Lesson Sketch: Introducing Infinity at year 8

I recently gave a cross-school lecture to Gifted and Talented year 8 and 9 students on the subject of infinity. I got great feedback from it, with most of the kids hungry for more (after a one-hour, after-school lecture no less!), so I thought I'd share it in case anyone else wanted to use/adapt it.


Powerpoint file                     Worksheet

It contains:

• Prompt to discussions about the difference between large numbers and infinity
• A proof that 1=0 using infinity
• Modified Zeno's paradox
• Fractals
• Fractal-like behaviour in nature and its uses
• Puzzles using infinitely nested shapes
• Introduction to the concept of calculus and some of its uses
• Links to (excellent) videos about infinity

P.S. There are notes inserted in the slide-comment section of the powerpoint that explain how I presented it.

P.P.S. The speed slide refers to this distance-time graph creator, which I used to briefly introduce the concept of Calculus.

P.P.P.S. There are so many links at the end because there were so many topics I didn't have time for (Different types of infinity, Infinite/fractal dimensional space, etc.)