Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Numb3 Rs: Message of the Bottle

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Based off of the hit television show NUMB3RS, this lesson is best used to serve as a preliminary introduction to coding and encryption. Messages are ciphered by single-letter substitution, and the lesson guides students into deciphering...
Activity
PBS

Pbs Nova: A Simple Cipher

For Students 9th - 10th
The difference between a code and cipher is explained. See if you can solve a simple cipher challenge at the bottom of the page.
Lesson Plan
Shodor Education Foundation

Shodor Interactivate: Spy Game

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Learners will learn about modular arithmetic in order to decipher encrypted messages.
Lesson Plan
Other

Curiosity in the Classroom: Principles of Encryption [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In a world where people are sharing information every second online, securing that information is paramount. In this lesson students will understand the principle of encryption, how to decode encryption, and how to construct ciphers. The...
Article
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Encryption, Decryption, and Cracking

For Students 9th - 10th
Julius Caesar encrypted messages two thousand years ago. By knowing the techniques of deciphering a code--frequency analysis, known text, and brute force--one can begin to understand the three key aspects of data encryption, decryption,...
Website
National Institutes of Health

National Library of Medicine: Profiles in Science: Francis Crick Papers

For Students 9th - 10th
Biographical information about Francis Crick as well as access to an archival collection of his papers, letters, photographs, and notes, including those related to the discovery of the double helix.
Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs: Word Problems Using Addition and Subtraction of Fractions: Harry Gets Locked Up

For Students 3rd - 5th
This video features Harry and his cousin Harley. Harley is desperate to use Harry's bike, but first he must decipher the combination to the bike lock by solving a word problem. In the accompanying classroom activity, students complete a...
Activity
Instituto Latinoamericano de la Comunicacion Educativa

Red Escolar: El Codigo De Galileo

For Students 3rd - 8th
Decipher Galileo's code and read about his biography. Instructions are also given on how to construct a magnifying glass.