How Homeschooled Students Should Prep for the SAT

How Homeschooled Students Should Prep for the SAT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Education, about 1.7 million students are homeschooled. If you're part of this 3.4% of the population and are planning to apply to a 4-year college, then you'll probably be taking the SAT (or ACT). This guide will go over the best preparation strategies for succeeding on the SAT, while keeping in mind theunique strengths you bring to the tableas a homeschooled student. Before delving intospecifics of the SAT, let's consider the advantages that your homeschooled education has afforded you. Reflect On Your Strengths Homeschooled students don't always take as many timedor standardized tests as those in traditional schools. If you're concerned that homeschooling puts you at a disadvantage for doing well on the SAT, pause and reflect on some of homeschooling'spositive aspects. You likely have a more individualized curriculum and have been encouraged to pursue your individual interests. Perhaps you've had the freedom to reallyreflect on your strengths and weaknesses, where you excel and where you need to grow as a learner. This kind of self-awareness is hugely helpful for homeschool SAT prep, as you can target your weak areas, customize your study plan, and focus your energies where you can make the most progress. If you feel you've had less practice with standardized tests like the SAT, consider the kind of learning you have had and how it caninform your approach to test prep. Self-Awareness and SAT Prep Having a sense of your strengths and weaknesses can be a huge aidfor designing your SAT study plan. Do you speed through geometry problems, but get tripped up by probability? Do you absorb vocabulary like a sponge, but feel like it's impossible to write a whole 5-paragraph essay in only 25 minutes? Try to get a realistic sense of where you have cultivated skills and developed strong content knowledge. Rather than delving into everything at once, you can set small, manageable goals for yourself and make progress towards them with steadiness and purpose. To address the above examples, you could gather official SAT sample questions about probability and thoroughly studythe problems and answer explanations. You could read strategies about how to time your essay writing and come into the SAT prepared with versatile examples that work for many different essay questions. The best way to achieve your target scores on the SAT is to identify the areas that most need improvement and focus your test prep there. How (and where) do you learn best? Customization and Self-Teaching Does your homeschooled education allow you to be relatively self-directed in your learning? If your educators agree with Lee Binz,founderof The HomeScholar, then their "long-term plan is to make learners who can absorb material by themselves." If you have received this kind of "self-teaching curriculum," then you've had the opportunity to develop your independence, perhaps more so than have students in traditional school settings. Students who are most successful on the SAT don't study every concept all at once or mimic someone else's study and test-taking schedule. Instead, they customize their test prep for their own unique learning styles and needs. They take control of their test prep by setting aside time each week to focus on the material and benefit from being a self-directed learner on their homeschool SAT scores. Besides having the independence to shape your study plan and follow through with it, you may also have some input into shaping your curriculum and homework assignments and projects. If this is the case, it would be helpful to ask if you can integrate SAT prep into your classes and therebyconnectyour math, reading, and writing to SAT practice questions. Tilt YourCurriculum If you're encouraged to explore and articulate your interests and goals, as Binz described above, then your educators may be open to your suggestions. Gaining admission to a 4-year college is a notable goal, and gaining strong SAT scores are an important part ofachieving this goal. If this is your motivation, find out if you can integrate SAT prep into your curriculum. Perhaps you could add SAT math questions to your math studies, or practice writing timed persuasive essays. In addition to whatever other books you're reading, perhaps you can incorporate Critical Reading passages and questions. Practice answering objective multiple choice questions, which may or may not be a skill you're accustomed to in English class. Review SAT grammar rules and edit writing samples to practice for "improving sentence," "improving paragraph," and "identifying sentence error" SAT Writing questions. If you can integrate homeschool SAT prep into your studies, then you can link your classroom learning with the test and apply your understanding of math, reading, and writing to each section of the SAT. In order to do this successfully, you must have a thorough understanding of the content and skills that are tested on the SAT. Throwsome SAT prep in the mix. Understand the Content of the SAT Do you know how many questions are in each section of the SAT, and how much time you have to answer them? In order to effectively incorporate test prep into your curriculum or out-of-school studying, you should gain a deep understanding of what exactly is tested on the Math, Critical Reading, and Writing sections of the SAT. The following is a quick overview of the content in each section. Math tests number and operations, probability/statistics, algebra, and geometry. Most of the questions are multiple choice, but there are 10 grid-in questions that you will answer directly on the bubble