Political cartoons offer a very good understanding of primary opinions of historical issues when students
understand how to properly interpret them. Theodore Roosevelt is a particularly good candidate for
interpreting political cartoons as he was very stalwart in his policies and opinions. In the following
lesson, a natural course of action was to discuss Roosevelt’s life and politics and then have students
examine how parts of each of these were translated into political cartoons. The lesson’s objectives to
discuss Roosevelt’s policies and explain the purpose of a political cartoon go hand-in-hand with the
lesson’s activities (Roosevelt lecture and discussion, drawing their own political cartoon). The
assessment of having students explain their cartoons checks for understanding both on Roosevelt’s
policies as well as the purpose of political cartoons.
Lesson Plan
Name: Keisha Stoots
Date: March 11, 2015
Subject: US History II
Grade: 7th
Virginia SOL: USII.5b
Start time: 10:00
Stop time: 11:35
Lesson Title: Teddy Roosevelt
Objectives (What do you want students to know, understand, do, or feel as a result of your
instruction?)
1.
The student will be able to outline Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policies and the Monroe
Doctrine
2.
The student will be able to show the purpose of a political cartoon by designing one
themselves.
3.
4.
Critical vocabulary:
Monroe Doctrine
Roosevelt
Corollary
Materials/resources:
Paper, colored pencils
Big Stick
diplomacy
Intro (how do you capture their attention and get them interested?):
Show video on the life of Theodore Roosevelt. Video
Body (what comes after your interesting intro?)
Go over PowerPoint with students. Discuss the political cartoons that are in the PowerPoint,
especially focusing on the ones at the end. Get students to discuss with you and one another about
what the cartoons are trying to say.
After the lecture, go over what a political cartoon is. A political cartoon shows the artist’s opinion of
a person or event and often gives the viewer an idea of what members of the public think about
people or events as well. Have students draw their own cartoon about Theodore Roosevelt.
Encourage them to use their lecture notes to choose a topic about Roosevelt to draw. Give them the
rest of class to work.
Closure (purposeful summary-help them remember today or anticipate tomorrow):
Have volunteers share their cartoons. They must be able to explain the subject and what is going
on in their image.
Homework: Finish cartoon
Assessment: (How will you assess if they have mastered your objectives? Be specific.)
Ask questions throughout PowerPoint to assess student understanding. Explanation of political
cartoons.
SOURCES:
Theodore Roosevelt