The Black Hole

Try our teaching ideas about this short film in which an office worker accidentally discovers a black hole.

How will you use this video with your children?

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

English

• Stop the film at 0:08, with just the title and the setting showing. What do you think the film is going to be about?
• Stop the film at 0:13. How would you describe this man? Why do you say that?
• Compare this to other stories with magic portals, for example, the Narnia stories and Harry Potter. Do you know of any more?
• Write a crime report about the incident.
• Make a video interview with the man. Can he explain his actions?
• Write the story of how the black hole came to be in the photocopier in the first place. How did it get there?
• Generate a list of adjectives to describe the man’s appearance and his character.
• Write an acrostic poem about the story using the words “black hole”.

Maths

• Set some word problems based on the film. For example, if the safe contained £30,000 and the man took £6,000 out, how much is still in the safe? What if it was £300,000?
• If the safe has a three-digit code and only uses the numbers 7, 8 and 9, how many possible combinations are there? What if it is a four-digit code?

Science

• Try these fantastic black hole activities from Science in School.

Design Technology

• Discuss ways in which we can use technology to make an image or a copy of something (on a photocopier, on our phones etc.) How do the children think that they work? Find out how a photocopier works (there is a good clear explanation here).

Art

• Look at the colours used in the film. Why do you think they are all so dull? Draw or paint your own picture using only grey tones.

Music

• Compose a soundtrack for the film using items you would find in an office. For example, how could you use a ruler to make sounds or a hole punch?

PSHE

• Do you think he was right to take the chocolate? What about taking the money?
• If you had a black hole like this, how would you use it?