Political Cartoon Analysis

In 5th grade history class, we are comparing the American Revolution to the Egyptian Revolution and learning about political cartoons. You can read Veronica's analysis of a political cartoon below. 

Political Cartoon Analysis Questions

By Veronica

1.     Describe the mood of the cartoon.

The mood of the cartoon is fear of the officials from the new “weapons” (social media) of the protesters.

2.     What techniques or devices does the artist use? Caricature? Symbolism? Ridicule? Puns?

The artist is taking a well known social media website, Twitter, that was used by protester to bring down Mubarak and the repression of police officers and making it look like an innocent bird scaring an officer. This is funny because the protesters biggest weapon was Facebook and Twitter.

3.     What issue or event does the cartoon deal with?

The issue that the cartoon deals with is the police officer is trying to repress the revolution, but because of social media, more people keep hearing about the revolution and joining in.

4.     Describe the action that is taking place.

The police officer is trying to kill the bird, or is trying to kill twitter and the revolution, but the bird has more power and is winning.

5.     What is the purpose of the cartoon? What is its message? Is it effective?

The purpose of the cartoon is to show people that because of new technology there are now new non- violent ways of protesting and beating repression. This cartoon is effective because it shows the power of Twitter and Facebook.

6.     Who is the intended audience?

The intended audience is people interested in the Egyptian Revolution, and how social media beat Mubarak.

7.     Whose viewpoint does it represent?

It represents the protesters viewpoint, because Twitter is winning and is powerful. The protester used Twitter knowing that it was powerful.

8.     What groups would agree/disagree with the cartoon's message? Why?

People who are against technology, Twitter, and Facebook and people who wanted to repress the revolution because, the officer who is trying to beat the bird is losing, so people on the police’s side would disagree because they want the police to win.

News Comparison Analysis

As part of the digital and media literacy unit for 7th grade English class, we are analyzing the same news story as reported by four different newspapers/blogs. You can read the assignment below. 

News Article Comparison

You will compare the same news story in four different publications: The NY Times blog, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, and a UK publication.

Topic:

Mark Zuckerberg gets married

Answer this: 1. Is this news? Why? Why is this story relevant?

Next: Read the following articles:

a. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/post/mark-zuckerberg-and-priscilla-chan-how-they-pulled-off-their-surprise-wedding/2012/05/20/gIQAQVK1dU_blog.html 

b. NY Times

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/19/mark-zuckerberg-ties-the-knot/?ref=style

c. Uk Newspaper

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/second-best-day-of-his-life-mark-zuckerberg-surprises-friends-with-secret-wedding-7769678.html

d. Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/22/the-curious-timing-of-mar_n_1535698.html

2. In the chart below, summarize each article in detail. Do they cover different content?

NY Times	Washington Post	Huff Post	The Independent UK

3. WHY do they cover different content? How is the slant or bias of each news source conveyed in the article? Write your answer in paragraph form addressing each news source.

4. Do you detect any of these types of bias?

▪   Advertising bias, when stories are selected or slanted to please advertisers.

▪   Corporate bias, when stories are selected or slanted to please corporate owners of media.

▪   Mainstream bias, a tendency to report what everyone else is reporting, and to avoid stories that will offend anyone.

Sensationalism, bias in favor of the exceptional over the ordinary, giving the impression that rare events, such as airplane crashes, are more common than common events, such as automobile crashes.

categories from wiki.

Advertising Analysis

Jessica is working on media and literacy analysis. She analyzed the following ad for her ad analysis essay. Proctor and Gamble made this commercial for its products, which support the London Olympics, just in time for Mother's Day. It will almost make you cry.


"The Best Job in the World"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NScs_qX2Okk


Stay tuned for Jessica's ad analysis essay later this week.

Keeping up with Current Events!

