Analyzing Visuals Assignment
Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics

•	Students will work alone or in groups to select and analyze a visual graphic (political cartoon, statistical chart/graph, or opinion poll data) that relates to the study of American government and/or politics.
•	Student groups will present once during the first or second quarter and again in the third or fourth quarter.  Students must be prepared to present by Monday of their assigned week.  Presentations, however, may occur on any day during that week.
•	Students must select either:
o	a political cartoon that relates to a topic in American government/politics;
o	a chart or graph depicting data that is relevant to American government/politics;
o	results of a public opinion poll that reflect American attitudes about government/politics.
•	In class, the group will lead a brief discussion (approx. 5-7 minutes) of the visual, which includes:
o	one or two questions that lead the class to a better understanding of the visual (these should be rather basic questions about the visual itself); and
o	one or two questions about the visual’s message, main idea, or significance (these should be “big picture” questions).
•	Students must email the visual and their questions to me no later than the Wednesday before the week they are scheduled to present.
•	The assignment will be worth 20 points and will be an “Assignment” grade.  The assignment will be scored as follows:
o	submitting a visual on time that meets the above requirements (0-14pts)
o	submitting a visual that is relevant to topics currently or previously studied in class (0-3pts)
o	asking quality questions that lead the class to understand the visual’s message, main idea, or significance (0-3pts)

•	Important dates:  Wednesday deadline for submitting visual / Monday of presentation week

First Quarter 13-14	Second Quarter 13-14	Third Quarter 13-14	Fourth Quarter 13-14	
Oct 9 / Oct 14	Oct 30 / Nov 4	TBA	TBA	
Oct 16 / Oct 21	Nov 6 / Nov 11			
Oct 23 / Oct 28	Nov 13 / Nov 18			
	Nov 20 / Nov 25			
	Dec 4 / Dec 9			
	Dec 11 / Dec 16			
	Dec 18 / Jan 6