Brochure Lesson Plans and Resources for the K-12 Classroom

Lesson Plans by Jacci Howard Bear, Your Mining Co. Guide to Desktop Publishing
Copyright 1997-98, JBdesigns, Freely distributed for school use.
http://desktoppub.miningco.com
Author email: [email protected]

Notes to the Instructor:

Brochures
The brochure can inform, educate, persuade, explain, or instruct. Lesson 1 has a
team of students writing and designing a brochure describing a specific place or
organization. This may be a contemporary, historical, or fictional time and place. In
Lesson 2 the students must create a brochure describing a specific process or project
(assigned by the teacher or of their own choosing) such as “How to Dissect a Frog” or
“Description and Assembly of a Basket of Fruit”. Lessons can be applied to a variety of
ages and subject areas including Language Arts, Technical Writing, History, Social
Studies, Mathematics, and Science.
Lesson 1: Create a Brochure Describing a Place or Organization (Informs,
Educates, Persuades)

This project could be assigned to individual students or to teams of 2 or more students. You may
want to assign specific topics or provide the class with a list of approved or suggested topics.
Suggestions include:

• Where you live (city, county, state, country);

• An entire country or specific regions or cities that tie in with your current unit of study
(contemporary or assign a specific time period, such as London, England in the 1860’s);

• A fictional location (The Land of OZ);

• Mars, Saturn, the Moon, etc.;

• An organization or group related to your current unit of study (The Sons of Temperance,
An American Indian Tribe, the Whigs);

• A local or school organization (FTA, the Art Club, the school football team, the Junior
Rotary Club).
In evaluating the brochures, you may want to have classmates not involved in that particular
brochure project read the brochure then take a simple quiz (written or verbal) to determine how
well the brochure writers/designers presented their topic. (After 1 reading could most of the
students tell describe what the brochure was about, what key points were made, etc.)

Brochure Lesson Plans - JHB

Lesson 2: Create a Brochure about a Process or Project (Educates, Explains,
Instructs)
This project could be assigned to individual students or to teams of 2 or more students. You may
want to assign specific topics or provide the class with a list of approved or suggested topics.
This type of project is good for “how-to” subjects. How to Make and Read a Sundial, How to
Determine the Diameter of Any Circle, or How to Make a Rainbow with Red, Yellow, and Blue.
It is also a good format for explaining how or why something works. How a Prism Works, Why
the North Pole is Covered in Ice, or How the Two-Party System Developed in the United States.

In evaluating the brochures, you may want to have classmates not involved in that particular
brochure project read the brochure then take a simple quiz (written or verbal) to determine how
well the brochure writers/designers presented their topic. For a how-to brochure you might have
some of the students try to follow the instructions and recreate the project or perform the task.

Attachments:

A - Brochure Checklist: List of items commonly found in brochures. Not every item will or
should appear in all types of brochures.

B - Place or Organization Checklist: Applies only to Lesson 1. Includes questions to help guide
the student in deciding what type of information the brochure needs to include.
Lesson 1:

Create a Brochure Describing a Place or Organization

(Informs, Educates, Persuades)
Introduction
One way that people learn about places, people, or things that they do not know is by
reading about them. But what if they don’t have time to read a whole book or they just
want a quick overview of the subject? Businesses often use brochures to inform, educate,
or persuade—quickly. They use a brochure to grab the readers attention and get them
interested enough to want to know more.
A brochure for a new convenience store might have a map and list of all the locations
around town and a brief description of the types of food products it sells. The brochure
for an Animal Shelter may give facts about abandoned animals, pet overpopulation, and
the importance of spaying and neutering programs. A travel brochure may show beautiful
pictures of exotic places—making you want to visit that city or country.
These types of brochures tell enough about a place or an organization to get your interest
and make you want to know more.
Task
Create a brochure about ___________________________________ (PLACE/ORGANIZATION)
that informs, educates, or persuades. The brochure is not an in depth study of a topic but
it should give enough information to grab and keep the readers interest from start to
finish.
A brochure may cover a broad topic but it shouldn’t contain so much information that it
overwhelms the reader. Choose 2 to 3 key points about PLACE/ORGANIZATION to describe. If
there are other important elements, consider listing them in a simple bullet list or chart
somewhere in your brochure.
In addition to what your brochure says, you must decide the best format to present your
information. Different formats work best for brochures with lots of text, lots of pictures,
small blocks of text, lists, charts, or maps. You’ll need to find the format that works best
for your information.
Resources

• Brochure Checklist (attachment A).

