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| Florence: Ponte Vecchio over the Arno River |
Write and design a travel brochure for one region of Italy. The brochure will contain information on things to see and do as well as notes on natural attractions and regional cuisine. Remember that the brochure will cover an entire region, not just a city.
First, research several regions of Italy. Then narrow your research in order to design a travel brochure for one region.
STEP 1: Initial Search
Begin your research with visits to the following Web sites:
Welcome to Italy
The map on this page lets you click on each region for additional information.
Travel Europe Italy
A real travel brochure online! Explore the deals and the facts.
Yahoo! Italy
Under "Categories," choose one of the regions. That will take you toward more details.
Search for information about regions of Italy. Take notes on museums, historic or scenic sites, and cultural details.
Focus your search on one specific region, such as Umbria, Calabria, Tuscany, or Piemonte. Use cluster diagrams to organize the details you have discovered about your region. (See Grammar for Writing, Level Gold, pages 10–11.)
STEP 2: Focus Your Search
Search the Internet for more information on the region of Italy you have chosen. Explore other resources, such as books, an encyclopedia, newspaper and magazine articles, and brochures from travel agencies.
STEP 3: Define Your Audience
Your brochure could be aimed at traveling families. Your audience may know nothing at all about Italy or the region you have chosen. Give your readers a full picture of the region so that they can decide whether or not to go there. Use a persuasive style, with descriptions that will generate excitement and make the reader want to visit.
STEP 4: Brainstorm Ideas
Begin by brainstorming about things you would want to see or do on a vacation in Italy. Include (1) museums, theaters, and historical sites; (2) biking, hiking, or other athletic pursuits; (3) festivals and musical events; (4) a map for getting from site to site.
Vacations are active, and your verbs should be, as well. Before you write, make a list of action verbs you might use in a travel brochure. (See Grammar for Writing, Level Gold, Chapter 8, pages 195–207.)
When writing about a foreign country, it is a good idea to include some popular and well-known phrases in the native language. Per favore [for example, in Italian], borrow a book from the library on Italian for travelers. Foreign-language phrases not only can add zest to the brochure, but can make the destination more appealing to readers.
STEP 5: Organize Your Ideas and Write a Rough Draft
First, decide what the format (number and size of pages) of the brochure will be. A brochure is composed of two basic elements: art (pictures or illustrations) and copy (headlines and descriptive paragraphs). Develop a layout (an overall plan for the pictures, text, and headlines) that fits the format. This will guide your writing. Write your rough draft to fit the layout.
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| Venice: A gondolier propels his gondola along a canal. |
STEP 6: Revise, Edit and Proofread Your Writing
Reread your brochure. Make sure each paragraph has a topic sentence and that all the sentences in the paragraph support that topic. Be sure your writing is lively and covers all the things readers may want to know about travel in the region. Include sensory descriptions and use action verbs.
Edit your writing for grammatical errors; then proofread your work carefully for spelling, punctuation, and capitalization errors.
STEP 7: Publish Your Work
Present your brochure to the class. Explain why you chose each element.
Copyright ©2007 by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.