THE GREEK GOD DEBATE: A Patron for Iannia
Premise:
Greece is emerging out of the “dark ages”. You are a population of Greeks who have eagerly
embarked on the founding of a new city called Iannia. This is an exciting time! Everyone feels
that the new city will be more successful if its inhabitants have the support and protection of
one of the gods on Mount Olympus. This is called a “patron”. The problem is, no one can agree
on which Olympian god or goddess would be the best choice for this new city. A debate will
resolve this issue once and for all!
In groups of two you will be assigned one of the following Olympian gods or goddess to
support:
Zeus
Hera
Aphrodite
Athena
Apollo
Ares
Hephaestus
Poseidon
Hermes
Dionysus
Artemis
Demeter
Research
1. What can your god or goddess offer the people of your city in the way of protection and
support? Research your god or goddesses:
a) virtues (personality, behaviour, morality, wisdom)
b) benefits (special abilities and powers?)
c) shortcomings (weaknesses)
2. You will also look at what the god or goddess has done in the past to prove themselves
worthy of your city (consider works in mythology, Hesiod or Homer etc) You will need to make
references to feats the gods or goddesses performed. You really need to “sell” your god or
goddess!
3. Research some of the weaknesses, disadvantages, vices and even oddities of other Olympian
gods/goddesses to strengthen your debate.
We will, then, meet as a citizen body to debate the possibilities.
The Debate Process:
STEP ONE: Each pair will have 2 minutes to promote and campaign for their god/goddess. In
this speech or presentation you must showcase what you know about your god/goddess and
outline what makes them the BEST candidate for your city. You may prepare some visuals on
smartboard or powerpoint slides to enhance your campaign. Use your time well!
STEP TWO: After the campaign speech for a particular god/goddess, the floor is open for
rebuttals . Be prepared to have your god bashed. How will you defend your choice?
STEP THREE: Each pair will now have 1 minute for a closing statement. Remember to highlight
the good aspects of your god and why they should be the patron supporter of the new city.
In a Level 4 debate, you should demonstrate
 a thorough understanding of the good and bad points of the Olympian Gods
as reflected in the stories about them
 a thorough understanding of the role of Greek religion and how the religious
beliefs affect their understanding of the world around them
 the ability to select information with sensitivity based on the criteria of what
makes a good patron god
 excellent presentation skills with limited use of notes
Useful websites:
http://www.pantheon.org/
http://www.mythindex.com/
http://www.theoi.com/
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Knowledge (10 marks)
You have researched your god thoroughly
Inquiry/Thinking (5 marks)
Your research is relevant to the topic
You are able to defend your god against criticism
Application (5 marks)
You show what you are trying to prove in an effective way
You connect your research with past knowledge and course material
Communication (15 marks)
All the words are pronounced properly
A loud and clear speaking voice is used
You are independent of notes
Eye contact is maintained
Your gestures engage the audience
Your method of presentation is engaging to the audience (visuals etc)
GRADE