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Lesson Plan

Create a Travel Brochure

By  Emy Lopez
  • Grade:
    Grades 6–8
  • Subject:
    Content Area Reading, Drawing Conclusions, Main Idea and Details, Making Inferences, Summarizing, Public Speaking, Research Skills, Expository Writing, Communities and Ways of Life, Ancient Civilizations, Visual Arts, Creativity and Imagination, Cooperation and Teamwork, Travel, Teacher Tips and Strategies, Christianity, Technology
  • Skill:
    Drawing Conclusions, Main Idea and Details, Making Inferences, Summarizing, Online Sources, Reference Sources, Social Studies, Public Speaking, Research Skills, Expository Writing
  • Duration:
    2 Weeks
  • Unit Plan:
    Blast from the Past Travel Guides

Overview

Students will learn how to become experts in the study of an ancient civilization and will develop an understanding of its early strengths and lasting contributions.

Objective

Students Will: 

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the contributions of the Ancient Roman civilization.
2. Study and provide evidence for:

  • The significance of Roman citizenship
  • The spread of Christianity
  • An understanding of Roman law
  • An appreciation of Roman art
  • An appreciation of Roman architecture
  • An appreciation of Roman engineering
  • An appreciation of Roman philosophy
3. Demonstrate an ability to interpret, analyze, and synthesize historical information.

4. Demonstrate an ability to connect the past with the present through an oral presentation using standard-specific speaking strategies.

Directions

Part 1: Introduction

Step 1: Introduce the activity by entering the classroom as a tour guide (wear a toga if you want!). Explain to students that the class will be embarking on a tour of Ancient Rome, so get ready for a "blast to the past!"

Step 2: Post the Ancient Rome Itinerary on the overhead and hand out copies of the "Itinerary" to the class. Go over the various places and topic ideas.

Part 2: Effective Travel Brochures
Step 1: Provide students with samples of real travel guides. Have them share with the class. Ask the students to identify what makes each travel brochure effective.

Step 2: List students' responses on the chalkboard/whiteboard and leave up for the remainder of the unit, so students will realize what type of information is absolutely necessary to make their brochures effective.

Step 3: Hand out and go over the How to Create a Travel Brochure step-by-step guide. Allow students to ask questions about the various options on the handout.

Step 4: Decide on a way to distribute topics/ideas from the Ancient Rome Itinerary. Suggestions: Allow students to sign-up for topics, pull names out of a hat, or assign topics to students.

Note: At this time, you may decide that you want students to work in pairs or groups; depending on the topics/ideas/concepts you decide to emphasize.

Part 3: Research and Complete Brochure
Step 1: Provide time for students to research their topics/ideas. Set time aside to go over their gathered information.

Step 2: Allow time for students to begin creating their travel brochures and incorporate their gathered information. Be sure to emphasize creativity!

Step 3: Students submit their travel brochures and post them on a bulletin board in class. Optional: Take digital pictures of students' brochures and upload them to your Class Homepage!

Part 4: Give presentation
Step 1: Acting as tour guides, students use their travel brochure to lead a class tour of their researched topic/idea/concept.
Here are some ways I encourage students to share their travel brochures:

1. Pass the brochure around the classroom.
2. Make transparency copies of each page and present on the overhead projector.
3. Conduct a virtual tour through a PowerPoint presentation or Web site.
4. Create a "giant" brochure on a poster-board.
5. Dress up as a Roman Gladiator or wear a toga.

Lesson Extensions

Other Resources:

Web sites about Ancient Rome
What was Roman life really like?
http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Romelife.html

History Link 101's Ancient Rome page connects you to the best of Art, Biographies, Daily Life, Maps, Pictures, and Research on Rome.
http://www.historylink101.com/ancient_rome.htm

Evaluation

  • Did students respond to the way I introduced the activity?
  • Did modeling a sample of my own travel brochure or bringing in sample brochures, help the students' creative processes and abilities to get started right away?
  • Did students develop an overall understanding of the contributions of Ancient Rome? Was their understanding evident in their travel brochures and/or presentations?
  • Did students remain on task during the activity?
  • Did they handle the independent/group activity well enough to incorporate more project-based assessments?
  • Did students enjoy or take advantage of the various options available to them in the presentation activity?
  • Should I change anything in the way I model or teach this lesson?

 

+ Lesson Resources

Materials
Teacher:

  • Ancient Rome, A Complete Resource That Helps Kids Learn About This Fascinating Civilization by Alexandra Hanson-Harding
  • Social Studies textbooks and other primary/secondary sources
  • Computer and Internet access
  • Software for word processing, PowerPoint, etc.
  • Overhead projector, transparency, paper
  • Paper, poster-board, etc. if you usually supply these to your students
  • Copies of student handouts (enough for all students) Ancient Rome Itinerary: a list of topics/ideas for the travel brochure How to Create a Travel Brochure: a step-by-step guide for students o Samples of "real" travel brochures from various travel agencies

Students:

  • Notebook to record important information found during the research process o Activity handouts provided by the teacher
  • Computer access, Internet access, library access
  • Various materials, such as poster-board, paper, etc., depending on the travel brochure option selected

Set Up and Prepare

  • Make enough copies of all handouts before introducing the lesson.
  • Be sure to have any additional materials available.
  • Motivate students by wearing a toga the day you introduce the activity.
  • Create a sample travel brochure to model for the class.

+ Assess Students

Using a content standards-aligned rubric, assess students based on their ability to represent and synthesize the researched information into a travel brochure. I also assess students' effort, creativity and class participation throughout the unit. By requiring a class presentation, I integrate language arts standards and can assess students' oral language and speaking skills on a standards aligned rubric.

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