Science of Secrets
What secret agent did you want to be like when you were growing up?
James Bond, 007
Secret Agent
Man from Uncle
I Spy
Get Smart
Mission Impossible
I loved the cone-of-silence (Get Smart); as children, we would put a blanket over our heads to mimic it. Under the blanket-of-silence, we could whisper secrets to each other. Fun memories.
All children love secrets. They always have. We certainly did. As grandparents, many of us remember the decoder ring that we could order from the back of a comic book so we could share secrets with our special friends. What fun! Today's children live online. How can a grandparent connect with them without being part of the online noise, keep their interest, and stimulate learning?
Challenge your grandchildren to communicate with you in code. For example, Morse Code. It encourages them to explore a new alphabet outside their comfort zone. This learning moment has the momentum to allow your grandbabies to communicate with you 'in secret'. Kids will be thrilled. Why code? You and your grandkids can discuss Christmas or birthday presents for their parents without their parents 'listening in' to the conversation.
You don't know Morse Code? Easy. You can use a crib sheet, and your grandchild can use the same. Then you are off to the races with your grandkids sharing secrets. Over time, both of you will become proficient and won't need the crib sheet.
If Morse Code is too intimidating, consider the Caesar Cipher. Children 7 and up find this fun, but even younger children who know the alphabet can enthusiastically embrace it. The Caesar Cipher is a simple substitution cipher where you replace one letter with another, in order. A shift of one letter turns A into B, B into C, C into D, etc.
For example:
Shift: 1
Standard Alphabet: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Cipher Alphabet: BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZA
Original Text: I love you
Secret Code: JMPWFZPV
Fun Fact- Caesar preferred the 3 shift, so A became D, B became E, etc.
You and your grandchild can make a cipher wheel and practice using it together to write secret messages to each other.
Granted, today anyone can find a program online that will translate and decode words to Morse Code and Caesar Ciphers. But spending one-on-one time with your grandchildren teaching them to write in code and conveying the history of Morse Code and ciphers can spark their imagination for covert communication while learning new skills. What kid doesn't aspire to be a secret agent?
Why is this important today?
Cybersecurity and encryption are important parts of our information-dominated world. Through these simple beginner steps of Morse Code and Caesar Ciphers, you are introducing your grandchildren to a critical element of our world and sparking interest in math and computer science.
How are you sparking your grandkids’ imaginations to expand their knowledge base into new areas? Cone-of-silence (aka blanket-of-silence)? Secret messages? Writing in code? Tell us about your experiences. We'd love to hear.
Educational components:
Interesting facts about Morse Code
Knitting in code (a unique application of Morse Code)
