The Topic:  Codes, Ciphers &  Secret Messages

Easier - A code is a system of symbols, letters, words, or signals that are used instead of ordinary words and numbers to send messages or store information. A code is used to keep the message short or to keep it secret.

 

Harder - Codes and ciphers are forms of secret communication. A code replaces words, phrases, or sentences with groups of letters or numbers, while a cipher rearranges letters or uses substitutes to disguise the message. The technology of such secret communication is called cryptology.

 

Secret writing has been employed about as long as writing has existed. Cryptology has long been employed by governments, military, businesses, and organizations to protect their messages. Today, encryption is used to protect storage of data and transactions between computers.

 

Codes for Scouts and Cubs 

http://www.scouting.org.za/codes/

Ordered from beginner to more difficult, these codes can be used by Scouts and non-scouts of all ages.

 

A Cryptographic Compendium by John J. G. Savard 

http://home.ecn.ab.ca/~jsavard/crypto/entry.htm

This site contains a outline of the various types of cipher systems that have been used historically, and tries to relate them to each other while avoiding a lot of mathematics.

 

Decoding Nazi Secrets (NOVA Online) 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/decoding/

At this site, you learn how the Nazi party coded their messages for privacy. You can even send a disguised message or try to break someone else's code!

 

The Secret Language by Ron Hipschman 

http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/secret/secret.html

Here is a great explanation of substitution and transposition ciphers.

 

Websites By Kids For Kids

National Security Agency's Kid's Page

http://www.nsa.gov/programs/kids/index.html

Have fun solving challenging problems.

 

Science Year's Page on Spies, Codes and Ciphers

http://www.scienceyear.com/outthere/index.html?page=/outthere/spy/index.html

Learn how to send secret messages.Also, a site on code making and breaking.

 

Tales of the Encrypted (1999 ThinkQuest Project) 

http://library.thinkquest.org/28005/flashed/index2.shtml

This website explains the importance, uses, and historical context of cryptography.

 

Data Encryption (1999 ThinkQuest Project) 

http://library.thinkquest.org/27158/

This website covers various aspects of data encryption across both local networks and the Internet. 

 

Secret Code Breaker

http://codebreaker.dids.com/

Information on cracking secret codes and ciphers.

 

Several More Websites

Cryptography

http://www.ridex.co.uk/cryptology/

This is a student page with many links introducing the history and basic theories of cryptography

and cryptanalysis.

 

Cryptography 

http://lor.cc.trincoll.edu/academics/departments/cpsc/cryptography/index.html

This site covers several different types of encryption currently in use including Caesar and other substitution ciphers, Vigenere, Gronsfeld, Enigma, Public Key encryption (RSA), and Pretty Good Protection (PGP).

 

Introduction to Cryptography 

http://www.ssh.fi/tech/crypto/intro.html

This page provides an introduction into various cryptographic techniques.

 

Morse Code and the Phonetic Alphabets 

http://www.soton.ac.uk/~scp93ch/refer/alphabet.html

Here you find a complete Morse Code directory including punctuation.

Related Websites:

2) Morse Code Translator (Boy Scouts of America) http://www.bsa.scouting.org/fun/morse/index.html

This tool converts written text to Morse Code and also can convert Morse Code to written text.

3) Morse Code and Phonetic Alphabets http://www.soton.ac.uk/~scp93ch/morse/ 

4) Morse Code Letters http://www.happychild.org.uk/ifs/00003mrs.htm

5) WWW Morse Code Generator http://www.proximity.com.au/~tom/morsecodes.html

6) The First Digital code.........International Morse Code http://pages.prodigy.com/MNPM98A/cw.htm

 

National Cryptologic Museum 

http://www.nsa.gov/museum/tour.html

Here visitors can glimpse some of the people who devoted their lives to cryptology and national defense, the machines they built, the techniques they used, and the places where they worked.

 

Secret Code Breaker 

http://codebreaker.dids.com

This website has short articles on codes throughout history, Java-based cipher programs to try, and an online version of the Secret Code Breaker program.

 

Websites for Teachers

Decoding Nazi Secrets (Teacher's Guide at NOVA Online) 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/programs/2615_decoding.html

This guide accompanies the program of the same name (Above).

Send a coded message http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/decoding/send.html

A Simple Cipher http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/decoding/break.html

More Resources http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/decoding/

 

How to Make Invisible Ink (Grade 4-6) 

http://www.iit.edu/~smile/ch9602.html

Students learn how to make two types of invisible ink and write a message with each type of ink. They are asked to compare and contrast each type of ink.

 

Enigma	cipher	encryption	message	secret code	codebreaker
Morse code	Alan Turing	Braille	Samuel Morse	Caesar cipher	cryptography
cryptologist	scramble	encoding	decoding	pig latin	algorithm
UPC bar code	secret	invisible ink	cryptoanalysis	Vigenere cipher	semaphore
encipher	decipher	plaintext	ciphertext	key	code book
substitution cipher	police code	privacy	web transaction	Bletchley Park	transposition cipher