ENG1100Y: History Senior/ Intermediate
Canadian History Lesson Plan: Katelyn Krisman
Subject/ Grade: Canadian History Since WWI, Grade 10
Course Code: CHC2P (Applied)
Suggested time: 75 minutes
Lesson Topic/ Unit: Governing Canada WWII: Exploring Political Cartoons
Lesson Description:
This lesson will serve to teach students about various Canadian responses to the governments
decisions during WWII. Students will be granted the opportunity to investigate political cartoons
from the time period in order to make inferences about the various opinions and perspectives
Canadians had about the Canadian governments management of the war effort. Student’s will
also be given the opportunity to create a sketch for a political cartoon demonstrating their
understanding of political cartooning and a selected government decisions.
Enduring Understandings:
1. Students will understand that French and English Canadian relations has been vital to
Canadian unity
2. Students will understand that Canada’s independence was forged by its participation in both
world wars as well as other world events
Key Learning:
1. Students will understand that similar to WWI the French were opposed to conscription their
opposition created internal upheaval within the country.
2. Students will learn that political cartoons are primary sources that provide insight into the
perspectives and thoughts of various Canadians who lived during WWII.
3. Students will learn that cartoonists use certain techniques to convey their message including
the use of caricatures, labels, captions, symbols, relative size, and the use of light and dark
(Visual literacy).
Critical Question (s):
Question to be Answer by the end of the lesson
Critique the Piece
Did the government meet the diverse needs of Canadians when making decisions about Canada’s
involvement in WWII?
Decode the Puzzle: What makes an effective political cartoon?
Critical challenge: Decode the Puzzle (observations and Inferences)
When investigating political cartoons students will need to address several critical thinking
questions:
Who was the intended audience for this message?
What message is being conveyed?
What do you think was the intended message?
Whose perspective does this cartoon represent?
Who is being criticized if anyone? Why?
Critical Literacy Questions:
From the political cartoons we looked at whose voices are missing? Why do you think their
voices were not represented in political cartoons?
Portfolio Entry: Political Cartoon (design to Specs)
Overview of the Critical Challenge: the Critique the Pieces question is the question students
will contemplate throughout the duration of the lesson. This will be the question that propels
their investigation of the primary source; political cartoons. After learning how to read political
cartoons they will need to ask these pertinent questions in order to make inferences about the
cartoons perspective and overall message. They will then be asked to develop a sketch of a
political cartoon to demonstrate their understanding of a war time issue, cartooning and a
Canadian perspective about that decision.
Skill Building:
This lesson will teach students critical literacy and visual literacy. They will learn how to read
and analyse political cartoons in order to make inferences supported by observations. This lesson
will prepare students for their summative because the in class activity with scaffold their
summative portfolio project. They will have an opportunity to submit their portfolio entry in
order to receive feedback. This initial submission will also function as a formative assessment.
On a later date they will also have the choice to submit it for the units summative evaluation as
well as an opportunity to polish it for their culminating task. This will also prepare them for the
unit test which will require students to demonstrate their ability to read visual images such as
political cartoons or propaganda in order to make inferences about primary sources and their
historical significance.
Historical Thinking:
Historical Perspective Taking is the dimension of historical thinking that will be addressed
within this lesson because students are being asked to investigate whether the government
addressed the diverse needs of Canadians. Students will look at political cartoons and will
identify the perspective, audience, and message.
Objectives and Broad Understanding
Intellectual Tools
Background Knowledge:
Curriculum Stands Addressed:
 Communities: Local, National and Global and Methods of Historical Inquiry
Communities: Local, National and Global Overall Expectations: explain the significance of
some key individuals and events in the evolution of French-English relations in Canada since
1914;
Specific Expectations:
 Explain why conscription was a controversial issue and how it divided English Canada
and Quebec during World War I and World War II;
 Describe some of the contributions Canada and Canadians made to the war effort at home
during World War I and World War II, as well as some of the effects the wars had on the
home front
Methods of Historical Inquiry Overall Expectations: interpret and analyse information gathered
through research, employing concepts and approaches appropriate to historical inquiry;
Specific Expectations:
 analyse information, employing concepts and approaches appropriate to historical inquiry

inference in texts and visuals found in primary and secondary sources;
Criteria for Judgement:
Criteria for Effective political Cartoons:
1. Has Immediate impact
2. Demonstrates originality or freshness
3. The message is clear
4. The message is important and speaks to relevant concerns
5. The political cartoon has a humours effect
Habits of Mind:
Critically Minded: is willing to evaluate information when it is important to do so
Thinking Strategies:
T Chart- recording observations (evidence) and inferences in order to answer critical questions
Critical Thinking Vocabulary:
Inference: a conclusion one draws based on assumptions. Inference can be weak or strong,
justified or unjustified and need to be examined
Observations: a remark, comment of statement based on what one has noticed or observed.
