OPIE D711 - U.S. Cities: A Comparison of History and Culture

• Students will develop vocabulary that will enable them to communicate orally and in writing about topics related to the history, development, and contemporary culture of U.S. cities.
• Students will either give a major oral presentation or write a short academic paper on an approved topic related to U.S. cities.
• Students will engage in a variety of speaking activities to improve their pronunciation as well as listening comprehension, to develop effective group discussion and team-work skills, and to practice and deliver presentations in front of an audience.
• Students will gain experience using the internet as a research tool, in evaluating websites, and in evaluating and citing source material.
• Students will read articles (academic and newspaper) and essays about two prominent U.S. cities and will demonstrate comprehension of topics including: history, immigration, socio-economic issues, geography, and contemporary culture.
• Students will strengthen their academic listening and note-taking skills by listening to lectures and in-class presentations, by watching videos on assigned topics related to U.S. cities. Students will take notes for discussions, oral report, and essays.
• Students will take notes, practice paraphrasing and acknowledging sources, and will write summaries and essays about topics related to the two selected U.S. cities.