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UPenn - English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 

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English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
 at 
Coursera 
Overview

Duration

34 hours

Total fee

Free

Mode of learning

Online

Difficulty level

Beginner

Official Website

Explore Free Course External Link Icon

Credential

Certificate

English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
 at 
Coursera 
Highlights

  • Earn a shareable certificate upon completion.
  • Flexible deadlines according to your schedule.
Details Icon

English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
 at 
Coursera 
Course details

Skills you will learn
More about this course
  • Welcome to English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, a course created by the University of Pennsylvania, and funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs.
  • To enroll in this course for free, click on ?Enroll now? and then select "Full Course. No certificate." If you want to get a Coursera Verified Certificate for free, please fill out the Financial Aid form.
  • This course is designed for non-native English speakers who are interested in improving their English skills in the sciences. In this course, you will explore some of the most innovative areas of scientific study, while expanding your vocabulary and the language skills needed to share scientific information within your community. In unit 1, you will learn how to preview texts and practice some of the language used to make comparisons when talking about global warming and climate change. In unit 2, you will examine the chemistry of climate change and the language of cause and effect. In Unit 3, you will learn about some of the impacts of Climate Change and the language used to describe these effects. In Unit 4, you will learn reading strategies that can help you explore the science behind some new energy systems. In the final unit, you will investigate practical advances in Nanotechnology that help slow down climate change, while developing your own research skills in English.
  • Unless otherwise noted, all course materials are available for re-use, repurposing and free distribution under a Creative Commons 4.0 Attribution license.
  • Supplemental reading materials were provided by Newsela, which publishes daily news articles at a level that's just right for each English language learner.
Read more

English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
 at 
Coursera 
Curriculum

Unit 1: Is the Earth Getting Warmer?

Course Overview: Introduction to STEM

Course Overview: Topics, Assessments, Games & Activities

Course Overview: Topics, Assessments, Games & Activities Part 2

Is the Earth Getting Warmer?

Language Focus: Previewing Texts

Unlockable Achievement 1

Warming Experiment (Part 1)

Warming Experiment (Part 2)

Global Warming vs. Climate Change

Unlockable Achievement 2

Language Focus: Comparative Adjectives

Online Learning Opportunities to Extend Your Skills

Overview of the Unit

Game 1: Unit 1 Vocabulary Flashcards

UN Report: Last 10 Years Likely the Hottest Decade on Record

Warming Experiment Chart

BASIC: Climate Change: How Do we Know?

ADVANCED: Climate Change: How Do we Know?

WMO: Global Warming Happening Faster than Predicted

5 Takeaways from the Latest Climate Data

Game 2: Previewing Texts

Check Your Understanding: ?UN Report: Last 10 Years Likely the Hottest Decade on Record"

Check Your Understanding: "Climate Change: How Do we Know?"

Game 3: Comparative Adjectives

Check Your Understanding: "WMO: Global Warming Happening Faster than Predicted"

Game: Review Comparative Adjectives

Check Your Understanding: "5 Takeaways from the Latest Climate Data"

Unit 2: The Greenhouse Effect

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

Greenhouse Gases

Unlockable Achievement 3

Nature's Role in the Greenhouse Effect

Language Focus: Present Progressive

The Burning of Fossil Fuels

Language Focus: Cause and Effect (so, because of, therefore, as a result)

Unlockable Achievement 4

Deforestation and Farming

The Disposal of Waste

Instructions & Sample for Assessment 2, Manmade Source of Greenhouse Effect

Unlockable Achievement 5

Overview of the Unit

Game 1: Unit 2 Vocabulary Flashcards

BASIC: A Blanket Around the Earth

ADVANCED: A Blanket Around the Earth

BASIC: Need Strategies to Clear the Air? Ask a Megacity.

ADVANCED: Need Strategies to Clear the Air? Ask a Megacity.

Unit 2 Assessment 2: Written Instructions

Charcoal Trade Is Destroying Africa?s Forest Cover

Melting of Ice Wedges Adds to Arctic Warming

Check Your Understanding: "A Blanket Around the Earth"

Game 2: Match the Greenhouse Gas to its Source

Game 3: Present Progressive

Unit 2 Assessment 1: Label the Parts of the Greenhouse Effect Diagram

Game 4: Cause and Effect

Check Your Understanding: "Need Strategies to Clear the Air? Ask a Megacity."

