1. Warm-up  Write about this political cartoon. How does it make you feel and why? What do you think it is about?

2. Political Cartoons: Using OPTICS

3. What are Political Cartoons? Political Cartoon = An illustration or comic strip containing a political or social message that usually relates to current events or people.

4. Where Can I Find One? Internet Newspaper Magazine Textbooks

5. OPTICS The six letters in the word OPTICS (pertaining to the eye) provide a system for remembering the six steps for analyzing a visual. This strategy is designed to help you better understand paintings, photographs, and political cartoons.

6. O bjects are in the cartoon? A podium to signify that an important speech is taking place. Picket signs, perhaps a rally or protest.

7. People are in the cartoon? This person / cartoon is……

8. Title AND Time period? Sometimes titles won’t be so obvious. Since this is a picture of the current president, the time period must be…

9. What I nferences can you draw? (infer: to speculate, guess, imply. To conclude from evidence.) Is the artist trying to say that the majority of Americans don’t speak English?

10. C onclusions can you draw? What does Obama think of Romney? What does Romney think of Obama? What prior knowledge do you think you need to reach any conclusions about this picture? What can you conclude?

11. S ummarize the main idea. The summary puts all your information together in one or two sentences that give the main idea with supporting details.

12. What’s Wrong With Kids Nowadays?