Process

The Process

Your first task is to explore the world of codes as a group. Be sure to take notes and answer the questions for each site.

-Take a look into a book about deciphering codes. Using the arrows on the side of the pages, turn to page 11 and 12 and read about transposition ciphers. http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0486247619/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-7710011-2815067#reader-page

Figure out these two messages using transpositions ciphers:

ENOYREVEROFNUFSICIGAM

IOEY ADLV MWNQ

-Learn about the art of cryptology that has been used by governments and miliarty for centuries at http://www.cerias.purdue.edu/education/k-12/teaching_resources/lessons_presentations/cryptology.html

What is cryptology?
In the section “Calling all Cryptologists!” follow the directions using the information from the site.

-Learn about codes and secret messages on this site http://www.thunk.com/learn.html

Who first used secret messages and when?

-Create your own secret messages and decode them with your friends http://www.thunk.com/index.cgi

Spend 2 minutes scrambling 3 phrases and write both the original and the scrambled form.

-Create and translate secret codes. Email them to your friends and decode eachother’s messages here. http://hbz.masslive.com/friends/code/

Did you like this site or the last scrambling site better? Why?

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Before you divide up and explore your individual codes, you should know Merlot’s message:

01001 01101 10101 10011 10100 00100 00101 10011 10100 10010 01111 11001 10100 01000 00101 01101 00001 00111 01001 00011 10011 00011 01000 01111 01111 01100 10011 10000 00101 00011 10100 01111 01101 00001 00111 01111 01110

.. Whiskey India Lima Lima -.././…/-/.-./---/-.--/India Tango -././-..-/-/Tango Uniform Echo Sierra Delta Alpha Yankee.

Keep this message in mind when looking at your individual code. Your might want to print out this code for each person in your group. Just so you know, Merlot might have used several different codes in the formation of his message in order to trick you!

Now it is time to divide up and each become experts in a specific code. The four codes you need expert status in are Morse Code, Alpha Code, Braille, and Binary Code. Take 5 minutes to decide which team member will become an expert in which code, and then hurry to it! Remember, the fate of your school hangs in the balance!!!

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Morse Code

-Learn about Samuel Finley Breese Morse, the Inventor of the Morse Code http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com/explore/inventions/morse_samuel.html

What was Samuel Morse a professor of?
For what invention, that he also created himself, did Morse invent the Morse Code?
How much did the government pay Morse for his invention?

-Take a look at what Morse code looks like http://battleshipnc.com/kids/games/morse/index.php

Print out the page this site takes you to with the Morse Code chart.
Go to the Morse Code Translator and type in this message: “Is this the code Merlot used?” Write the translation.

Alpha Code

-Take a look at the code the military uses to prevent problems with communication http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Village/1367/military_alphabet_code.html

Print out this page.
Spell out your name using this new code!

-Check out how the military alphabet came about http://www.dearanswerlady.com/html/MilitaryAlphabet.html

What is another name for this alphabet (both names, full names and abbrev.)?
What organization is the IACO a part of?

-The military also uses flags to identify their code. Check out how they use both alpha code and the flags to communicate with each other. http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/teach/alpha/alpha1.htm

Print this page.
On the page, write the words for each letter in each word in the section that asks you to say them aloud. Then in the second section, match the words with their flag spelling. Write all answers on the page.

Braille

-Read the story of Louis Braille http://www.his.com/~pshapiro/braille.html

In one paragraph, summarize this story.

-Write your own message and see how it can be translated into Braille http://pbskids.org/arthur/print/braille/

Write two messages and then write their Braille translation.

-Look for a book written in Braille. Cite the book and cite where you found it.

Binary Code

-Take a look at what letters look like in binary code http://www.micron.com/k12/lessonplans/binary/code.html

Write one of your parent’s names in binary code

-Look at this site: http://www.howard.k12.md.us/res/gaming/work.html

What is binary code used for?

-Look at how binary code truly looks http://www.trap17.com/forums/crack-the-binary-code-t7053.html

-See if you can find more information on binary code and record the site you found the information on.

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Now you are ready to get back together with your group. The first thing you should do back in your team is share your findings with the rest of your team members. Then together you should decipher Merlot’s code. After you have discovered Merlot’s message, create your own code to send a message to Prof. Chastin. You may use any of the knowledge you have gained through your exploration of codes, or use other knowledge or creative ideas your group has. Make sure you review the evaluation guidelines to make sure you do the best possible job. Using your newly created code, you should send Prof. Chastin a message, telling him how you are trapped and in need of rescue, and also telling the prof. about Merlot’s evil plan! Hurry! There is no time to waste!

(You should know, you will be showing the other teams in your class your code and explaining to them how it works and how you came up with your code)