Create a Local Travel Guide to Generate Visitor Dollars :: Curriculum

Lesson Time

Hook: 20 Minutes
Lecture: 2 Class Periods
Independent Practice: 4 Class Periods
Assessment and presentation: 2 Class Periods

Standards

Objectives and Goals

The student will be able to prepare their own travel brochure
The student will be able to identify points of interest in different cities
The student will be able to reconize categories of common travel information
The student will be able to organize a brochure based on an organizational structure
The student will be able to give an oral presentation and answer questions about their destination

Activities in this Lesson

Interesting Video - Hooks / Set
Have students get out a sheet of paper and show them this video with out sound, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYQSNheVz&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Have them write down every activity they see that might attract travelers to this location and have them guess where it is. Once the video is done they may turn to a neighbor and discuss their answers.

Have students get out a different colored pen and re watch the video with sound and have them add all of the activities that they missed.

Explain to them that this is a visual brochure similar to one that they will be making, but theirs will be a typed brochure form.

Who would like to travel here? Why?
- Video of Beach Getaway [ Watch Video ] [ Download Original Video ] This is the above linked video for you to play in the event that YouTube is blocked at your school site.
Activity #1 - Lecture
Teacher- How do people know where to travel each year? With people having less money but still wanting to travel there is this concept of a stay-cation. This means to spend your travel money in your own area. Although we just watched a video of an exotic place, can you think of similar things to do locally?

How many things can you think of here in Morro Bay that would attract local or long distance visitors to come to our area. Think about families, outdoor people, single people, large groups, elderly travelers, etc. Why would these people want to come here.? Turn to a neighbor and talk about our own backyard and come up with a list of things that you enjoy doing here which might attract others.

( OF COURSE, if you are another educator, you could do this same thing with a travel destination oriented to where you live and teach. Here in California, try out the Visit California website to look up destinations from all over the state and the notable travel information for your respective area: http://www.visitcalifornia.com/Explore/)

On the white board, have students come up and write attractions that they came up with that might be of interest to travelers. Make sure all ideas are on the board before moving on.

Let's look at this list..................beach, rock, hiking, kayaking, fishing, beautiful weather, year around events like the car show, Hearst Castle, wine tasting, great restaurants, fresh fish.

Great - now lets look at all of our surrounding cities and what they have to offer, such as San Luis Obispo, Cambria, Los Osos, Cayucos, San Simien, Atascadero, and Paso Robles.

What is there to do in these cities? Turn back to your neighbor and make a list of everything there is to do in these cities that you think might attract visitors.

Now we are going to google things to do in SLO county. Here is a list of 180+ free things to do in our county, there are 101 romantic things to do in our county as well as a 2011 calendar of events. http://www.sanluisobispocounty.com/includes/media/docs/-Free-Things-to-Do-R.pdf How many of these things were on your list? How many did you forget? How many did you not even know about?

If you were going to make a travel brochure trying to get people to travel to Morro Bay what would you include in it? Lets make one together as a class........

Lodging where to stay? Nice hotels and cheap ones as well

Where to eat? Dining - where would you reccomend?

What to do?

Theaters and museums

Where to Shop

What is the History of the Destination?

Climate

Types of Transportation

Sports and Recreation

Current Calendar of Events

Where are the Beaches, Parks, and/or Campgrounds?

Are there Visitor Services?

We need to consider all of this when planning a brochure there needs to be something for everyone to do.
Making your own brochure - Independent Practice
Now it's time for you to choose your own specific California destination to make a brochure about. It can be somewhere you have been or somewhere you have always wanted to go. Each student may choose their destination. If you cannot think of one I can help you but only one person per destination. You will cover the following things in your brochure

The brochure must address all required general and specific components listed below, but   not necessarily in the same sequence. Additional components relevant to the specific    destination may be included. At least three (3) examples must be provided for specific         components "h" through "o."

General Components                                     Specific Components

       a.    Name of California Destination                  h.    Lodging

       b.    Table of Contents                                           i.      Shopping

       c.    History of Destination j.      Dining

       d.    Climate                                                     k.     Museums

       e.    Transportation l.      Theater

       f.     Map       m.   Sports and Recreation

       g.    Calendar of Events n.    Beaches, Parks, and/or

                                                                                                     Campgrounds

            o.    Visitor Services

********If your destination doesn't have 3 examples because it is too small, choose another destination.

The guide book may be either 4" wide x 9" long, or 5 ½ " wide x 8 ½ " long. (Teacher draws the exact measurements on the board)

You must also write a outline so that we know what is in your brochure as well as a summary page describing the process of making the brochure and a bilbliography.
- Visit California Web Site [ Go to Site ] Site where students can find travel destination information from all over California
Rubric/ Scoring guide - Assessment
Use the following Rubric / Scoring Guide attached below to assess the students Travel Brochure and their presentation. You might also consider giving the students this rubric in advance in order to help them identify expectations for their work. After you have taught this lesson, you can also bring in a sample or two of other students' brochures that have received high grades that correspond to the rubric to REALLY help them to see what is expected.
- Travel Guide / Brochure Scoring Sheet [ Download ] This is the Rubric as a Word Document for another teacher to edit and/or print

Assessment

Assessment Types:: Rubrics, Projects, Observations,

Students will present their brochure orally therefore painting a picture for their audience of their particular destination. Students, as well as the teacher, are encouraged to ask questions to show that the student presenting has complete knowledge of their destination and didn't just cut and paste materials. Grade in relation to rubric provided, you might have the students grade their own project with this rubric as well in order to identify where your evaluation and theirs are similar and inconsistent to better help them develop an understanding of what you are looking for in their work products.

As an Extension: Consider having student's send a copy of their brochure to the local City Council and/or Chamber of Commerce since they all tend to have a Travel/Recreation/Visitors department or representative (many counties do as well), to solicit their input on your students' projects!