sheet. Critical Reading asks you to read long, short, and paired passages and answer multiple choice comprehension questions. These often ask about the general purpose of the passage, along with tools of literary analysis like tone, style, inference, and interpretation of various details. These questions also often ask you about vocabulary in context, while the current SAT has stand-alone vocabulary fill-in questions as well. The new SAT in 2016 will continue to ask about vocabulary, but is eliminating these stand-alone questions in favor of providing more context. Writing starts out the SAT with the 25-minute essay, in which you are asked to provide your opinion and support it with examples from reading, observation, current events, or any other area. Additionally, you will answer multiple choice questions and use your understanding of grammar rules to identify sentence errors and improve sentences and paragraphs. Even if you are unused to timed standardized tests, all of these skills are basic math, reading, and writing skills that you practice inyour general education. Again, if you have some input into shaping your curriculum and homework assignments, then you can try to incorporate SAT practice and essay questions and reinforce your learning on the context of the SAT's tricky questions and strict timing. Outside of your classroom learning, you will need to make time devoted specifically to prepping for the SAT. Make Time for Test Prep Before you take your test, I would recommend spending at least ten hours really getting to know the content, format, and instructions of the test so you know exactly what to expect on test day. A study plan involving about 40 hoursmight get you ready to take the test for the first time, but a regimen of around100 hours of targeted practice would be more effective for improving your scores. While the amount of time you need to put in to boost your scores varies for each students, these are rough estimates of how many hours you should prep to raise your overall scores. SAT Composite Point Improvement 0-50 points - 10 hours 50-100points- 20 hours 100-200 points - 40 hours 200-300 points - 80 hours 300-500 points - 150 hours+ If you start early and spread your study plan out over months or even a year or more, then you can gradually improve and these hours won't seem like such a daunting task. You could spend about 2 to 3 hours a week starting 6 months before your test, and then increase your study time as the test date approaches. Of course you also don't want to put in more time than you need to, when you could be focusing on other areas of school, life, and preparing for college. So how can you maximize the effectiveness of your study time? One important part of test prep is simulating testing conditions to train your time management. Time flies when you're taking the SAT. Practice Timing Yourself The SAT is a strictly timed test, and once you've finished a section you can't revisit it or revise any answers. I would say these strict time limits are perhaps the biggest source of stress for students, especially those who like to process information at a more relaxed pace. Luckily, you can use strategies to improve your efficiency, as well as time yourself while you study and take practice tests to get better and better at working fast and well. I would recommend starting with a diagnostic practice test and simulating testing conditions. Sit in a quiet room with fewdistractions and time each section. Yourinitial score will just be a baseline. After studying and targeting your weaknesses, take another timed practice test and note your progress. Even if finishing in time is something you struggle with, practicing this skill at home will help you pace yourself on the SAT and manage your time effectively. You should also learn about and experiment with different strategies, like speed reading and using process of elimination to answer multiple choice questions. Get Strategic On Each Section While an understanding of certain math concepts and skills in reading and writing are important for doing well on the SAT, so is simply learning the tricks of the test and developing your ability to work quickly. For example, you don't have time to leisurely read the Critical Reading passages and take notes on what you find interesting. Instead, you should practice habits of skimming for important introductory points, transitions, and details related to the corresponding questions. While the essay might seem like a hard part of the SAT, you can basically use a tried-and-true 5 paragraph formula and show up prepared with dynamic examples that will work for most questions. Strategies for how to tackle each section, answer questions, and even fill in the bubble sheet (answering in chunks in your booklet and then transfering all at once can help save time) arehugely helpful in combination with your content knowledge for conquering the SAT. By trying out strategies, reviewing concepts and vocabulary, and sticking to your study schedule, you will see improvements in your SAT scores. Besides the strengths many homeschooled students bring as self-directed, independent learners, do they have any extra responsibilities when it comes to taking the SAT? Homeschooled Students and the SAT As a homeschooled student, you might not have as large a community of college-bound peersand guidance counselors as those in traditional school settings. Depending on your situation, you may have to shoulder more responsibility for designing and sticking to your homeschool SATprep schedule, keeping track of your academic progress and application materials, and meeting your college deadlines. If this sounds like, what can you do to stay on top of things? Be Proactive