Perspective: A point of View. A way of seeing a situation based on your experience.
Lesson Plan: Governing Canada WWII: Exploring Canadian
Perspectives
AGENDA:
1. Decode the Puzzle: Observation and
Inferences
2. Mini Lecture about: Governing Canada
during WWII
3. Using Primary Sources: political cartoons
to understand perspective
4. Portfolio Entry: Decode the Puzzle:
Political Cartoon Activity
Purpose and
Timing
Mental Set
5 minutes
RESOURCES:
1. LCD projector and computer
2. Current Political Cartoon Example (digital)
3. USB Key with cartoon resources
4. Graphic Organizer (WWI v.s WWII 30
copies)
5. T- Chart Observations vs. Inferences
5. Political Cartoons for Analysis (5) 1 pre group
6. Portfolio Assignment w/ Rubric
Instructional Strategies: What will Students do?
1. Decode the Puzzle: Observations and Inferences
Review Agenda (written on the Board)
Decode the Puzzle: Modern Canadian Political Cartoon
Think Pair Share
Define Political Cartoon:
1. Its purpose
2. Audiences
3. Messages
Instructions: What is this cartoon about?
Take two minutes to look at the image. Write down comments,
remarks or statements about the things you notice in the image.
Ex. There is a person wearing a large hat.
Come together
Call on Students to share some of the things they wrote down
(Think)
Instructions: look at the things you have written down,
based on the things you have noticed I want you to look at image
again and on the other side of the page under “inference” make a
guess about what the cartoon’s message is.
Thinking
about the
Thinking
Debrief
5 minutes
Pair- Share both observations and inferences
Sharing the Lessons Objectives
Explicitly Explain to students what they just did:
Observation: define
Inference: define
This activity required you to make observations about the
cartoon. Observations are.... Then based on those observations
make inferences. Inferences are... this is the type of thinking I
would like you to learn because these are the first steps that are
crucial for being able to read visual images. However, today I am
going to teach you about the specific things to notice or observe
Required
Resources
T- chart
Observations
and
Inferences
LCD
projector and
computer,
USB key
with cartoons
set up
when reading a political cartoon in order to draw accurate
conclusions about the underlying message, perspective and
intended audience. However today we will be looking at cartoons
from WWII.
Explain: they will be used as primary sources to give us insight
about the way the government managed the war effort on the
home front and overseas. We are going to address specific
questions that will help us understand how various Canadians felt
and perceived certain decisions.
Knowledge
Input
(10 minutes)
Critical Question: Did the government meet the diverse needs
of Canadians when making decisions about Canada’s
involvement in WWII?
Question to contemplate throughout lesson.
2. Mini Lecture about: Governing Canada during WWII and
Textbook Reading
Activate Prior Knowledge:
What were some of the things the government of Canada did in
order to manage the war effort during WWI?
Have student respond to question and record answers on handout
Have them guess about what decisions the government may have
done similarly during WWII.
What things might they have changed that were ineffective
during WWI?
Lecture about government’s management of the war at home and
overseas.
While listening have students record their answers in Graphic
organizer (WWI vs. WWII management decisions)
Whiling
Listening
WWI vs.
WWII
decisions.
Textbook
Canadian
History
A sense of
time, 178181
Topics Covered:
- Enemy Aliens, Baby Bonus, Conscription, War Measures
Act etc.
