Attraversiamo la pianura prendendo una scorciatoia tra i campi.

Attraversiamo is the 1st-person plural of attraversare. In Italian it serves two roles:
• Present indicative (“we cross” or “we are crossing”)
• Informal “noi” imperative (“let’s cross”)
In this sentence it’s understood as “let’s cross the plain.”

Prendendo is the present gerund of prendere. The gerund can express:
1) Manner or means – “by taking a shortcut.”
2) Simultaneity – “while taking a shortcut.”
Here it tells us how or while we cross the plain, we use a shortcut.

Yes. Instead of “prendendo una scorciatoia,” you could say:
“Attraversiamo la pianura mentre prendiamo una scorciatoia…”
or
“…perché prendiamo una scorciatoia.”
But the gerund is more concise and idiomatic for “by/taking.”

• Scorciatoia ends in ‑a, so it’s feminine singular; hence una.
• Pianura also ends in ‑a (feminine singular), so it takes la.

• Tra (or fra) means “between/among.”
• Nei campi would mean “in the fields,” emphasizing location rather than path.
• Attraverso i campi is “across/through the fields” (also correct), but tra i campi stresses moving between separate fields, as in zig-zagging or following gaps.

Yes. Fra and tra are interchangeable prepositions meaning “between” or “among.”
Example: “prendendo una scorciatoia fra i campi.”

Italian often uses the definite article with geographical features.
“Attraversiamo la pianura” sounds more natural than omitting it.
In English we say “the plain” too, even in a generic sense.

scor-cia-TÓI-a
• “scor” like “score” without the e.
• “cio” is “cho,” “ta” is “ta,” “io” is “yo.”
The stress falls on the “toi” syllable.

Yes. You could say:
“Stiamo attraversando la pianura prendendo una scorciatoia tra i campi.”
Here stiamo attraversando is the present continuous (“we are crossing”).

Piana exists but is less common; it often refers to a plateau.
Pianura specifically means “lowland plain,” which better fits vast flat areas at lower altitudes.