Unit Study on Codes

[Mimm]

I need ideas. For the past several months, my kids have been obsessed with codes. They have created at least 100 codes between them, everything from A=1, B=2, to creating whole new set characters for the alphabet. Or a code were the first word of every sentence is to be written. Or where the word is scrambled is specific ways. Imogen painstakingly translates the Morse code messages my husband has printed out for her.

 

So, I'd like to turn this interest into a unit study. The problem is that I've never done a unit study and I'm not sure what all is involved. I'd like to study codes and languages that have never been figured out, like Linear A (or was it B...) and that one book with all the fake plant drawings in it whose name is completely slipping my mind. I'd like to include stuff about spying in general and the types of codes spies often use. Maybe talk about the Navajo Code Talkers?

 

So does anyone have any ideas for books or other resources for this unit study? Or additional topics we should cover? When you guys do a unit study, how to do approach it? What do you include? I'm not looking for something that's all encompassing, but something I can easily add into the rest of their work though I'm certainly willing to put some of our subjects on hold while we explore this in depth.

Edited September 30, 2010 by Mimm

[In The Great White North]

See nmoira's post in this thread:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214942&page=2

[cougarmom4]

I recently went to do an enrichment activity in my son's ps 3rd grade classroom and I chose to talk about secret codes...the kids were all over it! I used several examples from the children's books, had the kids make their own cipher wheels, talked about who uses codes in real life (we all do! passwords, ATM machines; talked about spy & detective stories, CIA, military, etc), and then they set to work to create their own secret codes. I can easily see how a unit study on this would be awesome!

 

I'm not sure of the reading readiness of your kids, but these books have secret codes as part of the plot/storyline--Jigsaw Jones series (early readers, but each book has a new code to solve/learn), 39 Clues series, and Chasing Vermeer (my copy of the book has additional pages at the end that talk about codes). Especially this last one would go very nicely with a unit study, I think.

 

In fact, this was one of the coolest things I found when I did a google search on secret codes--you've got to check this out. Maybe it will be a great jumping off point for your unit study. It is from a library magazine with ideas for Chasing Vermeer--

http://www.vema.gen.va.us/conference/09/VEMA09handouts/Stover_Chasing%20Vermeer%20Library%20Lessons.pdf

 

And here is a website that looked like a lot of fun--with secret missions for your kids to embark on. I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for or if you were only wanting something more academic, but have a look.

http://www.topspysecrets.com/

 

Have fun!

 

ETA: One more website that has info on codes used in history (Thomas Jefferson, Navajo Code Talkers, etc) that might lead to some good ideas/info. http://www.nps.gov/archive/jeff/LewisClark2/education/CrucialRoleLanguage/SecretCode.htm

Edited September 30, 2010 by cougarmom4

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I need ideas. For the past several months, my kids have been obsessed with codes. They have created at least 100 codes between them, everything from A=1, B=2, to creating whole new set characters for the alphabet. Or a code were the first word of every sentence is to be written. Or where the word is scrambled is specific ways. Imogen painstakingly translates the Morse code messages my husband has printed out for her.

 

So, I'd like to turn this interest into a unit study. The problem is that I've never done a unit study and I'm not sure what all is involved. I'd like to study codes and languages that have never been figured out, like Linear A (or was it B...) and that one book with all the fake plant drawings in it whose name is completely slipping my mind. I'd like to include stuff about spying in general and the types of codes spies often use. Maybe talk about the Navajo Code Talkers?

 

So does anyone have any ideas for books or other resources for this unit study? Or additional topics we should cover? When you guys do a unit study, how to do approach it? What do you include? I'm not looking for something that's all encompassing, but something I can easily add into the rest of their work though I'm certainly willing to put some of our subjects on hold while we explore this in depth.

 

The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base is a little mystery story with clues in various codes all around the edges of the pages.

 

The Egyptian Jukebox is more of a visual puzzle/code story to figure out.

 

The Boy Scouts have brought back the Signaling merit badge for one year. You might see if any scout units near you are working on this and would let your kids come watch/learn (Some areas are doing this at district weekend campouts.) BSA didn't produce new merit badge booklets, but did put the historic booklets online. You could use the requirements and booklets as a guide for a unit study.

Baden-Powell, who created Boy Scouts, also had a set of "silent signals" that he encouraged scouts to use. I use these a lot with scouts, especially cub scouts, who seem to really enjoy them.

 

I like the Playfair cipher, which was used as early as WWI and probably earlier. It is fiddly and complicated and something your kids would probably like. (One of the better explanations of this cipher is in Have His Carcasse by Dorothy Sayers, about 3/4 of the way through the book.)

 

This sounds like a really fun way to integrate history and math. You might, instead of one big unit study, look for codes and secret message usage as you move through history. There are lots of good examples.

 

Codes and Ciphers by Wrixon (it looks like there are several editions of this book)

Mysterious Messages by Gary Blackwood (I haven't read this but it sounds interesting. The author wrote The Shakespeare Stealer and sequels, which we've enjoyed).

Secrets & Spies: Behind the scenes stories of World War II (from Reader's Digest) My middle son loves this book.

[Guest]

There's a fun book called The Cryptoclub which combines a story with different methods of code-making and breaking, and activities for kids.

 

My dd also loved a big red-covered book called Spy-ology, which comes again as a story with clues and codes hidden in the book.

 

The Sherlock Holmes story "The Adventure of the Dancing Men" is a great short work about deciphering a very enigmatic code.

[Farrar]

Like one of the pp's, I was also going to suggest Chasing Vermeer and its sequels. Such good books. You could also go with something like The Mysterious Benedict Society. There are a bunch of other books with codes out there these days for middle grades readers. If you're doing a unit study, I would definitely include a book.

 

And along the lines of the Linear A and B suggestion, you could do something about Champolion and the Rosetta Stone for decoding Egyptian hieroglyphs. I feel like I just saw something about this... a resource, a book maybe? Argh... if it comes to me, I'll suggest it.

[Mimm]

Thank you everyone! This gives me a lot to work off of. I'm excited for this, I think they'll love it.

[Rosie_0801]

They could learn some basic blazoning.

 

Rosie