Assign each student a letter of the alphabet. Students should identify and research slang terms, beginning with their letter, that are used in their community. For each slang word, students should provide its meaning, origin, the Standard English equivalent, and a phrase demonstrating its usage. Have the class compile the words and definitions into a slang dictionary. Students can survey neighboring schools to gather additional slang terms for inclusion in their dictionary.
Students can put their completed dictionary on the Internet and invite submissions from readers.
Direct students to research slang words associated with a specific era, hobby, industry, population, sport, age group, country, etc. Using slang relevant to the selected topic, have students present a description of the factors that influence or have influenced the terminology's development. Refer students to the links below to learn about the history and future of stem cell research. Have students identify the major scientific discoveries related to stem cells and the potential discoveries that lie ahead. Direct students to create a timeline of their findings.