Alright so here’s how I tackled teaching political cartoons about the Great Depression this Tuesday. Woke up thinking, “Gotta make this stick without drowning the kids in dusty facts.” Started simple: opened the browser, searched some Depression-era cartoons. Found a bunch, printed maybe 15 different ones – some grim, some darkly funny. Important to show the range, y’know?
Scooped up the stack of cartoons, my coffee mug threatening to spill, and shuffled into Room 207. Kids were already buzzing, half-asleep but trying not to show it. First thing I did? Didn’t even hand them the cartoons. Nope. Just slapped one big, ugly cartoon right under the ancient document camera. A guy in torn clothes labeled “Average Joe,” sitting on a cracked foundation called “Banking System.” Heavy stuff. Pointed right at it. “Okay folks,” I said, leaning on the table. “What screams ‘I’m broke and the world’s broken’ here? Tell me literally anything you see.”
Got crickets for a solid five seconds. Then Miguel, quiet kid in the back who never speaks first, mumbled, “That suitcase looks empty.” Boom! Off we went. We talked about the cracks under the guy, how his hat was shaped like a baguette but clearly held nothing. Laughed at the chicken labeled “Savings” flying away. Simple questions: “What’s drawn bigger, and why might that matter?” “See any symbols… like, what could that crumbling pillar mean?” Just let them shout out ideas, messy guesses included.
Why This Worked (Surprisingly Well)
- Started Visual First: Didn’t overwhelm with dates or events. Cartoons punched you in the face with the emotion and fear right away. Kids felt the crisis before needing to memorize causes.
- Group Brainstorm Frenzy: Letting them yell stuff out without judgment took the pressure off. Felt like solving a puzzle together, not a test.
- Symbols Are Key: We circled every tiny detail. Uncle Sam looking skinny? Piggy bank smashed? They caught on quick that everything was a hidden message.
- Humor as a Tool: Used a few cartoons with savage humor – like a rich guy fishing for coins with a magnet labeled “Stocks.” We laughed, then got why it was funny/sad. Lightened the mood but sharpened the point.
Took about ten minutes per cartoon this way. Dumped cartoons all over their tables afterward. Groups of four, each group got a different cartoon and the same simple questions: find symbols, guess what it’s attacking, why it might make people angry or laugh. Noise level hit “controlled chaos.” Wandered around, sat with groups, nudged them: “Okay, why does drawing the factory boss so big matter?” Saw lightbulbs flickering on over messy hair.
Wrapped it up simple. “So, kiddos,” I said, leaning against my sadly unreliable projector. “Next time you see some politician drawn with donkey ears or a wall made of dollar signs? You’ll know. That artist isn’t just doodling. They’re punching back with a pencil.” Saw nods. Felt good.
Oh, and the projector? Flickered halfway through showing a Hooverville cartoon. Classic. Had to squint. Maybe that added to the authentic Depression vibe? Or just my school’s budget woes. Anyway. Point is: keep it visual, let them loose on the symbols, and connect it to feeling how desperate it was. Worked for my crew this time.
