Part I: The Research

Now it's time to do a little research on these Greek gods and goddesses: Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hera, Hermes, Hestia, Poseidon, and Zeus.

Use the following links to see why each one should - or should not - be the school mascot. Write down any important NOTES on this Google Doc that will help you write your paper.

Not every hero is on every website, so you may need to click a few links to find one with the hero you've chosen.**

MythWeb

Ancient Greece

Meet the Greek Gods

Greek Myths 4 Kids

Ducksters​

Greek Gods

InfoPlease

Part II: The Trading Card

Now that you have done your pre-writing notes, it is time to create a trading card of your god/goddess. Before you do anything else, WATCH THIS VIDEO and follow the directions.

You must WATCH THE VIDEO before doing anything!

If you do not follow the directions exactly as I teach in the video, you will be done with this activity, so WATCH THE VIDEO!

​Did you WATCH THE VIDEO? Remember, I can tell if you have or not. If you did WATCH THE VIDEO, click HERE, click the blue Make a Copy button, and start your trading card.

Zeus (Ζευς)

Dionysus (Διονυσος)

Poseidon (Ποσειδων)

Demeter (Δημητηρ)

Athena (Άθηνα)

Hestia (Ἑστία)

Artemis (Άρτεμις)

Hermes (Ήρμης)

Ares (Άρης)

Hera (Ήρη)

Hephaestus (Ήφαιστος)

Apollo (Άπόλλων)

Clipart created and sold by Roly Poly Designs

Introduction: Start with an anecdote (short story), question, quote, or interesting statement. Introduce your claim and reasons that will be discussed in your body paragraphs.

Body Paragraphs: Each body paragraph - a total of three - should highlight a reason that supports your claim mentioned in your introduction, as well as provide a piece of evidence that supports that reason. Don’t forget to use transitions!

Conclusion: Wrap up your statements and thoughts here. Challenge the reader, ask a thought-provoking question, or restate your ideas in a new way.

Part III: The Graphic Organizer

CLICK HERE TO CREATE YOUR GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

EXAMPLE OF HOW TO WRITE IT

Disney has produced some amazing movies in their history, but very few are as good as Hercules. And there is not a better character in Hercules than the god of the Underworld himself: "Baboom. Name is Hades, lord of the dead, hi, howya doin'?" As the students of Mount Olympus School search for a new mascot, I feel that Hades will be overlooked. However, Hades is a god that all students can relate to and one that embodies the culture of our school community. I propose Hades be our school’s mascot. He is the god of the Underworld, he is persistent, and Hades is determined. As one of the most important figures in Greek mythology, he will represent our school well.

At our school we want people to feel welcome. Hades has done a great job welcoming people as the god of the Underworld. Not only that, but his other name is Pluton or “the giver of wealth.” And while some people see the king of the Underworld as an unjust and evil god, he really was much nicer than some of the other gods when it came to punishing others. I mean, Zeus chained Prometheus to a rock where an eagle would eat his liver every night. Hades never did anything like that. Having a welcoming person such as Hades would help a lot of our students feel more comfortable about who they are.

The next reason Hades symbolizes our school well is because of his persistence. His love for Persephone was inspiring. I know that some people see him kidnapping her as a bad thing, but Hades didn’t do that until her father, Zeus, gave him permission. And he treated her like a queen once she arrived, even going as far as giving her garden.

Lastly, Hades was determined. Even though he was kind of thrown under the bus by his brothers Zeus and Poseidon, Hades made the best of it and had the determination to make the best out of the situation. He got a three-headed dog named Cerberus, which literally means “Spot.” He found a wife, who made the place look better, and together they tried to make the best of the situation.

Hopefully Hades will be considered and chosen as Mount Olympus School’s mascot. He is a powerful god that encompasses the qualities that the students at our school possess. Hades must be our school mascot! 

Part IV: The Final Paper

Introduction: Start with an anecdote (short story), question, quote, or interesting statement. Introduce your claim and reasons that will be discussed in your body paragraphs.

Body Paragraphs: Each body paragraph - a total of three - should highlight a reason that supports your claim mentioned in your introduction, as well as provide a piece of evidence that supports that reason. Don’t forget to use transitions!

Conclusion: Wrap up your statements and thoughts here. Challenge the reader, ask a thought-provoking question, or restate your ideas in a new way.