Political Cartoon Interpretation
					Notes

Objective:
1. Students will analyze strategies individuals or groups may use to initiate change in government policy and institutions by evaluating political cartoons.
2. Students will establish clear criteria for evaluating ideas, issues, or positions by analyzing political cartoons.

Notes:
1. Irony: satire, sarcasm.  (“water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink”)
2. Symbolism: using symbols to represent ideas. (cross, star, or  crescent moon)
3. What is a Political Cartoon?
A. It is a type of drawing or picture. “Every picture is worth a thousand words.”  
B. Are used to present opinions, comments, or criticisms of a situation, person, or event. 
	C. Help us understand a difficult idea by presenting it in a visual way. 
4. Political Cartoon Techniques:
A. Caricature ‑ exaggerating one or more physical features ‑ a large mouth to show some one who often speaks out on an issue.
B. Symbols ‑ using a recognizable item to communicate an idea ‑ an elephant to represent the Republican Party.
C. Caption ‑ having the characters speak or summarizing the message in a few words above  or below the cartoon.
D. Quadrant: four drawings in one cartoon
E. Viewpoint- a mental position from which things are viewed.
F. Controversial - deals with important issues by using parody (make fun of)
G. Interpretation - relating to.... today’s lesson,  gun control and the NRA in the U.S.

5. Where can students find Political Cartoon (artifacts) for their portfolio?
Students can find a new and different Political Cartoon in the Sun Paper. (First section, next to the last page.)

								

						
Political Cartoon Interpretation
Explanation
	A political cartoon is a type of drawing used to present opinions, comments, or criticisms of a situation, person, or event. Cartoons help us understand information by presenting it in a visual and memorable way. Cartoonists use many different techniques to achieve their goals:
Caricature ‑ exaggerating one or more physical features ‑ a large mouth to show some one who often speaks out on an issue.
	Symbols ‑ using a recognizable item to communicate an idea ‑ an elephant to represent the Republican Party.
Caption ‑ having the characters speak or summarizing the message in a few words above         or below the cartoon.

Model for Interpretation
       What is the title of this cartoon? Or, What title would you give it?	

	List the objects or people that you see in the cartoon.

	Which objects/people are symbols? What do you think each one means?

Are there any important clues (words, places, numbers) in the cartoon?

	Describe what is happening in the four quadrants of the cartoon, if applicable.

What is the political or social issue presented in the cartoon? What is the cartoonist's viewpoint on this issue? How do you know?

Who might agree/disagree with the cartoon? Why?

Describe how you were able to interpret this cartoon.	

Political Cartoon Interpretation
 SAMPLE STUDENT RESPONSE
Model for Interpretation
What is the title of the cartoon? Or what title would you give it?
	Security Blanket

List the objects or people that you see in the cartoon. 
	Man sucking thumb, tree, rifle with tag, blanket

Which objects/people are symbols? What do you think each one means? 
	    man = hunter
    blanket Bill of Rights

Are there any important clues (words, places, numbers) in the cartoon? 
	National Rifle Ass. = organization in favor of owning weapons 
	assault/hunting = changing the reason for having a gun 
	security blanket = something that protects you

Describe what is happening in the cartoon.
A hunter is sitting under a tree, sucking his thumb and hugging a blanket the rifle's tag has been changed from assault to hunting

What is the political or social issue presented in the cartoon? gun control
What is the cartoonist's viewpoint on this issue? How do you know? in favor of gun control and against the NRA's belief in owning weapons because the hunter is portrayed as childish and needing a “security blanket"

Who might agree/disagree with the cartoon? Why? 
agree = people who want more gun control 
disagree = hunters who want to be able to get weapons

Describe how you were able to interpret this cartoon.
I recognized the “right to bear arms" is in the Bill of Rights, and knew that the NRA wants people to be able to own weapons