Veronica read an article about pollutants' effects on baby sea otters from the Time for Kids Website. Check out the article here: http://www.timeforkids.com/news/making-waves/37011

Look at this Current Events Graphic Organizer

Introduce article (including title, author, date of edition) Include link if downloaded from Internet	Making Waves by Vicky An April 23, 2012 Time for Kids http://www.timeforkids.com/news/making-waves/37011
Why was this article interesting or relevant (1-2 sentences)	1. This article is about how we need to be aware of the pollutants we are putting in the water. 2. This is relevant, because in science class we are learning about the Dead Zone and how the fertilizers kill and injure animals.
Summary of the Article (at least 4 sentences)	1. Monterey Bay Aquarium is taking care of 501 until he is fully healed. 2. They are making a movie about 501 including how he was injured and how we can prevent this. 3. Katie Pofahl is another star in the movie, she is the one who found 501. 4. This article is also saying that we need to be careful of what we put in the water.
Recommend: Tell why a friend should read it. 4 sentences	1. This article is very interesting because it inspires you to help stop pollution because it is hurting animals. 2. They should also read this so that they know about the new movie, Otter 501 so they can go see it. 3. This article as Katie says is also saying to readers that you can be a scientist no matter what gender or age you are. 4. I would recommend this to a friend, to spread awareness of fertilizers we are putting in the water.
Include a  quote from the article in the summary or recommendation paragraph which adds 1-2 sentences	This article is about an otter who was rescued on the beach of Big Sur CA. They are going to make a movie about the hardships in his life. “We have an amazing opportunity to help people be aware of how they impact the world.” –Pofahl
Conclude by stating the questions you have AND what you would like to read more about in the future relating to this topic.	What will happen to 501 when he is healthy again? When will the movie come out? How old is 501? How old was he when the biologists found him? I would like to know more about all the pollutants we are putting in our ocean.

Science Fiction Genre Analysis

We read the story "Piper in the Woods" by Philip K. Dick, who is also the author of "The Adjustment Team" (we read this one last week). That story was recently made into a movie starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt called "The Adjustment Bureau." 


Read Veronica's insightful comments about the story Piper in the Woods, the genre of sci-fi, and the societal ramifications in the story.

Veronica

April 26, 2012

Sci-Fi Genre Paragraph

1.     Piper in the Woods is a great example of Science Fiction. It meets all the criteria. It has technology and science from the future, it involves partially true, partially fictitious laws or theories of science, it is also set in the future in space on a different. People lived on asteroid Y-3, meaning that they have the technology to breathe, and the technology to get there. It is partially true, because one day we might live in space, but is also fictitious because forests probably aren’t on asteroids, and we probably can’t change into plants. Piper in the Woods was set in space in the future on an asteroid and a planet.

In reply to the question: Is this story commenting on our society or the roles people are required to play?

2. I think he is commenting on society, but I also think he is wrong in some ways. If half of American adults didn’t work and just sat in the sun all day, our society would crumble a little. If 1 million did that, then we could still keep on going on along with our own business and be fine. I think he was angry, because one tenth of the people were sitting out in the sun all day, and the society was starting to fall. If the president didn’t do anything, our society would fall. The author was saying that if no-body, worked or played their parts in American society, there would be no more America or society.

                                        

Editorial about the Declaration of Independence

April 16, 2012

2^nd draft/Final

Editorial about the Declaration of Independence

By Veronica

On July 4^th, the Declaration of Independence was released to the public and Thomas Jefferson’s name was quickly known from all over the 13 colonies. The Continental Congress had been working on the Declaration for just shy of 1 and half years before finishing the final draft in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence that does not mean, though, that he made the laws and all the rules by himself. He had lots of help from the Continental Congress. We celebrate the Declaration of Independence on July 4^th each year as a holiday representing freedom. Back then, it was a day of freedom, but miles away a war was still raging.

Your question was, “Why is the Declaration of Independence so famous?” In my personal opinion, I think it was one of the many building blocks to the Democratic Government. The Declaration clearly stated that the 13 colonies would unite as states, and as one country. One of the most famous lines in the Declaration is, “ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This famous line means, that unlike King George who said that God picked him to be king, all men in the colonies, whether born from monarchy or not have their say in the government. All men were equal in the colonies and had representation. This created an uproar with the African Americans. They said that they were clearly men and were promised in the Declaration that they would have a say in the government and be equal to white men.

The Declaration has taught many generations to come the beautiful manner of writing a convincing, honest, and moving paper. The Declaration is quoted to this day because of its poetic writing style and critical analysis of the way the king ruled over England. Thomas Jefferson was very brave to include pages of blunt criticism about the king when he knew that the Declaration would reach the king’s hands.

In the early 1900s thousands of immigrants from all over the world sailed to America in hope of freedom, happiness and opportunity. When I think of America this is what I think of. The Declaration set the stage for American values by stating that when the colonies united as one, all men would have a say in the government, and every man would be created equal. There would be Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I hope this answers your questions on why the Declaration was so important in American history and why it is so famous.