Have Students refer to Canadian History: A sense of Time,
pages 178-181 to guide explanation and topics covered. To
complete graphic organizer. Have students read key passages,
teacher clarifies and expand if necessary
Modeling
3. Using Primary Sources: political cartoons to understand
perspective
(5 minutes)
1. Teach Students how to read cartoon by teaching them the
techniques of Cartooning refer to cartoon used for mental set,
draw on the observations and inferences they made in order to
illuminate their answers.
Techniques of Cartooning:
LCD project
and example
cartoons
1. Captions
2. Labels
3. Relative size
Guided
Practise
(10 minutes)
4. Caricature
5. Light and Dark
6. Symbols
Use example from the mental Set to teach students how to
read Political Cartoon.
Example 2: Refer to Historical Example on LCD projector
Screen.
Guided Practise:
Give students time to look at picture and assign each group a
question to answer about the political cartoon
1) Who was the intended audience for this message?
2) What message is being conveyed?
3) What do you think was the intended message?
4) Whose perspective does this cartoon represent?
5) Who is being criticized if anyone? Why?
Give students 3 minutes in groups to answer their question
assigned to them. Have each group share response that reveals
the cartoons perspective, message and audience.
Independent Decode the Puzzle: Give each group a Political Cartoon for
Practise
individual analysis.
1. Have each group look at assigned political cartoon. Have them
(10 minutes) individually answer all five critical thinking questions in relation
to their cartoon.
2. based on what they have learned throughout the lesson and
based on the cartoon they have analysed have them answer the
Critical Question: Did the government meet the diverse needs of
Canadians when making decisions about Canada’s involvement
in WWII?
- have students write an answer
Assessment
of Learning
(25 minutes)
Closure (5
minutes)
4. Portfolio Entry: Design To Specs: Political Cartoon
Activity
1. Debrief activity, have selected groups share their
deconstruction of political cartoons
2. Build Criteria for what makes an effective political cartoon
3. Handout Portfolio entry Assignment and Rubric explain
4. Give Students time in class to work on political cartoon sketch
1. Recap what students have learned during the lesson
2. Explain that the activity they completed in class can be used
as a portfolio submission for unit summative and/or culminating
3. Homework: finish activity if it was not completed in class
Reminder: if they want to submit it as a portfolio entry polish it
LCD
projector and
computer
with political
cartoon
resources
Observation
Inference
handout
Political
Cartoon
examples
printed (7)
Graphic
Organizer
Portfolio
assignment
with Rubric
for submission: Rough Draft due 12th to give formative feedback
Returned on the 14th, Final portfolio submission will be due on
26th for the unit summative.
Resources:
Hou, Charles, and Cynthia Hou. Great Canadian Political Cartoons: 1915-1945.Vancourver:
Moody’s Lookout Press, 2002.
Pearson, Greg, Shannon Simpson, Connie Bray and Marc Keirstead. Canadian History a Sense
of Time: A Teacher’s Resource. Toronto: McGraw- Hill Ryerson, 2006
Pearson, Greg, Shannon Simpson, Connie Bray and Marc Keirstead. Canadian History a Sense
of Time. Toronto: McGraw- Hill Ryerson, 2006, 178-181
Recent editorial cartoons published in the Toronto Star.
www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Render&=Page&cid=97251408
1251
Mental Set Political Cartoon and Modelling (Visual Literacy)
Guided Practise Cartoon
Enemy Aliens
Critical Challenge Assignment: Decode the Puzzle Group Activity
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Historical Thinking: Reading Political Cartoons
Political Cartoons: is an illustration or comic strip containing a propaganda message, that usually
relates to current events or personalities. There goal is to bring attention to a current issue through a visual
diction that is sometimes humorous. The cartoonists use several techniques in order to create effective
political cartoons. These techniques include:
Labels: words in the
drawing to express
thought and identify
people or objects
Relative Size:
Figures are drawn
much larger or
much smaller than
others.
Caricature: A
Distorted,
oversimplified or
exaggerated
representation of a
figure.
Light and Dark:
Use of dark shading
and white space to
create and effect.
Enemy Aliens
Captions: A sentence of Phrase that is the title for the Cartoon
Symbols: A sign or Object to represent something else.
