On Pi Day, I had a math stall where I taught the audience about the theory of fractals, its real life implications, and how the fractals such as the mandelbrot set, koch snowflake, barnsley fern and the julia set are created using mathematical concepts, like complex numbers and recursive functions.

LO2 – Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process.

Fractals was a concept completely new to me. The topic hasn’t been taught to us in our IB curriculum, so I had to study the theory on my own using the help of books in the library, online resources and mathematics teachers in my school. Understanding the theory was difficult, and even harder to explain it to grade 9 and grade 11 students with little to no knowledge about topics such as complex numbers, iterated function system, and recursive functions. To deal with that, I used an online simulation to display the fractals (mandelbrot set and julia set), and used desmos graphing to display the fractals (koch snowflake and barnsley fern). Then, I used an online whiteboard to explain the formation of those fractals to the stall visitors (see below).

LO3 – Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience.

For Pi Day, the planning process for my math stall involved detailed preparation well beyond just researching content. Once I decided to focus on fractals, I created a structured outline of what I wanted to cover at the stall and how to sequence the information so it would be understandable to a younger audience. I began by listing the materials and tools I’d need—laptops for simulations, access to Desmos, a digital whiteboard, and handouts for visitors who wanted to explore more on their own. I coordinated with the event organizers to secure the space and time slot for the stall and made sure the technology setup was tested in advance. I also prepared a simplified script and visual aids to guide my explanations, and even timed a few trial runs to ensure my presentation stayed clear and concise. The planning stage helped me understand how much goes into organizing even a small educational activity—from logistics and timing to audience engagement strategies.

Link to my fractals presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1z3cFe_h6ezqW_5BKgntWFZOKjGxMzHlczzChaIjkB74/edit#slide=id.gf26ba1c24a_0_643