About Your Schedule This is easier said than done for a lot of students, but try to make the most of your time and establish routines for yourself, just as you would when learning how to playguitaror practicing soccer. Use a planner with hourly (or half-hourly) time increments or an online tool like Google Calendar. Set aside time to work towards your goals, like achieving your target SAT scores, and fulfill your college aspirations. If you're someone who's motivated by an approaching deadline or test date, then design your schedule to reflect that (while still leaving enough time to learn). If you prefer to spread out studying or practice and reap the benefits slowly over time, then honor that approach. These skills of actively taking control of your time will help you stay organized and achieve your goals in high school, college, and beyond. Do Your Research Part of your SAT prep plan is knowing what your target scores are, and part of determining that (apart from your own personal goals) are knowing your colleges' expectations. What are the average SAT scores for last year's accepted students? How much are SAT scores emphasized in the admission process? Does the school have a test flexible policy? When are your deadlines? Planning for college starts early. Check out websites, visit campuses, speak to admissions officers, and gain a clear sense of your colleges' expectations and requirements. Then figure out how to tell your story and stand out from the competition. Since you probably don't have a guidance counselor keeping you up to date on the SAT and prep courses, you need to seek out helpful homeschool SAT test prep resources. PrepScholar's online test program is one way to prepare, along with official practice tests, books, and SAT Question of the Day. Khan Academy is another good online resource, especially because it has recently offered sample questions for the upcoming redesigned SAT. Besides online and book resources, you can also make an appointment with a counselor at your local high school and seek his/her advice on SAT prep and college planning. Through it all, work onstaying organized to keep track of requirements, deadlines, and all the online passwords you're sure to collect. Stay Organized The best way to plan your schedule and keep track of your college planning is to create a system of organization that works for you. Write everything down, whether on paper or virtually, and stay on top of deadlines and test dates. If you start early with SAT prep, you can take the test several times and prep between each real test to improve your scores. If your homeschooled education helped you develop independence in your organization, learning, and time management, then use these skills to your advantage in the SAT and college planning process. Start early, study the test, and put in the time and effort to achieve your target SAT scores and gain admission into your college of choice. What's Next? Using official practice questions from the testmakers and taking timed practice tests are an essential part of your study regimen. Download official SAT practice tests and score them to diagnose your level and gauge your progress toward hitting your target scores. When exactly should you register to take the SAT? Are some test dates preferable to others? How many times should you take it, anyway? Learn how to choose your test dates and shape your study plan accordingly. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also feature thousands of practice questions, 10 official SAT practice tests, and personal feedback on your essays from an expert instructor. We work with a lot of homeschooled students who like the self-paced, self-guided nature of our online prep program. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Textual Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Textual Analysis - Essay Example Besides, the imagery and open form provides the reader with opportunity to get satire intended by the poet and the interpretation thereof. The poem’s assumptions are that, in the contemporary world, brutality and violence constitute the order of the day and leaders, and the people associated to them, are immune from the adverse effects of the political oppression and riots. In contravention, the UAE culture encourages general well-being and harmony amongst the citizens. My sentiments are that the poem is contradictory to the expectations and morals of the modern society. People should coexist and, through the leaders, solve the problems that they encounter. The oppression that the Colonel conducts on the citizens of El Salvador is a matter that should be sternly condemned. In the UAE culture, leaders are agents of empowering the citizens to air their voices and views on matters of concern. Additionally, being from the UAE, the poet’s use of clichà © words and symbolism can be interpreted differently because of the disparities involved in the two cultures. Arabic and English have trivial similarities and, as much as people from the U.S. can correctly interpret the various textual strategies used by the poet, it is likely for me to have a different interpretation. Even so, Forche presents the poem in a way that overcomes the cultural disparities. The presentation of the calmness that existed on the Colonel’s house satirizes the political situation encountered in El Salvador. At the beginning of the poem, Forche uses poetic language to depict the homey and domestic nature the colonel’s family was going about their daily lives. She narrates that, â€Å"What you have heard is true. I was in his house. His wife carried a tray of coffee and sugar. His daughter filed her nails; his son went out for the night† (Forchà © 1). The family is

