Wanted:  Greek Gods

A WebQuest investigating the gods of Mount Olympus
By    Claire McHugh

 No Greek festival would be complete without paying tribute to the gods who have been honored by the Greeks since ancient times.  As we prepare for our celebration of “Greek Week” it is only proper that we make the effort to invite some very special guests to our celebration—the gods of Mount Olympus.  But first, we must find them.

 As we embark upon our webquest, we will be gathering information to help us search for the Olympian gods.  We will get to know the gods by reading their stories and finding out what they represent.  When we finish our quest, we will feel that we know these gods well enough to virtually experience their presence at our “Greek Week” celebration.

To start out, take the following quiz to see what you already know about the gods (it’s okay if you don’t know  much—the quiz  is  fun  and  informative  anyway).    After the quiz, return to this page and go to the TASK.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

TASK

  Your job will be to play the role of a detective and investigate the gods.  Since there are so many gods from which to choose, we will focus on some of the most famous gods--the gods of Mount Olympus.  After a general search you will narrow down your assignment by selecting one god from this group to focus your investigation upon.  You will gather  information about this god, then you will make a WANTED POSTER with specific facts that you have compiled in your search.  You will also write up a brief INVESTIGATIVE REPORT of your findings.  This report will include a short summary of a myth involving the god or gods in your wanted poster.  Finally, you will report back to the class with a brief PRESENTATION about your god.  Each student will select his or her own god to research, but you will work together in pairs or small groups of three or four students to combine your information on your poster, report, and presentation.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

PROCESS

There are five steps to the process of gathering information, forming groups, and working on your poster, report, and presentation.  You must do Steps One through Four to gather general information before proceeding to Step Five.  As you progress you will need to jump from one step to another and from one set of directions to another.  Use the task bars below to help you do this easily.

            Go to:

                                            What is a myth?/The Persephone Game
 
 

                                                             Olympians
 
 

                                                                               Myths Galore
 
 

                                                          The Myth Man
 
 
 

  Your group will need a large sheet of poster board to make your WANTED POSTER.  Remember
to include all of the information for EACH god that is featured on the poster (i.e., if you have four
group members, then four gods will be featured on the poster).   On your WANTED POSTER you may list the information under each god, or present it in any way that looks attractive.    On your poster you will need the following information:

• The name of the god (make it easy to see)
• The Roman name and the Latin name of your god
• A picture of the god (choose something appropriate for a poster)
• A brief description of where the god is from and where the god can usually be found (in other words, where does the god spend his time in the myths?)
• He or she is the god or goddess of…?
• This god is famous for…?
• Relatives?  (parents, siblings, what god or gods did he or she marry, love, or desire…?)
• Does this god have a weapon?
• What are his/her "favorites"?
• What other identifying characteristics or interesting facts have you discovered about your god?

  On your INVESTIGATIVE REPORT you will need to present all of the information that is on the poster, but you must write it in PARAGRAPH FORM—make sure you edit each other’s work.  In addition, you must add a brief version of the myth that features the gods in your group.  This report should have a heading listing all group members, the date and your section number.  Give your report a title and type it according to regular classroom standards.
 

   Your group will also be responsible for a short ORAL PRESENTATION that will briefly explain your poster to the class.  During the oral presentation you and your group members will introduce your gods and tell their myth.  Each member of the group will:

• show the picture of his/her god on the poster
• identify the god by name
• state what he/she is the god/goddess of
• pick one or two other interesting facts to tell about
• the group will choose one member to briefly tell a myth involving the gods on their poster

Back to Top

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

RESOURCES

All of the information you need is available by using the internet links below.  You may also use classroom resources, public libraries, and the Media Center if you wish.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

EVALUATION

Your project will be graded based on the rubric below.  A perfect score would be 200 points.  This project will count as two tests for the term.

            Possible points                            Area being scored                                     Your points

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CONCLUSION

          You and your classmates have now been introduced to the Olympian gods, who are some of the most well known gods of ancient Greece.  You have become familiar with their names, their relationships to and with each other, and several of their stories and myths.  You have been able to develop a greater understanding of how and why ancient civilizations used the gods and myths as a way to explain some aspects of nature that today we would be able to explain scientifically.  As we celebrate "Greek Week", let us remember the role the gods have played in history, and let us honor them at our celebration.

The following websites are linked to this WebQuest in the RESOURCES section.  They are provided for use by students to gather information:
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Fun Fact Quiz
Greek Names vs. Roman Names
The Immortals (The god or goddess of...)
Search Greek Mythology

Available through:  http://www.messagenet.com/myths
                              Greek Mythology
                               copyright 1996-2000
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What is a myth?/The Persephone Game

Available through:  http://www.emory.edu/
                               Emory University
                               copyright Emory University, Atlanta, GA  30322
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Olympians

Available through:  http://www.greekmythology.com
                               Greek Mythology.com
                               copyright 2000
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FOCUS on Olympians

Available through:  http://www.focusmm.com
                               1996 Focus Multimedia
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Mythology Galore
Glossary of Common Terms

Available through:  http://www.librarythinkquest.org/
                               ThinkQuest Inc. 1995-2000
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Encyclopedia Mythica/Image Gallery
Encyclopedia Search

Available through:  http://www.pantheon.org/mythica
                              The Encyclopedia Mythica, An encyclopedia on mythology,
                               folklore & legend
                               copyright 1995-2000 M.F.Lindemans
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The Myth Man

Available through:  http://www.mythman.com/
                               Nick Pontikis
                               copyright 1995-2000 Thanasi's Olympus Greek Restaurant
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Words, Phrases, and Character Glossary

Available through:  http://www.oup-usa.org/
                               Classical Mythology
                               Osford University Press-U.S.A.
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Images for this WebQuest were taken from:

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The border at the top of page (under Zeus)
The background

Available through:  http://www.allfree-clipart.com/
                                Absolutely Free Clipart
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Zeus
Other god in red

Available through:  Microsoft Word Clipart
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  Questions or Comments may be sent by email to:  Claire McHugh

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