colonies travel brochure

13 Colonies Travel Brochure

An Easy 13 Colonies Travel Brochure Project

In an effort to share more of our project-based learning, I thought I’d highlight Caleb’s latest middle school research & writing assignment.  As part of a Colonial History unit study , Caleb and I read a two great books about the 13 colonies.

Afterward, I asked him to choose his favorite of the 13 colonies.  His assignment was this:

Using legal-sized paper, create a travel brochure of the colony of your choice.  The travel brochure can be written from the perspective of then or now, however, the main focus must be on historical information.  The brochure should:

• include thorough information about the colony:  its founder(s), important historical events that took place, important people who lived there, historical buildings, what life was like in the colony, etc.
• include drawings, pictures, maps, bullet points or other visually pleasing elements.
• be engaging for your reader.

Caleb very creatively wrote the brochure comparing modern-day New York with Colonial New York.  He even added a few multiple choice trivia questions for the reader.

I call this a research-based project because he was expected to use the internet or books from the library to delve deeper into the history of the colony.  The information he learned had to be grasped and translated into the format of an informational travel brochure.  He had to use further creativity to make the brochure interesting for his readers.  He even had to research images and use a word processing program to copy/paste/print.

In the end, the project touched on:

• book research
• online research
• creative writing
• informational writing
• writing for real-life
• making comparisons
• word-processing
• artistic creativity
• oral presentation

The brochure took about three days (an hour or so each) to complete.  Think of what a rich time of learning these hours were!

Would you like to learn more about project-based learning?

Click the image below to find a detailed description and links to several practical ideas.

Great idea!

this is a great idea! thanks for sharing the idea!

It turned out so beautifully.

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I love this idea. Do you have a grading rubric that you could share? What resources did your students use to find information for their brochure?

Hi Meredith! Unfortunately, I don’t have the grading rubric that we used. As for resources, I let my children choose their own books from the library and do research on the internet. 🙂

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13 Colonies Travel Brochure

In this activity, activity overview, template and class instructions, more storyboard that activities.

• This Activity is Part of Many Teacher Guides

Once students have learned about the 13 colonies, they can create a travel brochure! This is a fun way for students to demonstrate what they've learned about one of the colonies. They can choose the colony or the teacher can assign them. In this activity, students will create a travel brochure for a colony, including examples of natural resources, jobs, and other opportunities the colonies sought out.

Students can print and fold their brochures and use them as part of a presentation. They can pretend to be a tour guide or a travel agent trying to convince people to move to the colony!

You can also find more brochure templates to add to this assignment if you want to provide students with a few options.

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Objective: Create a brochure that advertises all the opportunities that can be found in your chosen colony!

Student Instructions:

• Click "Start Assignment".
• In the picture boxes, choose pictures, symbols or illustrations that represent the job opportunities and other positive aspects of your colony.
• In the text boxes, include information about your colony. Add a slogan or catchy phrase to entice the viewer!
• On the backside, write in more detail about the natural resources, job opportunities, freedoms and government offered by your colony. Include more pictures or symbols to accompany your text.
• Save and exit when you're done.

Requirements: Must have at least 3 pictures/illustrations and at least 3 captions that describe your colony as well as a slogan or catchy phrase.

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 4-6

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual

Type of Activity: Brochures

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric .)

How to Collaboratively Produce Brochures on Economic Aspects of the Colonies

Introduction and team formation.

Begin by introducing the concept of the project: creating a brochure that focuses on the economic aspects of one of the 13 Colonies. Explain the significance of understanding different colonial economies and their impacts on the development of the United States. Divide the class into teams, each assigned to a different colony. Ensure diversity within teams to promote a range of ideas and perspectives. Discuss the importance of collaboration and clearly define the roles within each team, such as researcher, writer, designer, and editor.

Research and Information Gathering

Guide each team to conduct detailed research on their assigned colony's economy. Key focus areas should include major industries (like agriculture, trade, or manufacturing), types of labor used (such as slavery or indentured servitude), natural resources, and any unique economic practices or challenges. Provide resources like textbooks, online databases, and library access for comprehensive research. Encourage teams to use credible sources and to note down references for their information.

Designing the Brochure

Instruct each team to start designing their brochure. This should involve planning the layout, writing informative and engaging content, and creating or selecting appropriate visuals (images, graphs, etc.). Offer a variety of materials for brochure creation, including paper, art supplies, and access to digital design tools. Encourage creativity in design but emphasize the importance of accurately representing historical facts.

Presentation and Group Feedback

Once brochures are completed, have each team present their work to the class. They should explain their colony's economic aspects and the creative choices they made in their brochure. Following each presentation, conduct a feedback session where students can offer constructive criticism and discuss what they learned from each brochure. This encourages critical thinking and helps students learn not only from their own research but also from the work of their peers.

Frequently Asked Questions about 13 Colonies Travel Brochure

What information should be included in a travel brochure for one of the 13 colonies.

A travel brochure for one of the 13 Colonies should include key information that highlights the colony's unique characteristics and appeal. This typically involves a brief introduction to the colony’s history and founding. The brochure should detail the colony's geography, including its climate and notable natural features, as these greatly influenced lifestyle and economic activities. Information on major economic activities, such as agriculture, trade, or manufacturing, is crucial, along with notable crops or products. The brochure should also describe the social and cultural aspects of the colony, including information about daily life, religious practices, and any unique customs or traditions. Additionally, including major historical sites, landmarks, or events can provide a sense of the colony's historical significance. Visual elements like maps, drawings, or period illustrations can enhance the brochure's appeal, making it both informative and engaging.

What were the distinct features of each of the 13 Colonies?

Each of the 13 Colonies had distinct features shaped by geography, economy, and culture. The New England Colonies (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire) were known for their rocky terrain, harsh winters, and a focus on fishing, shipbuilding, and later manufacturing. They had a strong religious foundation, primarily Puritan, and a focus on community and education. The Middle Colonies (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware) featured fertile soil, diverse agriculture (especially grains), and were culturally and religiously diverse, with a significant Quaker population in Pennsylvania. The Southern Colonies (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia) had a warm climate and fertile soil, ideal for tobacco, rice, and indigo plantations that relied heavily on enslaved labor, and they typically had a more aristocratic social structure.

What are effective ways to design worksheets that support research on the 13 Colonies for the brochure project?

Effective worksheets for researching the 13 Colonies should guide students through the key aspects they need to investigate for their brochure project. They can include sections with targeted questions on geography, economy, social life, and historical events to help students gather comprehensive information. Comparison charts can be useful for students to contrast different colonies. Including a section for sources and notes can encourage students to track their research. Worksheets can also have creative elements like mind maps or brainstorming spaces for students to jot down ideas on how to present their findings in the brochure. Additionally, incorporating critical thinking questions that prompt analysis of how certain factors like geography or economy influenced the development of the colony can deepen students’ understanding. These worksheets should serve as a structured yet flexible guide to help students compile thorough and accurate information for their brochures.

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Welcome: 13 Colonies Travel Brochure Description: This WebQuest allows students to design a travel brochure for one of the thirteen colonies. It will enable students to research one state in depth and present the information in the form of a travel brochure. The brochure will incude items such as state capital, state flag, state map, current population, and main industries. Grade Level: 3-5 Curriculum: Social Studies Keywords: 13 colonies, social studies, early America, United States Author(s): K Esparza

The Public URL for this WebQuest: http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=33055 WebQuest Hits: 12,126 Save WebQuest as PDF

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iRubric: 13 Colonies Poster rubric

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