Exploring for Oil and Natural Gas Research Paper

Exploring for Oil and Natural Gas - Research Paper Example The company's seismic services can be an asset to the firms that receive the services of the firm. As drilling oil is a high risk and pay off proposition. This requires expertise in finding the oil and thus can reduce the problems regarding unnecessary extra spending on drilling and exploration. The company is expert in analyzing the oil, gas and water. This gives good idea about drilling. The information and analysis of the data of a particular place will decide the company to drill or not for fuel. The services of the company will be good for the oil firms that use the seismic services and the analysis of the oil and gas. The company's analysis include the combining of geologic information and flow simulation techniques with advanced computing. This will increase oil recovery in mature oil fields. The three resources; mature or partially depleted reservoirs, geologically complex formations and ultra deep water reservioirs are the sources of the oil at present. The engineers of C2C can identify the location and distribution of the un swept or bypassed oil and untapped compartments. High resolution fluid flow modeling and seismic imaging techniques will be used by the company for data assimilation and can determine the place of drill and finding out unswept oil. (Gene Charleton et al, 2007)1 WBS: work of Alexir can mainly divide into three parts; Explaining... May 21st: Arrival of the Chevron team May 22nd: Meeting external affairs director Alexir and his staff to discuss the visit and the agenda of the vist. May 22nd after lunch: Preparation of the list of the customers to visit and the reasons to visit them. The schedule to meet the experts in the company to know about the service they offer. May23rd before lunch: Meeting the customer service staff and asking about the customer care methods they are following and extra care they offer if the chevron outsource work for C2C. May 23rd after lunch: Meeting the administrative staff working under Lee. The administration of the company is crucial for any customer who offers work on a large scale. The administration will stream line the whole processes and is responsible for the timely delivery of the assignments. May24th before lunch: meeting the accounting staff to know about the accounting standards of the company. As from 2005 many global companies are adopting international standards of accounting for more transparency, the meeting with the accounting department is also needed. May 24th after lunch: Meeting the staff in the department of integrated PVT Field studies. May 25th to end of the visit: meeting any three customers of the company and deciding about the work that can be entitled to the company. 3. Current Situation of Chevron and C2C can Offer Chevron is a global enterprise that offers competitive products across all energy sectors. The company brings together the values, talent and commitment in developing energy sources world wide. The C2C can help the company in exploring new sources of oil and gas with relatively less expenditure than in the past due to the exact analysis and detection of the fuel sources underground. As the Chevron

Online Food Catering Essay Example for Free

Online Food Catering Essay When I first began this project, I though that I would do the normal pasta and add the cheapest sauce I could find, but then I thought â€Å"why make something typical, when I could make something that reflects my culture and is cheap†. So I did just that. I went and researched online â€Å"Arab peasant food† and came up with mixed bean soup. Some of the main challenges I faced was keeping the meal under the budget. This was especially difficult because if I add more spice, it will become too expensive, but if I don’t I will have a lot of money left over. In the end I bought some popsicles for desert(which wouldn’t be a good idea in the 30’s because the lower class didn’t have freezers). The last and probably the hardest challenge I faced was getting my family to eat my dinner. During this project I realized how tough it must be to try to think of and execute something that supports your health but is also at such a low cost. When I interviewed my family members they had some vry interesting views that I didn’t expect. My father was happy with the meal and thought it suited the assignment very well though he had some critiques of the flavor of the dish. He also stated that he â€Å"would eat the dish for long periods of time if necessary, but after more than a couple days, I would choose another dish if possible. He also said that if we were to save a couple bucks we would eat less fresh foods and no fruits or veggies. † My brother was a bit less open minded and said that the soup was very bland and â€Å"boring† and that people in the great depression â€Å"couldn’t live with horrible food like this. The healthiness of this meal is fairly good, with the exception of the popsicles. The beans provided exceptional nutritional value with high concentrations of protein and lots of fats and starch in the pasta. If I would have to live like this for a long time, I would probably get sick of it, but if it the only thing available to eat, I could cope. If a present day depression were to occur, my family would probably sell all UNNESSEARY items and downgrade on items we must have. Within this period I would feel as if my government has betrayed me and I was â€Å" left for the wolves†.