Critical Question:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Critical Question Answer (Assigned):
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Historical Thinking: Observations vs. Inferences
Instructions:
Step One: Below Identify things you notice about the political cartoon. These are your
observations. Write a comments, statement, or sentence about the things you notice
Step Two: After writing down several observations write down your assumptions or guesses
about what the cartoon means. Use your observations to help you make justifiable inferences.
Modern Political Cartoon:
Observations
Inferences
Historical Political Cartoon:
Observations
Inferences
Political Cartoon Analysis
Assigned Historical Political Cartoon:
Observations
Inferences
Critical Questions:
Who was the intended audience for this message?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What message is being conveyed?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
What do you think was the intended message?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Whose perspective does this cartoon represent?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Who is or what is being criticized if anyone? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Critical Question: Did the government meet the diverse needs of Canadians when making
decisions about Canada’s involvement in WWII? Refer to own cartoon and page 178-181 in text
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
The Governments Response WWI vs. WWII
WWI
WWII
Portfolio Entry: Political Cartoon
Name:_________________
Due Date for Rough Draft:_________________
Critical Challenge: Design to Specs
After exploring in depth the conventions of political cartooning and the Canadian
government’s management of the war effort, your challenge is to build an effective
political cartoon. This challenge requires you to first pick a war time issue such as
enemy aliens, baby bonus or conscription. Secondly, you will need to pick a
perspective such as English Canadian, French Canadian, Farmer etc. Thirdly,
you will need to sketch out a cartoon that shows both your understanding of the
issue, time period and political cartooning. In your cartoon use techniques such as
captions, labels, relative size, symbols etc. Do not feel obligated to use them all.
Just a few that shows your understanding of Political Cartoons. Remember to be
creative and have fun!
Suggestion: if you are having trouble, refer to the examples we did in class.
Suggested Issues:
 Enemy Aliens
 War Measures Act
 Working Women
 Baby Bonus
 Conscription
What makes an effective Political
Cartoon?
1)
________________________________
2)
________________________________
3)
________________________________
4)
________________________________
5)
________________________________
Governing Canada Political Cartoon
Category
Level 1
50-50%
Level 2
60-69%
Level 3
70-79%
Level 4
80-100%
Knowledge and
Understanding
includes elements
that show limited
knowledge and
understanding of
the selected
government action
includes some
elements that show
knowledge and
understanding of
the selected
government action
Thinking
Shows limited
effectiveness in
using criteria to
develop cartoon.
Effective
perspective choice
in relation to
government action
Shows some
effectiveness in
using criteria to
develop cartoon.
Effective
perspective choice
in relation to
government action
includes elements
that show
considerable
knowledge and
understanding of
the selected
government action
Shows
considerable
effectiveness in
using criteria to
develop cartoon.
Effective
perspective choice
in relation to
government action
Communication
shows limited
effectiveness in
using language
conventions to
communication
information and
ideas.
Shows limited
effectiveness using
cartoon techniques
to communicate
information
shows some
effectiveness in
using language
conventions to
communication
information and
ideas.
Shows some
effectiveness using
cartoon techniques
to communicate
information
shows
considerable
effectiveness in
using language
conventions to
communication
information and
ideas.
Shows
considerable
effectiveness using
cartoon techniques
to communicate
information
Application
Uses the cartoon
form with limited
effectiveness to
convey sense of
the government
action selected and
the history of the
period
Uses the cartoon
form with some
effectiveness to
convey sense of
the government
action selected and
the history of the
period
Uses the cartoon
form with
considerable
effectiveness to
convey sense of
the government
action selected and
the history of the
period
includes few
elements that show
thorough
knowledge and
understanding of
the selected
government action
Shows a high
degree of
effectiveness in
using criteria for
effective cartoons.
Very effective
perspective in
relation to
governments
action
Shows a high
degree of
effectiveness in
using language
conventions to
communicate
information and
ideas
Shows a high
degree of
effectiveness
using cartoon
techniques to
communicate
information
Uses the cartoon
format with a high
degree of
effectiveness to
convey sense of
the government
action selected and
the history of the
period
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