My students worked hard the past week making brochures to inform about the Iditarod. The attached lesson plan suggests using Microsoft Word or Apple Pages, but this year we created it in Printshop. We set it up like a card so students had 4 panels to work with (single fold instead of tri-fold). After putting together the cover, students focused on Mandatory Items, The Dogs, and Interesting Facts. They not only used their typing and Internet search skills, they were also able to be creative choosing colors and headings that appealed to them. Having 4 panels instead of 6 gave them more room for pictures and text. The final product was a professional looking brochure they can be proud to share.
While third graders focused on certain aspects of the Iditarod, this lesson can easily be modified for older and younger students. Other brochure topic suggestions include Checkpoints, Dog Care, Dog Sleds, etc.