No Drug Testing in the Workplace Essay -- legal issues, drug testing

Is it appropriate for employers to test staff for drugs or alcohol? How reliable are these results? Why should some one invade your privacy? Do drug testing determine your skills level for a job? What do drug testing in the work force prove? The arguments against drug testing are it is excessively invasive, may damage relations between employers and employees, and could hamper the recruitment and retention of good staff. In 1986 the Regan administration recommended a drug-testing program for employers. In 1991 The Omnibus Transportation Employee testing act of 1991 were passed. It required mandatory drug testing in trucking and other industries. Over the past 25 years drug testing in the military has increase. Today, approximately 62% of all employers in the US have mandatory drug testing program. Drug testing in the work force have been a very controversial topic ever since. Drug testing should not be in the workplace since it does not measure on the job impairment, do not prevent a ccidents and is an invasion of privacy. There is no clear evidence that drug testing at work has a significant deterrent effect. Drug testing is not a measure of current intoxication and will reveal information about drug use that can have no impact on safety, productivity or performance. Drug testing is designed to detect and punish conduct that is usually engaged in off-duty and off the employer's premises - that is, in private. Employers who conduct random drug tests on workers who are not suspected of using drugs are policing private behavior that has no impact on job performance. Someone may test positive after taking a drug days, weeks or months before. People not generally required to organize their lives to maximize their productivity at work... ...ation and labor. Oversight hearing on drug testing in the workplace. Hearing before the sub- committee on Employment opportunities of the committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives. Durham, Robert, Eugene. Labor Education and Research center. Oregon Univ., and Others and problems in the workplace: AIDS, Drug Testing, Sexual harassment, and Smoking Restrictions LERC Monograh series No. 7. Second Edition. n.p.: 1989. ERIC. Web. 2 Dec. 2013. Elliot, Karen, and Kyna Shelley. â€Å"Effects of Drugs and Alcohol on Behavior, Job Performance, And workplace safety.† Journal of Employment Counseling 43.3 (2006): 130. ERIC. Web. 2 Dec. 2013 â€Å"One Hundredth Congress,† Second Session n.p. 1988. ERIC. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. Zarlone, Tersa. â€Å"Drug testing in the workplace is a sensitive issue.† Caribbean Business 29.39. (2001): 38 Caribbean search. Web. 20 Nov. 2013

Designing an Office Space Essay

Designing a new office space for a law firm requires careful consideration and planning. Not only must the space be esthetically pleasing, but must function well for those who work within it. In addition, there are many other considerations that must be addressed. Among them are what type of space to choose, budgetary constraints, room for expansion, and technology. CHOOSING A SPACE The old adage in real estate goes â€Å"location, location, location.† This also holds true when considering a space for your firm. In our fact pattern the supervising attorney has two choices. The first is a shared space with five other solo practitioners. The second is a suite of offices that are located adjacent to a mid-sized firm. I would recommend to the supervising attorney that we choose the suite of offices. We would be given the opportunity and space to expand as our firm grows. Also, by locating ourselves adjacent to a mid-sized firm, we position ourselves to appear as a larger firm than what we are. This can help to create a positive first impression the first time clients visit the office. If we were to position ourselves within an office with five other practitioners, it would be less apparent to clients that we were running our own firm. BUDGETARY CONCERNS Although leasing as individual office space is often more expensive than sharing space with other attorney’s, I believe the firm would benefit from having its own space for several reasons. Image, along with reputation, is a key factor when a client chooses a firm. We want to convey to clients that we are a successful firm and having our own space will help to convey that. Also, sharing an office space with attorneys who practice other areas of law could lead to an uncomfortable environment or situation for our clients. A woman coming to see her divorce attorney may feel uncomfortable sharing a waiting room with a man, possibly charged with a violent crime, waiting to see his criminal defense attorney. EXPANSION PLANS By selecting to lease a suite of offices to use rather than a shared space, we afford ourselves the opportunity and space to expand. As the firm grows and takes on additional partners, we will need to increase our office space to accommodate both the attorney as well as support staff. Below is a sample layout for a sole practitioner law firm that I have designed with expansion in mind. When the time comes to expand, we can take over the adjacent office to create a space that closely mirrors the original space. By utilizing a single hallway between offices we increase efficiency and when we expand we can create a horseshoe shaped walk way within the office. AMENITIES The space will have many features and amenities that will enhance the client experience while increasing productivity. The reception area will have multiple seating areas. Large, oversized sofas will provide a comfortable place for clients to wait until they are seen. Small coffee tables will be available for clients to use to work from. A small buffet with coffee, tea, and pastries will be available for clients to enjoy. Each of these things will provide a positive first impression for the client as well as a comfortable experience. Both the attorney as well as the legal assistant will have private offices which will be adjacent to each other. This provides a way for them to communicate effectively as well as collaborate on cases as needed. The attorney’s office shall be sufficiently large enough to house reference materials and books in large custom bookshelves. The legal assistant’s office will also have bookshelves as well as file cabinets for storage. Attorneys will have a small room designated strictly for meeting with clients. This allows the attorney to meet with a client outside of their personal workspace. The client meeting room will feature a table that seats six people comfortably. Since one of our areas of practice is family law, the room will have a small armoire in which children’s toys can be stored for times when the client brings small children with them. A large conference room will be created for depositions and general meetings. It will have a large table capable of seating at least ten people. There will also be additional room available for a court reporter to record depositions. The conference room will be located across the hall for convenience to both the attorney and legal assistant. Additionally, the office will have several rooms dedicated to specific functions. There will be a copy room with an adjacent supply room. The copy room will house a copier as well as a fax and scanner. Locating the supply room adjacent to the copy room will create easy access for copy room supplies. A large break room with kitchen will allow the firm to have an area for caterers to set up in if we are having a large function. It will also serve as a lunch area or break room for staff. An I.T. room will house all of our computer servers as well as central phone equipment. The office will also have a large room dedicated to file storage. Inside the file storage room we will utilize fire resistant file cabinets to protect records. TECHNOLOGY Part of conveying a positive and successful image to clients will be the use of the latest available technologies within the office. The firm will adopt software that allows for cloud computing. This will allow both the attorney and the legal assistant to access information from both inside the office as well as outside. Wi-Fi will be provided in the office to facilitate the use of iPads and laptops. This will allow staff to take their laptop or iPad room to room during the course of their workday as they move from case to case. CONCLUSION Every decision that is made in the planning stages of designing a firm’s office layout can have both good and bad consequences. It is extremely important to give careful thought to how the space is laid out and how those who work in the space will utilize it. It is my belief that the plans laid out above would provide a way to achieve the firms goals of putting forth a positive and successful image, provide a path to expansion, as well as provide a space that will maximize efficiency and productivity. REFERENCES Roper, B.D. (2006). Practical Law Office Management. New York, NY: Thompson Delmar Learning.

