Introducing the Legislative Branch with Political Cartoons
Summary
In this lesson, students will analyze political cartoons drawn by Clifford K. Berryman between 1898 and 1948 to learn about Congress and its constitutional role. The lesson is designed to accompany Representing Congress: Clifford K. Berryman's Political Cartoons— a free eBook that presents a selection of political cartoons and learning resources to engage students in a discussion of what Congress is, how it works, and what it does.
Rationale
Students can learn about key features of Congress and its constitutional role by analyzing political cartoons.
Guiding Questions
What can students learn about Congress and its constitutional role by analyzing political cartoons?
Materials
Reflection Questions Worksheet
Graphic Organizers
Political Cartoons
Supplemental material: Representing Congress: Clifford K. Berryman's Political Cartoons
Recommended Grade Levels
Grades 3-8
Topics included in this Lesson
Political cartoons, Congress, the Constitution, political parties, legislating, balance of Branches, popular government
Learning Activities
- Organize the students into five groups.
- Make for each student a copy of the five graphic organizers and the Reflection Questions Worksheet.
- Make one copy of the appropriate graphic organizer for each station.
- Establish five stations, and place a copy of one graphic organizer at each station. Place the relevant cartoon sheets at each station.
- Assign each group to start at one of the stations.
- Instruct students to read the prompts on each graphic organizer at each station. Place the relevant cartoon sheets at each station.
- Instruct the students to collaboratively discuss and answer the questions on the graphic organizers about each cartoon they selected and record their responses on their individual copies of the graphic organizers.
- At an appropriate time interval, instruct students to rotate to the next station and continue their work.
- When the groups have finished their work at all five stations, have an all-class discussion reviewing their findings.
- After completing this review, instruct the students to complete the Refection Questions Worksheet. When they have finished, review their responses in an all-class discussion.
Vocabulary
Legislate: To make laws by following a process defined in the Constitution.
Branches: The divisions of the government defined in the Constitution. The three branches are the Legislative Branch (Congress), the Executive Branch (the President and agencies under the President's direct authority), and the Judiciary Branch (the federal court system). The Legislative Branch, Congress, is made up of the House of Representative and the Senate.
Balance of branches: The Constitution gives each branch the authority to review, influence, or even stop an action taken by another branch in certain situations. This requires the branches to work together.
Popular government: The Constitution begins with the words "We the People," meaning that all power in the government comes from the people. Voting in elections is an example of how "the people" use their power over the government.
Political parties: Political parties are not mentioned in the Constitution. They are organizations through which people work together to win elections and influence the government to act in ways that they favor.
Note to the Teachers
The cartoons in the lesson were drawn by Clifford K. Berryman, a cartoonist remembered for his creation of the Teddy Bear. Although he originally used the bear to represent President Theodore Roosevelt, the bear is used in these cartoons as a playful figure who sometimes lends perspective on the topics being depicted.