Grade: Middle
Subject: History

#3642. Imperialism Political Cartoon Assessment

History, level: Middle
Posted Thu Feb 2 13:19:34 PST 2006 by BeCa Fisk (fiskbc@pickens.k12.sc.us).
Pickens Middle School, Pickens, SC, USA
Materials Required: white copy paper, colored pencils, crayons, markers, pens, pencils, examples of political cartoons
Activity Time: 45 minutes - 90 minutes
Concepts Taught: Imperialism, Political Cartoons

Imperialism
Political Cartoon Assessment

Purpose: To fully understand the concept of imperialism.

Goal: To create a political cartoon to illustrate the imperialism that led up to WWI.

Assignment: Create a political cartoon to illustrate imperialism used throughout the world. Cartoons should deal with 4 of the 6 the following optional topics:
1. Spanish-American War and Cuban Rebellion
2. Annexation of Hawaii and Texas
3. Forced modernization of Japan
4. European Imperialism of Africa
5. Japanese imperialism in Asia
6. Great Britain in India
Your cartoon must include:
1. Imperialism
2. Social Darwinism
Create a full page political cartoon summarizing the topics you chose above. Each cartoon should have an all encompassing visual to summarize the main concepts of the chosen section. Each cartoon should have a written summary of the overall message conveyed by the cartoon and the topics you have chosen to analyze (5-8 sentences).

Guidelines:
Day One
• rough draft of the summary sentences
• rough draft/sketch of cartoon
Day Two
• final draft of cartoon
• final draft of summary sentences
• assignment due

Assessment: Test Grade
How to get a 100 on this test:
• choose and draw about 4 of the 6 topics in the optional category (20)
• draw about the 2 mandatory categories (20)
• reflect an opinion about imperialism, not merely facts, in your illustration (10)
• write at least 5 sentences covering your 5 chosen topics, 2 mandatory topics, and the opinion your cartoon reflects (20)
• include color or shading in your cartoon (10)
• complete day one guidelines on day one, if you are absent, you must complete day one guidelines by the time you come to class on day two (20)