• Place or Organization Checklist (attachment B).

Suggested Minimum Resources

• Collection of brochures from family, friends, local businesses. (Travel brochures

and brochures from local clubs are good examples.)
Brochure Lesson Plans - JHB
• Brochure design books and portfolios (optional).

• Classroom or Library Reference Materials.

• Access to Internet Resources (optional).

• Page Layout Software (with Brochure Templates if possible).

• Scanner, clip art books, graphics software (optional).

• Plain or color paper, staples (if doing booklet style brochures).

• Laser or inkjet printer able to handle chosen paper stock.

 Steps
1. First, write down what you currently know “off the top of your head” about your
topic. If it is a place, describe the location. Write down any key landmarks,
interesting tourist spots, or historically significant locations that you now know
about. If it is an organization, write down what you know about that group, its’
mission or purpose, its’ membership.
2. Look at sample brochures you or your class have collected. Identify those that
have a style or format you might like to imitate or borrow. See how much detail
each type of brochure includes.
3. Research your topic. Use the materials provided in the classroom or from other
sources to gather more details about your topic. From these materials and what
you already know about the topic start picking out 5 to 6 significant or interesting
facts that you think you will want to highlight in your brochure.
4. Use the Place Checklist or the Organization Checklist for questions and ideas on
what to include in your brochure.
5. Using the Brochure Checklist, list the major components of your brochure. Mark
out any components you wish to omit from your brochure. Write headlines and
subheads. Write the descriptive text. Make lists.
6. Sketch out some rough ideas of how you want your brochure to look—including
any graphics you think you want to include. (Your software may come with a
collection of clip art; if you have access to a scanner you may be able to scan
artwork from clip art books; if you have access to graphics software you may be
able to draw your own graphics.) Try out different formats to fit your text. Edit
your text to fit your layout. Experiment.
7. Using the page layout software available to you, transfer your rough sketches to
the computer. Your software may have templates or wizards that will provide you
with even more ideas.
8. Print your final design and fold as necessary.

Brochure Lesson Plans - JHB

Evaluation
Your teacher and your classmates will use the criteria listed in the checklists
accompanying this lesson (Brochure Checklist and Place or Organization Checklist) to
see how well you have presented your topic. You will be using the same criteria to judge
the work of your classmates and providing input to your teacher. Not everyone will agree
on the effectiveness of a single brochure but if you have done your job well, most readers
will agree that your brochure gives them the information they want and need, is easy to
follow, and makes them want to know more.
Conclusion
The brochure as an informative, educational, or persuasive device must present
information in a clear, organized manner. It should give enough information that the
reader won’t be left wondering “what’s this really about” but should also be a “quick
read” so that the reader doesn’t become bored before reaching the end. Because it doesn’t
tell the whole story, it should contain the most important parts of the story. Give the
reader the most significant, most interesting facts—the information that will make them
want to find out more.
Lesson 2:

Create a Brochure about a Process or Project (Educates, Explains,

Instructs)
Introduction
Sometimes you don’t need a whole book to tell you how to do something. Companies
often write simple instruction sheets or brochures that outline how to assemble their
product or how to use it properly.
These types of brochures tell how to do something or explain how something works using
simple descriptions, diagrams, or lists of steps. They are intended for readers who don’t
need to know absolutely everything on a subject but do need the basics.
Task
Create a brochure about _________________________________________________
(FILL IN SELECTED OR ASSIGNED PROCESS/PROJECT) that educates, explains, or instructs. The
brochure is not an in depth study of a topic but it should give enough information that the
reader can perform the task or understand the process.
In addition to what your brochure says, you must decide the best format to present your
information. Different formats work best for brochures with lots of text, lots of pictures,
small blocks of text, lists, charts, or maps. You’ll need to find the format that works best
for your information.
Resources

• Brochure Checklist (attachment A).

Suggested Minimum Resources

• Collection of brochures from family, friends, local businesses. (Instruction

booklets for watches, assembly instructions for small toys, and brochures from
your local utility company explaining water conservation practices, etc. are good
examples.)

• Brochure design books and portfolios (optional).

• Classroom or Library Reference Materials.

• Access to Internet Resources (optional).

• Page Layout Software (with Brochure Templates if possible).

• Scanner, clip art books, graphics software (optional).

• Plain or color paper, staples (if doing booklet style brochures).

