Outstanding Scientists and Inventors

 

 

“Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent

perspiration” - T.A. Edison

 

    Individual reading is an integral part of the English language course that allows you to widen the limits of any topic you study. The hotlist “Outstanding Scientists and Inventors” brings you face-to-face with the extraordinary scientists, thinkers and pioneers who have shaped our world. It is an index of supplementary reading material.   Individual reading class takes place once a month. The requirements are: 1. Choose a scientist or inventor who made a significant contribution into further development of physics, engineering, mathematics, computer science, information technology, systems analysis.   2. Read and translate into Russian the biography of the scientist/inventor (5000 characters).   3. Sum up the information you have read in no more than 10 sentences, highlighting the most important and interesting facts in the scientist/inventor’s life and work.   4. Practice reading aloud one of the paragraphs – check the pronunciation of the proper names, terms, etc.   Links:   Ø Eric Weisstein's World of Scientific Biography - A database of very brief biographies for over 1,000 figures in science http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/biography/   Ø The MacTutor History of Mathematics archive - Comprehensive collection of biographies and history of mathematics articles http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/   Ø Academy of US Achievement: Science and Exploration - Collection of Biographies of US explorers, profiles and interviews with them. http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/halls/sci   Ø Biographies PolySearch Engine - Search for biographical information, sketches, and full biographies of famous and infamous scientists. http://www2.hawaii.edu/~jacso/extra/egyeb/poly-bio.htm     Ø Scientists, Inventors and Explorers - Guide to science biography indexed by subject and academic level, timelines and science on stamps http://www.juliantrubin.com/sciencebiography.html   Ø Nobel prize.org - All related information on all Nobel Prize Laureates, biographies, autobiographies, interviews and lectures http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/   Ø About:Inventors - A collection of biographies of famous inventors indexed in alphabetical order http://inventors.about.com/library/bl/bl1_1.htm   Ø Cybernetics and Systems Thinkers - a list of the most influential theorists in the field of cybernetics and systems theory and related domains http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/CSTHINK.html   Ø Inventor of the Week Archive http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/i-archive-ct.html   Ø John von Neumann - Genius of Man and Machine http://light-science.com/vonneumann.html   Ø Ludwig von Bertalanffy http://www.isss.org/lumLVB.htm   Ø John Nash – Autobiography http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/laureates/1994/nash-autobio.html     Ø Wernhen von Braun http://history.msfc.nasa.gov/vonbraun/bio.html   Ø Free Russian English Dictionary and English to Russian online http://www.rustran.com/   Ø Online Dictionary, Language Guide, Foreign Language and Etymology - allows sound http://www.allwords.com/   Ø Dictionary - MSN Encarta - Online dictionary with over 100000 entries, definitions, and pronunciation http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/dictionaryhome.aspx   This Worksheet was created by Reznikova Svetlana http://wizard.4teachers.org/builder/worksheet.php3?ID=97886 This site was created by HPR*TEC Web Worksheet Wizard 3.0.        

 

4 Participate in a Student Conference

Hold a mini-conference in your group devoted to the outstanding people in your field of science (information technologies, mathematics, physics, engineering, systems analysis). Prepare a five-minute presentation on the scientist’s biography and work.

 

a) Find information on any scientist or inventor who is the most interesting from the point of view of the biography and contribution. Think of bits that might get listeners interested.

b) Develop the materials into separate paragraphs. Write each paragraph on a separate piece of paper.

c) Structure your text. Decide on the order of each paragraph.

d) Write the text as a whole, adding introduction, conclusion and links between paragraphs.

e) Think of a “catchy” beginning and an interesting ending but be brief.

f) Proofread the material checking the spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary

g) Practise to be very precise with time: rehearse it.

h) Don’t forget you must speak, not read.

i) Use various visual aids (handouts, PowerPoint, photos, sound) to make your presentation interesting and captivating.

j) Be ready to answer any questions that might arise.

 

KEYS