Name: _____________________________________ Section: __________ Date: ________________________________

Sports Team Names Connotation Activities

Activity One:
These are potential names for new professional athletic teams:
Poodles Toads Gazelles Hippos
Buzzards Snails Meteors Ferrets
Glaciers Maggots Sloth Mosquitoes
Sleepers Zeniths Mares Spikes

You and your partner must discuss each name. Use a dictionary and write down the definition/denotation of each name.
Then discuss and record the connotation (emotion/reaction) associated with each word. Answer these questions and
support your answers. Please write in complete sentences:

1. POODLES
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

2. BUZZARDS
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

3. GLACIERS
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

4. SLEEPERS
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

CREEDON, RODENBUSH, http://www.scholastic.com

Name: _____________________________________ Section: __________ Date: ________________________________

5. TOADS
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

6. SNAILS
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

7. MAGGOTS
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

8. ZENITHS
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

9. GAZELLES
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

10. METEORS
DENOTATION:

CREEDON, RODENBUSH, http://www.scholastic.com

Name: _____________________________________ Section: __________ Date: ________________________________

CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?
Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

11. SLOTHS
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

12. MARES
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

13. HIPPOPOTAMUS
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

14. FERRETS
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

15. MOSQUITOES
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

CREEDON, RODENBUSH, http://www.scholastic.com

Name: _____________________________________ Section: __________ Date: ________________________________

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

16. SPIKES
DENOTATION:
CONNOTATION:
What type of sport do you think the name fits and why?

Does the name sound like a successful team and why?

Would you want to wear a jersey with this name and why?

Activity Two:
Brainstorm and record a list of current team names from professional and amateur sports.
Analyze the choice of each name, and answer these questions:

Brainstorm 1. NAME:
Does the name fit the sport?

What connotations does the name evoke?

What does the name say about the athletes and fans of the team?

Brainstorm 2. NAME:
Does the name fit the sport?

What connotations does the name evoke?

What does the name say about the athletes and fans of the team?

Brainstorm 3. NAME:
Does the name fit the sport?

What connotations does the name evoke?

What does the name say about the athletes and fans of the team?

Activity 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 a positive connotation. Design a poster advertising your new team. List
the connotations of the team name on the poster.
Your poster must also include:
ORIGINAL team name logo design
Quotes from classmates describing their reactions (connotation) to the name
The definition (denotation) of the name

Following your class presentation, turn in all three activities together.

CREEDON, RODENBUSH, http://www.scholastic.com