1. What’s in a Name?

2. Step one:
These are potential names for a new professional athletic team. Define the names with a partner:
Poodles Hippos
Buzzards Ferrets
Snails Mosquitoes
Toads Sloths
Maggots Gazelles
Discuss and record the connotation (emotion/attitude/feeling) associated with each word.
What type of sports team do you think each name fits?
Does it sound like a successful team? Why or why not?

3. Step two Does the name fit the sport?
Brainstorm and record a list of six current team names from professional or college sports.
Answer the following questions for each:
Does the name fit the sport?
What connotation does the name evoke?
What does the name say about the athletes and the fans of the team?

4. Step three:
You and your partner have been given the job to name a new professional athletic team. Decide what type of sport the team plays, and then choose a name that has an appropriate connotation.
Design a poster advertising your new team.
On the front:
Team logo & team motto
On the back:
Explanation of why you chose the name
The connotations of your team