My technology teacher wants everyone to do a Powerpoint Presentation about any topic we want. First thing that comes into mind, chess My audience is mainly a bunch of non-serious average chess players, non-chess players, and my teacher (probably doesn't play chess). So how can I make it interesting for them?

P.S Does anyone know any music that might fit into the presentation?

Keep it simple and add some humor.

One possible approach: assert that chess is strongly linked to EVERY SUBJECT on the curriculum. Have a slide prepared for any subject they might ask about. Then challenge them to name any subject that IS NOT strongly linked to chess.

Suppose they say: ...

religion. Put up the slide with some key items from Bill Wall's article http://www.chess.com/article/view/religion-and-chess (be nice to contact him first)

sport. Chess has been an acredited Olympic sport - it's not at the moment. It probably will be again. (batgirl knows a lot about it.) Also chess-boxing: about the most extreme combination of physical & mental sports.

dance. The musical 'Chess' by Andrew Lloyd-Webber.

history. Modern chess is ~500 years old. Derived from ancient Indian/Persian games. See Wikipedia.

politics. Bobby Fischer's role in overcoming the Soviet Union's dominance at the height of the Cold War.  http://www.greenleft.org.au/2004/583/32473

French. French terms used in chess: en passant, j'adoube. French Opening.

biology. Men tend to be better at chess than women. Make sure you can back this up with solid results from the Net!

chemistry. Chess pieces are made from many different materials http://www.chess.com/forum/view/more-puzzles/wood-you-believe-it

physics.  Richard Feynman talking about learning chess as an analogy for understanding nuclear physics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1dgrvlWML4

And so on for ... geography, music, art, mathematics, cookery, woodwork, music, English Lit. ...

Why don't you try to be creative?

Do a slide show showing the power of chess with basics check mates like the Scholar's mate and the Student's mates and the Legal's mate, and there are many others but limit yourself to 4 basics mates just to attract enough interest. Beyond 4 you are showing your own interest and will loose the audience's interest.

Good luck.

host a game between two people during your presentation and commentate occasionaly to fill time

Don't forget to bring your board and pieces in a box that you will open after say 3 to 5 minutes just for the suspense!

You can say in this box lies the solution to chess for instance and put it on a table.

Do mention there are more chess combinations possible that the total atoms in the universe.