Kingsborough Community College
www.kbcc.cuny.edu

DR. LORETTA KASPER'S
ESL 91 ON THE WEB


Today is
Dr. Loretta Kasper
lkasper@kbcc.cuny.edu
Welcome to 
ESL 91 on the Web


ESL 91 FALL, 2003
COMPUTER LAB ASSIGNMENTS

Click on the appropriate date to get to the assignment quickly
September 8  September 15  September 22  September 29 
October 15  October 20   October 27  
November 3   November 10   November 17   November 24  
December 1  

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2003

Welcome to ESL 91 ONLINE.

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE ANNOUNCEMENT AND BE SURE THAT YOU COMPLETE EACH TASK AS ASSIGNED

This web site contains all of the information you will need for our course. You will access this assignments page every Monday in computer lab for your assignments. You will complete each assignment according to the directions provided.

Today, you will need to complete several tasks as follows:

SET UP YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT FOR THIS COURSE

  1. If you already have an email address that you would like to use for this course, please log into that email and send me a message from that address.

  2. If you do not already have an email account, go to Yahoo Mail. Click on the blue link that says SIGN ME UP. NOTE: This will open in a new browser window so that you may return to this Blackboard page easily.
    PLEASE BE SURE THAT YOU choose a password that will be easy for you to remember and send it to me in an email addressed to esl91@yahoo.com.

  3. Please take some time to explore each of the areas on our course web page at http://kccesl.tripod.com. You should bookmark this page on your home computer. I encourage you to use it every day.

I look forward to working with each of you, and I hope we all have a very productive and successful semester!

Good Luck,

Dr. Kasper

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2003

Today we will practice using the CUNY WriteSite. You will work on exercises that will help you with sentence boundaries. There are a series of exercises that you will complete on the computer. You will be able to see if your answers are correct right away.

Go to the Grammar section of the CUNY WriteSite. We will choose a topic to work on together.

When you finish, go back to the main page of the CUNY Write Site. Choose another area that is problematic for YOU and complete the series of exercises.

If you have any questions, please ask me.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2003

Today you will begin searching for Internet resources to use for your first writing assignment.

A WELL-ORGANIZED FIRST DRAFT of your writing assignment is due on Monday. Do NOT come to class without your assignment! Remember to use one of the planning strategies for writing that we discussed in class.

The topics for each focus discipline group are as follows:

  • Psychology--
    Writing Topic: Describe the mental disorder schizophrenia. Discuss the causes, symptoms, and treatment of schizophrenia. Be sure to talk about the biological bases of the disorder

    How to do your research:


    1. Begin with the Psychology page of our web site.
    2. Then search the Internet to find at least ONE additional resource that is not linked to our page. Send the URL to me in an email message.

  • Environmental Science--
    Writing Topic: Imagine that it is the year 2050. Although governments and their citizens were warned about the dangers of the greenhouse effect as early as the 1970's, they did not take the necessary steps to prevent it from worsening. As a result, global warming and ozone depletion continued unchecked. In a well-organized essay, describe what life would be like in 2050 under these conditions. What would be the state of the climate? What would the nations of the world look like? What would be the day-to-day living conditions of the people of the world?

    How to do your research:


    1. Begin with the Environmental Science page of our web site.
    2. Then search the Internet to find at least ONE additional resource that is not linked to our page. Send the URL to me in an email message.

  • Business--
    Writing Topic: Explore the area of marketing in business. What is marketing? How have the principles of marketing changed as a result of the Internet?

    How to do your research:


    1. Begin with the Business page of our web site.
    2. Then search the Internet to find at least ONE additional resource that is not linked to our page. Send the URL to me in an email message.

  • Diet and Nutrition--
    Writing Topic: Explain why it is important to understand the basic principles of diet and nutrition. How does this understanding help us in our everyday lives?

    How to do your research:


    1. Begin with the Diet and Nutrition page of our web site.
    2. Then search the Internet to find at least ONE additional resource that is not linked to our page. Send the URL to me in an email message.

    If you have any questions, ask or email me at esl91@yahoo.com

Monday, September 29, 2003

Today you will do a practice departmental reading exam.

