Digitized Messages-- 4/28/14

This week we worked more with Morse Code.  First we had them experience a Morse Code message in a slowed down version.  We then discussed it and played it again at normal speed.  Again, we discussed the differences and talked about other ways we could transmit the same message.  The students suggested using light would be a good way.  So we gave it a try, we turned off the lights and sent a message to decode with a flashlight.  Again we discussed similarities/differences between the messages up to this point.

 We then engineered our own Morse Code Transmitters and practiced sending messages.  After we became more comfortable with the transmitting we had the students send messages to one another and try to decipher it!  Students quickly learned that it requires a lot of concentration and focus to try to decipher this type of message.  Fun was had by all!!




Lastly, we had the students rub flower petals over their invisible ink message/drawing so that it would be revealed.  Although it was quite messy (don't try at home) it was very fun also!






 Please be checking back on this blog and checking with your student(s) for the invitation to The Spring Family Night!!  I will be posting the information and getting it to the students very soon.  Keep May 12th, 2014 from 5-6:30 pm open to attend IMSA's Spring Family Night!!!

Easter Egg Hunt--4-21-14

 Happy Easter!!! This week Mrs. Blust and I created an Easter Egg Hunt in Churchill Jr. High!!  The students started off with a code in an egg and some materials needed throughout the hunt.  The code then gave them a clue as to where to find the next bucket of eggs!  The students had a great time deciphering the clues in order to know where to find the next egg.

They reviewed solving most of the code types that we have worked with thus far in the Secret Communications unit.  Some of the codes proved to be more difficult than anticipated!  All of the teams worked extremely hard and each team had acquired all of their eggs.  There were two teams whom had only on code left to decipher.  We did have one team who completed the hunt and got the prize of a chocolate bar!!!

CONGRATS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS!!
YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB!

April 14,2014-- Seeing Is Believing

Seeing is Believing-- The codes this week were invisible to the naked eye.  The students had to use clues given in the form of previously learned codes to figure our what to do and where to look.  It was great to see them critically thinking and working together in teams to solve the clues!!!  We used an invisible ink code that needed a decoder ink to be used on it so that it was revealed and one that required UV light to be viewed.  We also made our own invisible ink.  Next week we are going to do an Easter Egg Hunt using all of the codes that we have used up to this point in the unit.  See you next week!

March 24th and April 7th

 On March 24th, we played a game called Mafia.  This was introduced last year by Mr. Bates.  The kids loved it and have been asking us to play.  Since we have been working hard this semester to crack codes we decided this would be a great break from the code cracking grind!                                               The students had a blast and it was a fun group activity.

April 7th, the students went back to the code cracking.  During this week we decoded what is termed a Pig Pen Cipher.  We simulated this with toothpicks and beads.  The students developed yet another way to code and decode messages.  I apologize for the lack of pictures for this activity but I was not in attendance due to my nephew being born!  

See you all on the 14th for more code cracking!

**The cellphone issue has been much better and again we appreciate your support in that matter!  

Imsa on March 10th and 17th

On March 10th IMSA was learning to read a code based on a base-2 system, binary system.  First we worked with magnets to show the students that they are polarized on one side and not on the other.  This set up the "on" or "off" situation.  We then incorporated that on/off system into a binary system in order to code numbers.  We then developed our own coded numbers and had the other groups try to decode them using what was taught during the lesson.

This unit is a little paper driven since it deals with codes.  Due to this we chose to do the "Locking onto an Idea Considering the Possibilities" lesson.  We first had them do an activity where they worked with probability and dice.  In this activity order mattered when considering the possibilities.  Activity 2 involved them all following the same set of walking directions in different orders and how that produced very different outcomes for each group.  On March 24th we will wrap up this activity.

 

*****We have noticed a large increase in the use of cell phones during IMSA.  Due to this growing distraction we are going to ask the IMSA students to leave them in their lockers or turn them off during IMSA.  If they continue use of the cellphones we will ask them to leave.  We hope everyone understands and supports our enforcement of this rule*****

Finding the Right Route 3-3-14

This week we worked on Route Transposition Template Ciphers to both encrypt and decode messages.  Although it was difficult at first we think the majority of the students really caught on as they continued to work on them and develop their own message.

We started with a message similar to this.

 

The students then used all of their previous knowledge of ciphers to try and solve it.  When that did not work we helped out with a hint.  We talked about arrays and used an example.  This really got them headed in the right direction.  However, there was still a lot of trial and error that occurred before they were able to figure it out.  Some of that trial and error is shown in the pictures below.

  The students slowly but surely caught on and developed their own messages for each other to decipher.  We encourage conversations at home about each type of ciphers we work on during IMSA.  It may even turn out to help you at the end of the year parent night!!!  See you all next week!

2-24-14 Meeting

Caesar's Cipher

The previous meeting allowed the students to understand how an alpha-numeric cipher works and how to use the wheel to help them figure out the ciphers.  We continued working with the alpha-numeric ciphers but this time we played an online game with it.  We used a website where the students were given several ciphers.  These ciphers were their clues to the next cipher.  Eventually they freed the djinni. 

 Here are a couple of pictures of the website and examples of the ciphers the students were solving.  As you can see below the students were very engaged with this activity!  It was great to see and experience the competiveness within them to be the first group to rescue the djinni.