---
title: Panama Canal Debate
description: Students will practice their research and debate skills by creating a comic which explains their perspective on a historic event.
image: https://ideas.pixton.com/hubfs/panama_canal_debate-001-1.png
---

**Subject: History; Social Studies**

**Lesson Length: 45 - 60 mins**

**Topic: Panama Canal Debate**

**Grade Level: 8**

**Standards / Framework: **

- [C3: D2.His.4.6-8](https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/2017/Jun/c3-framework-for-social-studies-rev0617.pdf)
- [C3: D4.3.6-8](https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/2017/Jun/c3-framework-for-social-studies-rev0617.pdf)

**Brief Description:**  Students will practice their research and debate skills by creating a comic which explains their perspective on a historic event.

**Know Before You Start:** Students should be familiar with the issues related to the U.S. taking ownership of the Panama Canal.

**Hook:**

- Read and discuss the sample comic.
  
    - What were the benefits of building the Panama Canal?
    - What were the costs? 
    - Why would building a canal be difficult?
    - Why did Panama oppose the building of the canal? 
- As students answer, list arguments for and against on the board.

**Activity:**

- After reading, discussing and critically thinking about this issue, students will create a six-panel comic presenting the issue of whether the United States should have taken over the Panama Canal zone and built the Panama Canal.  
    - The comic should reflect the student’s opinion as to whether or not the building of the canal was a good idea.
    - Students should include specific details supporting their opinion.

**Closure:**

- Have students present their comics to the class and display them on a bulletin board or online.

**Differentiation:**

- Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
- Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.
- Allow students to work in pairs or groups as needed.
- Provide a printout of the sample comic for student reference.
- Explore more recent debates regarding the Panama Canal.

**Resources:**

- Comic to print or display: [Comic](https://share.pixton.com/qewaekf).

**Suggested Content:**

- [![](https://ideas.pixton.com/hubfs/thumbnail-executive2025.png) U.S. Executive Branch ](https://content.pixton.com/u.s.-executive-branch)
- [![](https://img.pixton.com/content-pack/1777422004874543104/thumbnail.png) Presidents' Day ](https://content.pixton.com/presidents-day)

Assign Activity

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