This document provides information about how planets were named and viewed in ancient Greece. It explains that Aristotle named the planets around 2,300 years ago after Greek gods, which were later changed to Roman god equivalents as Greek writings were translated to Latin. The lesson shares the Greek god/planet connections and includes images and facts about each planet in our solar system.

1. Discovering Our Solar System: Lesson
1 - The Planet Gods (Aristotle and Naming the Planets)
In this lesson, students will learn facts about the planets and
tidbits about the greek gods whom the planet’s were named
after in Ancient Greece. I use this slideshow in correlation
with the book The Planet Gods: Myths & Facts about the
Solar System by Jacqueline Mitton. I show the illustration of
the god, read a brief part about the god, and then show the
slide of the planet. After the book/slideshow of planets,
students will review how to access Britannica Image Quest
and then copy and paste images related to what they
learned into a book in book creator. Students will also
identify the title, author, illustrator, publisher, and copyright
date on the title page and verso.

2. Welcome to the Library

3. The dunes are likely active.
The Dunes in Mars' Wirtz Crater

4. We are going to travel back in time to…....

5. Ancient Greece
The term Ancient Greece refers to the time between 800 B.C.
and 500 B.C - a relatively sophisticated period in world history.

6. What did they think about our solar system in Ancient Greece?
Ancient Greece
(800 B.C. and 500 B.C.)

7. Jacqueline Mitton Christina Balit
2001

8. The Wanderers
These astronomers thought the Earth was at the center,
with the seven planets circling around it.
The English word “planet” comes from
the Greek word that means “wanderer.”
Ancient astronomers counted seven
planets. They included the Sun and
Moon because they moved through the
constellations.

9. Planets and Gods
About 2,300 years ago, the astronomer
Aristotle gave the planets names of Greek
gods. Aristotle (born 384 bce, died 322)
did his best to match the character the
gods were supposed to have with what he
knew about the planets - their speed,
brightness, and color.
Aristotle, marble portrait bust, Roman copy
(2nd century bc) of a Greek original (c. 325 …
A. Dagli Orti/© DeA Picture Library
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aristotle

10. Later, Greek writing about the planets
was translated into the Latin language,
so …..

11. The Greek planet names were
changed to the names of the
equivalent Roman Gods.

12. Hermes became Mercury
Aphrodite became Venus
Ares became Mars
Zeus became Jupiter
Cronus Became Saturn
Helios became Sun
Selene became Moon http://school.eb.com/levels/el
ementary/article/353952

13. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA15301
The Sun
Helios became the Sun
The sun is a star, a hot
ball of glowing gases at
the heart of our solar
system. Without the sun's
intense energy and heat,
there would be no life on
Earth.
https://www.nasa.gov/sun

14. The Moon
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150807.html
The moon was likely formed
after a Mars-sized body collided
with Earth and the debris formed
into the most prominent feature
in our night sky. It is the only
celestial body beyond Earth that
has been visited by human
beings.
https://www.nasa.gov/moon
Selene became the Moon

15. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/mercury/galleries
It is the smallest of the eight
planets. It is also the closest to the
sun. Mercury goes around the sun
the fastest of all the planets.
Mercury
https://www.nasa.gov/audience/fors
tudents/k-4/stories/nasa-
knows/what-is-planet-mercury-
k4.html
Hermes became Mercury

16. The dark spots all over the planet
are meteorite impacts, and that big
light section right in the center is
Ovda Regio, a massive mountain
range.
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-03/most-incredible-pictures-every-planet-our-solar-system?image=1
Venus
Aphrodite became Venus

17. Though one of our nearest
neighbors, Mars is still 43 million
miles (69 million kilometers) from
Earth.
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/photos/solar-system-gallery/#/planet-mars_1148_600x450.jpg
Ares became Mars
Mars

18. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY NASA/ESA/HUBBLE HERITAGE TEAM
(AURA/STSCI)
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/photos/solar-system-gallery/#/jupiter-by-hubble_1019_600x450.jpg
Jupiter
Named after the king of the Roman gods,
Jupiter is the giant of our solar system.
Within these areas are huge storm
systems that have raged for years. The
Great Red Spot, one such giant spinning
storm, has existed for at least three
centuries.
Zeus became Jupiter

19. http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/photos/solar-system-gallery/#/saturn-
aurorasingle_1182_600x450.jpg
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY NASA, ESA, J. CLARKE (BOSTON UNIVERSITY), AND Z. LEVAY (STSCI)
Adorned with thousands of
beautiful ringlets, Saturn is unique
among the planets.Like the other
gas giants, Saturn is mostly a
massive ball of hydrogen and
helium.
Saturn
Cronus Became Saturn

20. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/pia00032.html
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/uranus-may-have-two-undiscovered-moons
Discovered in 1781. The name chosen
because he was the father of Saturn
(Cronus). Methane gives Uranus its blue
tint
Uranus
Uranus is a greek name
(no Roman equivalent)

21. Neptune
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02245
Discovered in 1846. Dark, cold and
whipped by supersonic winds,
Neptune is the last of the hydrogen
and helium gas giants in our solar
system. The planet takes almost
165 Earth years to orbit our sun.
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/neptune
(Poseidon - greek god)
Neptune is the Roman god

22. https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/nasa-captures-epic-earth-image
Earth
(Not Greek or Roman. It is Old English and Germanic)
There are, of course, many other names for our planet in other languages.
● Earth is the only planet known to have large amounts
of liquid water. Liquid water is essential for life.
● Scientists believe the earth and moon were formed
about 4.5 billion years ago.
● Earth is the only planet where life is known to exist.
https://www.google.com/search?q=google+translate&oq=google+translate&aqs=chrome.
0.69i59j69i60l3j0l2.5285j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

23. Before you can use a digital tool, you need to remember:

24. Digital Citizenship
A good digital citizen is someone who is safe, responsible
and respectful when they use digital tools.

29. Find books
Find your seat
and then…..
Read
Use your shelf marker to: