Curriculum Areas: Language arts/math/social studies/science Grade Level: 4 and up Application: Microsoft Word 2002 Tip: Use Word to create a curriculum-based, trifold brochure. Description: Students create a trifold brochure to present a topic from any curriculum area, such as language arts, math, social studies, science, or the specialty areas such as music, art, physical education, health, foreign languages, business, and others. For example, a brochure could be about:
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A book read by the students
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One of the planets
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The life cycle of water or the life cycle of a butterfly
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An event in history, such as the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the attack on Pearl Harbor, or the September 11 attack in New York City
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A major U.S. or world city
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The dangers of smoking or drinking
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The instruments in an orchestra or just the brass instruments
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Claude Monet and his works, or impressionism
How To:
1.
Before you even start Word, take a sheet of paper (8.5" x 11") and fold it in thirds. Make sure the right third is folded in and the left third is folded across the top. Label the front panel front, and then turn the paper over and label the back panel back. Continue labeling the other sections as follows:
SIDE 1
FOLD IN
BACK
FRONT
SIDE 2
INSIDE LEFT
INSIDE MIDDLE
INSIDE RIGHT
2.
After studying a unit in school, plan out what you would like to put on each section of the brochure. In other words, write down and sketch out what you want to see on each panel, leaving room for a picture, diagram, or graph.
3.
Open a blank Word document, and before you start typing, set up the page layout. Select Page Setup from the File menu. To make sure you use as much of the paper as possible, use a small margin setting all around your document, such as .25", or use the smallest margin setting that your printer allows. Under Orientation, select Landscape so that your document is laid out sideways rather than up and down. Click OK.
4.
Make sure the document is in Print Layout view (click Print Layout on the View menu) so that your text will be visible in columns.
5.
Create the three sections of your brochure by clicking the Columns button on the Standard toolbar, and then dragging over to select 3 Columns. The ruler at the top of the window will show the three sections or columns.
6.
Next, insert column breaks so that you can click within any of the columns and start typing there. Select Break from the Insert menu, and then click Column break. Click OK.
SHORTCUT: Pressing F4 will repeat the last step you completed (in this case, inserting a column break). Press F4, and your insertion point will jump to the top of the third column on page one. Keep pressing F4 until your insertion point appears at the top of the third column on the second page. Now click at the top of any of the columns, and start typing the text for that panel of your brochure.
7.
Try zooming in and out to see more or less of your page as you design your brochure. To zoom, click the Zoom button on the Standard toolbar.
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The Whole Page option comes in handy when you want to see the entire page and when you want to place a picture on the page.
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The Page Width option is good when you want to see the whole document from left to right.
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When you want to type your text, a zoom of 100% or so is best.
8.
Dive in, and type your brochure. TIPS:
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Try using large font sizes for titles, and center them using the Center button on the Formatting toolbar.
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WordArt works nicely for the front (title) page. To insert WordArt, click the Insert WordArt button on the Drawing toolbar.
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If you see that you are near the end of a column, be careful not to keep typing, because the text will automatically wrap to the next column. Either make the text smaller or remove some words so the text fits better.
9.
Add pictures that go along with your text. TIPS:
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Insert pictures from the Word clip art selection. On the Insert menu, click Picture, and then Clip Art.
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Try adding pictures from outside sources such as the Internet, a scanner, or a digital camera. On the Insert menu, click Picture, and then From File, or copy and paste them into your document.
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Turn on text wrapping so the words will wrap around a picture, or try placing a picture behind text for a cool effect. The Text Wrapping button is on the Picture toolbar.
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Draw a rectangle surrounding a block of text or an entire panel of your brochure, to make it stand out. To do this, on the Drawing toolbar, click the Rectangle button. When your mouse pointer turns into a cross, draw the rectangle around the block of text. Because rectangles will be filled with white and will cover up your text, you can:
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Remove the fill color of the rectangle so that just the border shows (click the Fill Color button on the Drawing toolbar, and then click No Fill).
OR
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Place the rectangle behind the text, by clicking Draw on the Drawing toolbar, then Order, and then selecting Send Behind Text.
TIP: To jazz up your brochure, experiment with different fill colors on the Drawing toolbar (if you will be printing in color). Or, try different line styles.
10.
Remember to save your document regularly. When you're finished with your brochure, print it. Fold it into thirds, and see how it looks. You might need to move things away from the edges a bit so you don't cut off text or pictures.
