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University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Comical History

Recommended Grade Level(s)

  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12

Primary Subject Area(s)

  • History
  • Language Arts
  • Art (Visual Arts)

Related Artifacts

Activity Description

Analyze several comic strips with attention to both visual and textual elements. What topics did those in these early towns find humorous? Ask whether there are issues we would find humorous, or perhaps offensive, today. Next, draw a cartoon replicating the style of one of the comics from the boomtown years. Be sure to include captions or graphics that would appeal to those living during the era.

Standards Addressed

  1. History
    1. Grade 4 Standards
      1. H2.4.4: Identify the diverse population of Nevada's early settlers and discuss their unique experiences.
      2. H2.4.6: Explain how United States conflicts affected life and society in Nevada.
      3. H3.4.1: Compare and/or contrast their daily lives with children in Nevada's past.
      4. H3.4.2: Recognize that communities include people who have diverse ethnic origins, customs, and traditions, and who make contributions to Nevada.
      5. H3.4.5: Discuss major news events on the local and state levels.
    2. Grades 6-8 Standards
      1. H1.[6-8].7: Explore the lure of the West and the reality of life on the frontier as it relates to communication, farming and water issues, mining, and ranching.
      2. H1.[6-8].8: Describe the contributions of immigrant groups to the emerging American culture.
      3. H1.[6-8].10: Describe the role of farming, railroads, and mining in the settlement of the West.
      4. H2.[6-8].1: Summarize the contributions of the diverse populations of Nevada's early settlers.
      5. H2.[6-8].3: Describe how compromise and conflict among peoples contributed to political, economic, and cultural divisions.
      6. H2.[6-8].4: Identify and explain the importance of immigrant and native groups to mining, ranching, railroads, and commerce in Nevada and the United States.
      7. H4.[6-8].12: Explain the significance of major news events Nevada and at the national and world levels.
    3. Grades 9-12 Standards
      1. H2.[9-12].3: Analyze how different cultures, points of view, and self-interests influence compromise and conflict over territories, borders, and resources.
  2. Language Arts
    1. Grade 4 Standards
      1. 3.4.6: Identify words and phrases that reveal tone.
      2. 3.4.7: Compare text from different cultures and time periods.
      3. 4.4.1: Identify the purpose of and gain information from illustrations, graphs, charts, titles, text boxes, diagrams, headings, maps.
      4. 4.4.2: With assistance, identify how language creates persuasion and propaganda.
      5. 6.4.7: With assistance, write a variety of communications in appropriate formats.
    2. Grade 7 Standards
      1. 3.7.7: Explain the influence of time periods.
      2. 4.7.1: Evaluate information from illustrations, graphs, charts, titles, text boxes, diagrams, headings, maps.
      3. 4.7.2: Explain how language is used for the purpose of persuasion and propaganda.
      4. 6.7.4: Write responses that demonstrate an understanding of plot, character, and setting.
      5. 6.7.7: 6.7.7 Write a variety of communications in appropriate formats.
    3. Grade 12 Standards
      1. 1.12.5: Apply knowledge of content specific vocabulary in text to build comprehension.
      2. 3.12.7: Analyze the influence of historical events and culture.
      3. 4.12.1: Evaluate information from illustrations, graphs, charts, titles, text boxes, diagrams, headings, maps.
      4. 4.12.2: Explain how language is used for the purpose of persuasion and propaganda.
      5. 4.12.4: Make inferences about an author's culture and historical viewpoints.
      6. 6.12.7: Write a variety of communications in appropriate formats.
  3. Art (Visual Arts)
    1. Grade 5 Standards
      1. 1.5.2: Examine how different media, techniques, and processes cause different responses (e.g. Look at two-dimensional vs. three-dimensional works of art).
      2. 2.5.1: Describe various visual characteristics of art (e.g. sensory, formal, technical, and expressive).
      3. 2.5.2: Identify and describe possible purposes and/or functions of art (e.g., The purpose for a pot's decoration might be to tell a story while the pot's function might be storage).
      4. 2.5.4: Select and use specific visual characteristics to communicate.
      5. 3.5.1: Discuss how subject matter, symbols, and ideas produce meanings in works of art.
      6. 3.5.2: Produce a work of art that demonstrates the ability to convey meaning by integrating subject matter and symbols with ideas.
      7. 3.5.3: Explain the way subject matter, symbols, and ideas are chosen to present meaning in student artwork.
      8. 4.5.2: Associate a variety of artworks with cultures, times, and places.
      9. 4.5.3: Create works of art that demonstrate historical and cultural influence.
    2. Middle Grades Standards
      1. 2.8.1: Analyze and evaluate the effects of visual characteristics in works of art.
      2. 2.8.2: Analyze and evaluate a variety of artworks to determine purposes and/or functions.
      3. 2.8.4: Explain how one's own artwork employs various visual characteristics to communicate.
      4. 3.8.2: Plan and produce works of art that use a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas from varied times and places to communicate meaning.
      5. 3.8.3: Analyze the degree to which subject matter, symbols, and ideas are successfully used to communicate meaning.
      6. 4.8.1: Categorize and discuss visual characteristics of selected works of art in relationship to a variety of historical and cultural contexts.
      7. 4.8.2: Describe the purpose and discuss the meaning of specific art objects within varied cultures, times, and places.
    3. Secondary Grades Standards
      1. 2.12.1: Defend an interpretation of visual characteristics in works of art.
      2. 2.12.2: Defend interpretations of purposes and/or functions in art.
      3. 2.12.4: Create artworks that manipulate visual characteristics to convey complex ideas.
      4. 3.12.1: Evaluate the significance of specific subject matter, symbols, and ideas in works of art.
      5. 3.12.2: Plan and produce a work of art that displays the ability to choose subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate intended meaning.
      6. 3.12.3: Evaluate and defend the validity of sources and the manner in which subject matter, symbols, and ideas are used in artworks.
      7. 4.12.1: Analyze and interpret artworks from various cultures and times regarding context and purposes.
      8. 4.12.2: Analyze characteristics and interpret meaning of art from various times, cultures, and places.
      9. 4.12.3: Analyze their own artwork in relation to historical, aesthetic, and cultural influences.
 

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