Check Your Understanding: "Charcoal Trade Is Destroying Africa?s Forest Cover"

Game: Review Present Progressive

Check Your Understanding: "Melting of Ice Wedges Adds to Arctic Warming"

The Impacts of Climate Change on our World

Hot, Hot, Hot: Drought and Other Effects of Warmer Temperatures

Hurricanes & Storms

Language Focus: Scanning for Details

Unlockable Achievement 6

Rising Sea Levels

The Impact on Our Health

Language Focus: Intensifiers (Normal and Strong Adjectives)

Expert Interview: Shandra Banutu-Gomez - The Situation in Africa

The Threat to Plants and Animals

Unlockable Achievement 7

The Stress on Our Marine Ecosystem

Overview of the Unit

BASIC: The Consequences of Climate Change

ADVANCED: The Consequences of Climate Change

Game 2: Unit 3 Vocabulary Flashcards

BASIC: New Study Suggests Global Marine Food Chain Collapse

ADVANCED: New Study Suggests Global Marine Food Chain Collapse

Study: Planet-Warming Gasses Make Food Less Nutritious

African Nations Vulnerable to Effects of Climate Change

Game 1: Scanning for Details

Check Your Understanding: "The Consequences of Climate Change"

Unit 3 Assessment 1: The Effects of Climate Change on the Environment

Game 3: Intensifiers

Check Your Understanding: "New Study Suggests Global Marine Food Chain Collapse"

Check Your Understanding: "Study: Planet-Warming Gasses Make Food Less Nutritious"

Game: Review: Intensifiers

Check Your Understanding: "African Nations Vulnerable to effects of Climate Change"

Discovering Cleaner Energy Sources to Power the World

The Rise of Renewable Energy

The Power of Sun, Wind, and Water

Unlockable Achievement 8

Language Focus: Summarizing Main Ideas from a Text (Part 1)

Language Focus: Summarizing Main Ideas from a Text (Part 2)

New Discoveries in Renewable Energy

Expert Interview: Dr. Yang - Capturing Waste Heat to Create Energy

Language Focus: Using Modal Verbs to Make a Suggestion

Unlockable Achievement 9

Assessment 2 Sample, New Energy System

Unlockable Achievement 10

Overview of the Unit

Game 1: Unit 4 Vocabulary Flashcards

BASIC: Indian Scientists Design Solar Tree to Save Space for Solar Power Generation

ADVANCED: Indian Scientists Design Solar Tree to Save Space for Solar Power Generation

Model Summary: Preparation for Unit 4 Assessment 1

BASIC: Salting Away Renewable Energy for Future Use

ADVANCED: Salting Away Renewable Energy for Future Use

Unit 4 Assessment 2: Written assessment instructions

'Blue Energy' Could be Another Way to Go Green

Nuclear Developers Have Big Plans for Pint-sized Power Plants in UK

Check Your Understanding: "Indian Scientists Design Solar Tree to Save Space for Solar Power Generation"

Game 2: Matching Main Ideas to Short Paragraphs

Unit 4 Assessment 1: Summary Response

Game 3: Order the Modal Verbs by Strength (Strong Suggestion ? Weak Suggestion)

Check Your Understanding: "Salting away renewable energy for future use."

Check Your Understanding: ?'Blue Energy' Could be Another Way to Go Green?

Grammar Review: Modals of Suggestion

Check Your Understanding: "Nuclear Developers Have Big Plans for Pint-sized Power Plants in UK"

What Might the Future Hold?

What is Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology Around the World

Making New Technology Practical

Unlockable Achievement 11

Language Focus: Future Possibility and Probability Modals

Unlockable Achievement 12

How do Scientists Share Discoveries?

Choosing Good Sources and the Importance of Citing Them

Language Focus: Citing your Sources

Expert Interview: Lynn Yarris - Creating a Community of Scientists

Course Conclusion

Overview of the Unit

Game 1: Unit 5 Vocabulary Flashcards

BASIC: Can the Earth Be Saved by Turning CO2 to Stone?

ADVANCED: Can the Earth Be Saved by Turning CO2 to Stone?

BASIC: Profits From Eco-friendly Vertical Farming Stack Up

ADVANCED: Profits From Eco-friendly Vertical Farming Stack Up

Biofilter Made from Peanut Shell Degrades Air Pollutants

Major Advance in Artificial Photosynthesis Poses Win/Win for the Environment

Check Your Understanding: "Can the Earth Be Saved by Turning CO2 to Stone?"

Unit 5 Assessment 1: Making New Technology Practical and Profitable

Game 2: Future Possibility and Probability Modals

Check Your Understanding: "Profits From Eco-friendly Vertical Farming Stack Up"

Game 3: True/False: Citing Sources

Check Your Understanding: "Biofilter made from peanut shell degrades air pollutants"

Game: Matching: Nanotechnology Vocabulary Words

Check Your Understanding: "Major Advance in Artificial Photosynthesis Poses Win/Win for the Environment"

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English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
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