PLEASE DO NOT PRINT OUT THE TEXT--IT IS IN YOUR BOOK

Go to the text "Language Acquisition in Humans ", which comes from your text Interdisciplinary English.

  • Read the text, which is a hypertext with glosses, ON SCREEN. New vocabulary words are indicated in blue print. When you move your mouse under the blue word, the definition pops up in a box. This is called a gloss.
  • After you read the text, answer the Comprehension Questions by typing your answer directly onto the computer screen.
  • Print out ONE copy of your answers for yourself
  • AFTER YOU PRINT OUT ONE COPY OF YOUR ANSWERS, THEN submit your answers by clicking on the button that says "Submit"

    Any questions, ask me.

Wednesday, October 15, 2003

Today you will be taking a multiple choice practice reading test. The test comes from the ACT web site. You should follow the directions on screen. READ CAREFULLY PLEASE. You MUST do all of your work on the computer screen. YOU MAY NOT PRINT OUT THE TEST.

You will click on the answer that you think is correct, and the computer will take you to a page that will say either "Incorrect" or "Correct." If your answer is Incorrect, you should go back and try again. If your answer is Correct, the computer will explain why the answer is correct.

PLEASE DO NOT DO ANY OTHER TESTS ON THIS SITE. WE WILL BE WORKING ON THEM IN CLASS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS

Click for TEST 1.

When you are FINISHED WITH THE TEST, you may print out the answer key.

  1. Click for the ANSWER KEY FOR TEST 1
Monday, October 20, 2003

Today you will be doing two reader response exercises.
You will read two essays and then write answers to a series of four questions for each essay.

These exercises will serve several purposes:

  1. They will help develop your awareness as a writer as you respond to writing from the point of view of the reader. You will evaluate the effectiveness of the writing in terms of how clear each was, how well organized each was, and how much information each provided to you as the reader.
  2. They will give you some basic background on two major issues in the field of Physical Anthropology.

    To access the first reader response exercise, CLICK HERE.

    You will type your answers to the questions directly onto the computer screen and then submit them when you are finished.

    Don't forget to print out a copy of your answers for yourself.

    To access the second reader response exercise, CLICK HERE.

    You will type your answers to the questions directly onto the computer screen and then submit them when you are finished.

    Don't forget to print out a copy of your answers for yourself.

Monday, October 27, 2003

TOPICS FOR THE 2ND FOCUS DISCIPLINE ESSAY

Today you will do Internet research for your 2nd focus discipline essay.
THE FIRST DRAFT OF YOUR ESSAY IS DUE ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30.

  • BUSINESS: Discuss the psychological factors involved in advertising. How do advertisers use the basic determinants of consumer behavior--needs, motives, perceptions, and attitudes--in designing product advertisements? What types of ads are most likely to appeal to or change our needs, motives, perceptions, and attitudes?

    How to do your research:


    1. Begin with the Business page of our web site.
    2. Then search the Internet to find at least ONE additional resource that is not linked to our page. Send the URL to me in an email message.

    Keywords: consumer behavior; advertising; consumer needs

  • PSYCHOLOGY: Research the neurotransmitter, dopamine. Explain how this neurotransmitter works and what its function is in the body and the brain. Be sure to concentrate on how dopamine affects behavior. What happens when something goes wrong in the system; for example, when there is too much or too little dopamine? What treatments are there?

    How to do your research:


    1. Begin with the Psychology page of our web site.
    2. Then search the Internet to find at least ONE additional resource that is not linked to our page. Send the URL to me in an email message.

    Keywords: dopamine; neurotransmitter; schizophrenia; parkinson's disease

  • DIET AND NUTRITION: Research common eating disorders. Find information on Anorexia Nervosa and on Bulimia. What seems to cause these eating disorders? Who is most likely to develop these eating disorders? Compare and contrast the symptoms, consequences, and prognosis for people suffering from each of these eating disorders. How do doctors treat people suffering from eating disorders? Are these treatments usually successful?

