these programs may have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation; Annenberg Foundation; the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Bank of America; Bender Foundation, Inc.; Carter and Melissa Cafritz Trust; Carnegie Corporation of New York; DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities; Estée Lauder; Exelon; Flocabulary; Harman Family Foundation; The Hearst Foundations; the Herb Alpert Foundation; the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The King-White Family Foundation and Dr. J. Douglas White; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Little Kids Rock; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation;

The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Music Theatre International; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; the National Endowment for the Arts; Newman’s Own Foundation; Nordstrom; Park Foundation, Inc.; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives; Prince Charitable Trusts; Soundtrap; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates; UnitedHealth Group; The Victory Foundation; The Volgenau Foundation; Volkswagen Group of America; Dennis & Phyllis Washington; and Wells Fargo. Additional support is provided by the National Committee for the Performing Arts.

Social perspectives and language used to describe diverse cultures, identities, experiences, and historical context or significance may have changed since this resource was produced. Kennedy Center Education is committed to reviewing and updating our content to address these changes. If you have specific feedback, recommendations, or concerns, please contact us at [email protected] .

By using this site, you agree to our  Privacy Policy  and  Terms & Conditions  which describe our use of cookies.

Reserve Tickets

Review cart.

You have 0 items in your cart.

Your cart is empty.

Keep Exploring Proceed to Cart & Checkout

Donate Today

Support the performing arts with your donation.

To join or renew as a Member, please visit our  Membership page .

To make a donation in memory of someone, please visit our  Memorial Donation page .

• Custom Other