DISCUSS:
If you made your own secret code out of ANY two things, what would you use?
Snack Decoder worksheet | 1 per student |
Sound Code worksheet | 1 per student |
Visual Code worksheet | 1 per student |
Engineering Materials
Students will need materials for their visual and sound codes. At a minimum, we suggest crayons and paper. You can include other items like flashlights, musical instruments, and other materials to encourage student creativity.
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Details
2 items per student
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We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students will need a partner for this activity.
This activity involves pairs of students working together to create codes and then separating from one another to communicate those codes over a distance. Ideally student pairs will stand across the room from one another, but you may need to modify depending on your classroom.
You can choose to provide whatever materials you’d like for students to use for their codes. We suggest at least some paper and crayons. But you can include flashlights, musical instruments, or anything you’d like to encourage student creativity in their visual and sound code creation.
This activity involves students communicating through visual and sound cues across the classroom. If you have students who are sensitive to sensory overload, you may want to adjust the activity or create additional constraints (e.g. only whisper sounds) to create a safe space for all students.
Student slideshow: English | Spanish
Teacher printout: English & Spanish
In this reading, students learn how mathematician Alan Turing helped break secret codes during WWII.
You can elaborate student learning and engagement with Mystery Science mini-lessons.
How were emojis created? In this mini-lesson students explore how emojis were invented as a kind of code to express tone and emotion through text messages.
Who invented the alphabet? In this mini-lesson students explore how the alphabet is a code that uses symbols to stand for sounds. They learn about different alphabets and who we think invented the English alphabet.
If you are in an NGSS state, these mini-lessons support the DCI PS4.C: Information Technology and Instrumentation
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