    How to do your research:


    1. Begin with the Diet and Nutrition page of our web site.
    2. Then search the Internet to find at least ONE additional resource that is not linked to our page. Send the URL to me in an email message.

    Keywords: anorexia, bulimia, eating disorder

  • ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: Essay Topic: Describe one of the following earthquakes:
    • The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906
    • The Northridge Earthquake of 1994
    • The Haicheng Earthquake of 1975
    • The Prince William Sound Earthquake of 1964
    • The San Francisco Earthquake of 1989

    Be sure to include all important information, such as the date of the earthquake, the magnitude of the earthquake, any precursors to the earthquake, the major effects of the earthquake. Please include a bibliography containing at least two sources in addition to your textbook reading. These sources may be print or electronic.

    How to do your research:


    1. Begin with the Environmental Science page of our web site.
    2. Then search the Internet to find at least ONE additional resource that is not linked to our page. Send the URL to me in an email message.

    Keywords: earthquake, seismology, Richter scale

Monday, November 3, 2003

Today you will be taking a Practice Departmental Reading Exam on the computer.

You will read the text and answer the questions by typing your answers directly onto the computer screen.
When you are finished, you will SUBMIT your answers by pressing the button on the screen.

DO NOT PRINT OUT THE TEXT. IT IS IN YOUR TEXTBOOK.

To take the test, CLICK HERE.

If you have any questions, ask me.

Monday, November 10, 2003

Today you will do a practice departmental reading exam.

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE YOU BEGIN WORKING

Go to the text "The History of Psychology."

  • Note that this text is a hypertext. This means that there will be links that will pop up at several points within the main text. These pop-ups will contain additional information.
  • You will read the main text, being sure to move your mouse over the links as you come to them. The hypertext will pop up in a new window. When you are finished reading the information in that window, move your mouse off of the link and go back to reading the main text.
  • As you are reading the texts, you should have your notebook open and take notes.

  • Your assignment for this hypertext has TWO PARTS:

    1. You will answer comprehension questions today in computer lab.
    2. You will write a summary of the hypertext (including all the linked texts) for homework. You will hand this summary in to me on THURSDAY.

    Begin doing the TWO PART Assignment:

  • After you have finished reading the main and the hyperlinked pop-up texts, answer the 10 Comprehension Questions by typing your answer directly onto the computer screen.
  • Print out a copy of your answers for yourself
  • Submit your answers by clicking on the button that says "Submit"
  • THEN, FOR THURSDAY, WRITE A SUMMARY OF THE HYPERTEXT. BRING IT TO CLASS AND HAND IT INTO ME.

Any questions, ask me.

Monday, November 17, 2003

Today you will do a practice departmental reading exam.

PLEASE DO NOT PRINT OUT THE TEXT--IT IS IN YOUR BOOK

Go to the text "The Mathematical Brain", which comes from your text Interdisciplinary English.


  • Read the text
  • Answer the Comprehension Questions by typing your answer directly onto the computer screen.
  • Print out a copy of your answers for yourself
  • Submit your answers by clicking on the button that says "Submit"

Any questions, ask me.

Monday, November 24, 2003

Today you will do a practice departmental reading exam.

PLEASE DO NOT PRINT OUT THE TEXT--IT IS IN YOUR BOOK

Go to the text Chaos Theory which comes from your text Interdisciplinary English.


  • Read the text
  • Answer the Comprehension Questions by typing your answer directly onto the computer screen.
  • Print out a copy of your answers for yourself
  • Submit your answers by clicking on the button that says "Submit"

Any questions, ask me.

Monday, December 1, 2003

Today you will fill out an Online Feedback Form on this ESL 91 course
AND
then take a Practice Reading Test.

The form will ask you to provide answers in which you give your opinions about our course and the activities we've done over the past semester.

Please be honest in your responses and give as complete an answer as you can to each question.

Your feedback will be used to improve the course for future ESL 91 students.

To go to the course feedback form, CLICK HERE.

After you submit the course feedback form, you will automatically be taken to a PRACTICE READING TEST.

THANKS FOR YOUR FEEDBACK!! It's been great working with all of you this semester.

This page was last updated on November 26, 2003