In February, the media center and Social Studies department hosted a traveling exhibit called Looking at Lincoln: Political Cartoons from the Civil War Era from the Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History. In preparation for their Westward Expansion, Antebellum, and Civil War units, our 8th-Grade Georgia Studies students participated in a three-day lesson that was centered around the exhibit. Looking at Lincoln explores the Civil War and issues of slavery from the standpoint of political cartoons of Lincoln’s contemporaries. I created an interdisciplinary lesson that asked students to read complex social studies text and analyze primary and secondary source documents.
In step one, we accessed digital issues of Junior Scholastic magazine and discussed five questions that can be used to analyze political cartoons. We also discussed five “tools” cartoonists use to convey their message (all literary terms) – hyperbole, irony, analogy, symbolism, etc. After teacher modeling and analyzing several cartoons together as a class, students used their handouts to analyze various modern-day political cartoons from the September 19, 2011 issue of Junior Scholastic and then presented an explanation of the cartoons to the class. The depth of their analysis knocked our socks off, and the engagement and willingness of students to share across the board was a testament to Antonio’s classroom management and the “safe” environment he provides for his students.
In step two, students rotated in groups to stations. One group analyzed the cartoons on the Looking at Lincoln Exhibit using their five-question organizer as well as the organizer for cartoonists’ tools. The rest of the groups analyzed documents from Lincoln’s era such as the Emancipation Proclamation. They had folders with the activities, background information, and discussion questions. Though the text was challenging, the discussion questions and contextual information helped students make connections and come to a deeper understanding.
In step three, students took what they had learned back to the classroom where they created their own political cartoons as the culminating assignment.
In reflecting on the lesson, Mr. Grant wrote, "It was a rewarding experience that aligned with the curriculum perfectly. It challenged and engaged the students! This was absolutely the most exciting lesson that I have ever been a part of. Thank you so much for providing my students with such a wonderful experience. " A special thank you to Susan Fisher, TAG Department Chair and Social Studies teacher for registering us as a Gilder-Lehrman affiliate school! We can't wait to host the exhibit again next year!