Hades, Patron God of the Underworld in Greek Mythology

The Greeks called him the Unseen One, the Wealthy One, Pluoton, and Dis. But few considered the god Hades lightly enough to call him by his name. While he is not the god of death (thats the implacable Thanatos), Hades welcomed any new subjects to his kingdom, the Underworld, which also takes his name. The ancient Greeks thought it best not to invite his attention. The Birth of Hades Hades was the son of the titan Cronos and brother to the Olympian gods Zeus and Poseidon. Cronos, fearful of a son who would overthrow him as he vanquished his own father Ouranos, swallowed each of his children as they were born. Like his brother Poseidon, he grew up in the bowels of Cronos, until the day when Zeus tricked the titan into vomiting up his siblings. Emerging victorious after the ensuing battle, Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades drew lots to divide up the world they had gained. Hades drew the dark, melancholy Underworld, and ruled there surrounded by the shades of the dead, various monsters, and the glittering wealth of the earth. Life in the Underworld For the Greek god Hades, the inevitability of death ensures a vast kingdom. Eager for souls to cross the river Styx and join fief, Hades is also the god of proper burial. (This would include souls left with money to pay the boatman Charon for the crossing to Hades.) As such, Hades complained about Apollos son, the healer Asclepius, because he restored people to life, thereby reducing Hades dominions, and he inflicted the city of Thebes with plague probably because they werent burying the slain correctly. Myths of Hades The fearsome god of the dead figures in few tales (it was best not to talk about him too much). But Hesiod relates the most famous story of the Greek god, which is about how he stole his queen Persephone. The daughter of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, Persephone caught the eye of the Wealthy One on one of his infrequent trips to the surface world. He abducted her in his chariot, driving her far below the earth and keeping her in secret. As her mother mourned, the world of humans withered: Fields grew barren, trees toppled and shriveled. When Demeter found out that the kidnapping was Zeus idea, she complained loudly to her brother, who urged Hades to free the maiden. But before she rejoined the world of light, Persephone partook of a few pomegranate seeds. Having eaten the food of the dead, she was compelled to return to the Underworld. The deal made with Hades allowed Persephone to spend one-third (later myths say one-half) of the year with her mother, and the rest in the company of her shades. Thus, to the ancient Greeks, was the cycle of seasons and the yearly birth and death of crops. Hades Fact Sheet Occupation:Â  God, Lord of the Dead Family of Hades:Â  Hades was a son of the Titans Cronos and Rhea. His brothers are Zeus and Poseidon. Hestia, Hera, and Demeter are Hades sisters. Children of Hades:Â  These include the Erinyes (the Furies), Zagreus (Dionysus), and Makaria (goddess of a blessed death) Other Names:Â  Haides, Aides, Aidoneus, Zeus Katachthonios (Zeus under the earth). The Romans also knew him as Orcus. Attributes:Â  Hades is depicted as a dark-bearded man with a crown, scepter, and key. Cerberus, a three-headed dog, is often in his company. He owns a helmet of invisibility and a chariot. Sources:Â  Ancient sources for Hades include Apollodorus, Cicero, Hesiod, Homer, Hyginus, Ovid, Pausanias, Statius, and Strabo.