Brochure Lesson Plans - JHB
 • Laser or inkjet printer able to handle chosen paper stock.
Steps
1. First, write down what you need to accomplish with your brochure. What process
are you explaining? What task should the reader be able to accomplish after
reading this brochure?
2. Look at sample brochures you or your class have collected. Identify those that
have a style or format you might like to imitate or borrow. See how much detail
each type of brochure includes.
3. Research your topic. Use the materials provided in the classroom or from other
sources to gather more details about your topic. If you are explaining a process,
decide what background information the reader will need. If describing a task,
will you need a list of parts or supplies? Must the steps in the project be
completed in a certain order?
4. Using the Brochure Checklist, list the major components of your brochure. Mark
out any components you wish to omit from your brochure. Write headlines and
subheads. Write the descriptive text. Make lists.
5. Sketch out some rough ideas of how you want your brochure to look—including
any graphics you think you want to include. (Your software may come with a
collection of clip art; if you have access to a scanner you may be able to scan
artwork from clip art books; if you have access to graphics software you may be
able to draw your own graphics.) Try out different formats to fit your text. Edit
your text to fit your layout. Experiment.
6. Using the page layout software available to you, transfer your rough sketches to
the computer. Your software may have templates or wizards that will provide you
with even more ideas.
7. Print your final design and fold as necessary.
 Evaluation
Your teacher and your classmates will use the criteria listed in the Brochure Checklist
(attachment A) accompanying this lesson to see how well you have presented your topic.
You will be using the same criteria to judge the work of your classmates and providing
input to your teacher. Not everyone will agree on the effectiveness of a single brochure
but if you have done your job well, most readers will agree that your brochure gives them
the information they want and need and is easy to follow. For how-to type brochures your
teacher may have other students follow your instructions to complete your project or task.
If most students can easily follow your instructions, you’ve probably done a good job.
Conclusion
The brochure as an educational or instructional device must present information in a
clear, organized manner. It should give enough information that the reader can
understand the process or reproduce the project. When explaining a process or telling
how to build or assemble a project, the format of the brochure is especially important.
You will probably want to present information in a chronological (1, 2, 3...) order. In
explaining a complicated process you need to boil it down to its most important elements
—leave lengthy explanations and detailed descriptions for the textbooks and research
papers.

Brochure Lesson Plans - JHB

ATTACHMENT A

Brochure Checklist
Many of the items in this list are optional. You must decide which ones are appropriate
for your brochure.

• Name of Location, Business or Organization.

• Address.

• Phone Number.

• Fax Number.

• Email Address.

• Web Page Address.

• Headline that creates curiosity, states a major benefit, or otherwise entices the
reader to open and read your brochure.

• Headline that states the name of the Product, Project, or Described Process.

• Subheads.

• Short, easy to read blocks of text.

• Lists, charts.

• Key Benefits (2-3).

• Features.

• Instructions, steps, parts (for a procedure, to assemble a product, etc.)

• Biography (of business owner, key members of organization, officers, etc.).

• Mission Statement.

• History.

• Logo.

• Graphic Image(s) (including purely decorative elements).

• Photographs of product, place, people.

• Diagram, flow chart.

 • Map.

• Call to Action (What you want the reader to do: call, visit, fill out a form, etc.)

Brochure Lesson Plans - JHB

ATTACHMENT B

Checklist for a Brochure about a Place

These are a few things to look for specifically related to brochures about a place. Not all
will apply to your brochure.

• Does the brochure give enough information that the reader knows where to find
this place? (Map, directions)

• Does the brochure tell what is significant about this place (historical importance,
tourist attractions, famous residents, significant industries, etc.)?

• Are there interesting pictures? (Pictures with people are usually more effective
but pictures of well-known landmarks or beautiful scenery can work with or
without people in the photos)

• Are the pictures or clip art useful? Do they help to tell the story or do they just
seem to be filling up space?

• Does the brochure make the reader want to visit this place (if that is the purpose
of the brochure)?

• Does the brochure make the reader want to avoid this place (if that is the purpose
of the brochure)?

Checklist for a Brochure about an Organization

These are a few things to look for specifically related to brochures about an organization.
Not all will apply to your brochure.

• Does the brochure give the name of the organization?

• Is the purpose of the organization clearly stated?

• Does the brochure list the organizations activities?

• If appropriate, is there a calendar of events?

• If the organization has a product or service that it sells (or gives away) is that in
the brochure?

• Does the brochure state the membership requirements (if any) for the
organization?
 • Does the brochure tell how to contact the organization?

• Are the most important activities of the organization highlighted?

• Does the brochure make the reader want to join the organization (or find out more
about it)?

Brochure Lesson Plans - JHB