Posts Tagged homeschooling

STEM Tuesday– Cryptography (Math)/Spy Science– In the Classroom

By STEM Tuesday on December 10, 2024 / Cryptography/Spy Science, STEM Tuesday

In my former career, I worked with communications and communication security (which included cryptography). It is a topic that will always be near and dear to my heart. This month, I read the following books:

How to Be an International Spy by Andy Briggs

This book covers lots of different topics associated with being a spy. The science around it all ranges from psychology to quantum physics. It includes lots of practice activities to help you fully engage in the topic.

Top Secret Science: Projects You’re Not Supposed to Know About by Jennifer Swanson

If you’re looking more for the history of secret projects, this is the book for you. It looks at a variety of programs that were run in secret.

Can You Crack the Code? by Ella Schwartz and Lily Williams

If your goal is to learn how to create and crack secret codes, you might want to check out this book. It does a great job of covering the major cryptography methods. There are lots of secret codes to practice with, too.

Rather than making up activities to go along with these books, I want to share some of the fabulous resources that are already out there that would pair well with this month’s theme.

Check out “The Farm”

The CIA may be a secretive organization, but they’ve got an online presence. There are stories, games, activities, and other things for young readers to explore on their CIA Spy Kids site: https://www.cia.gov/spy-kids/games

They’ve also developed lesson plans for teachers: https://www.cia.gov/spy-kids/parents-teachers

Delve into Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity ensures that electronic devices are protected from criminal or unauthorized use. There are lots of career opportunities in cybersecurity, so it’s a great topic to learn more about.

The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Center for Infrastructure Assurance & Security (a.k.a. UTSA CIAS) has lots of resources for teachers and students on their website. Their activities cover grades K through 12. Here’s their main page: https://cias.utsa.edu/k-12

Their Cyber Games are found here: https://cias.utsa.edu/k-12/cybersecurity-games

Microsoft and Minecraft teamed together to provide resources for teaching cybersecurity, too. Check that out here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/blog/2023/10/elevate-cybersecurity-expertise-with-microsoft-and-minecraft-education

Learn About Public Key Encryption

Public Key Encryption is used to secure many different types of transactions on the internet, from email to online store payments. This video from PBS NOVA labs does a great job of explaining at a high level how public key encryption works: https://youtu.be/5xI4IJbHDiM?si=mM6cZJdTDUjeqVOs

NOVA Labs also has a cybersecurity game online: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/lab/cyber – there is an educator guide to go along with it.

Cryptography in History

Pretty much all the books this month talk about the long history of secret-keeping (and cryptography to help with that). Here are some web sites that explore cryptography in history.

“The Secret Code of Lewis and Clark” activity: https://lewisandclarktrail.com/legacy/secretcode.htm

“Cryptology in the American Revolution” videos from NSA’s National Cryptologic Museum:
https://youtu.be/0smfiPWSHCQ?si=0ATj8hRevfpze0vo
https://youtu.be/WXEX7xFIz9E?si=AWh8GF4B7yD1Uo35

The National Cryptologic Museum also has videos on Steganography, Ciphers, or Visual Signaling during the American Revolution. For these and other videos, check out this playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWvkfYC3snpVYffYpKwjsbxwDO9IaNli7&si=3mYvmWEirAtp035P

More Resources

There are lots of cryptography and spy-related museums and websites out there to explore. Here are a few more you might want to check out.

The Spy Museum in Washington, DC: https://www.spymuseum.org – if you can’t get there in person, they also have some resources and activities online. They even have a podcast and a YouTube channel.

In the New York City area, there is the Washington Spy Trail. This includes a series of historic sites on Long Island that are associated with George Washington’s circle of spies during the Revolutionary War. If you’re lucky, you can tour some sites in person. If not, you can learn about some of it online: https://washingtonspytrail.com

You can learn more about American Civil War spies online: https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/spies.htm – each spy is associated with at least one National Park.

Janet Slingerland has written more than 20 books for children. Her book History’s Forgotten War Stories – https://www.12storylibrary.com/non-fiction/hidden-history/forgotten-war-stories-history – includes secrets and spies. To find out more about Janet and her books, check out her website – http://janetsbooks.com

Writing Prompts: How to Make Yours Shine

By Ann Angel on December 4, 2024 / Articles, For Writers

Writing prompts, whether in a classroom or workshop setting, can be hit or miss–especially if the prompt is too general. If you ask students to choose an object in the classroom, for instance, half of them might focus on the ancient clock on the wall and how slowly the second hand moves from numeral to numeral. Or, if you ask students to write about a specific event in their lives, they might fall back on vague and/or generic descriptions that lack the tension required in strong writing. (The “What I Did on My Summer Vacation” and “I Remember…” prompts fall squarely into this category.)

Don’t get me wrong: Tried-and-true writing prompts are good in a pinch. But there are some excellent craft books available to help teachers, workshop leaders, parents and caregivers to infuse excitement and originality into their everyday prompts.

Help Is On the Way

One of my favorite writing-craft gurus is Ralph Fletcher, an educator who’s been helping other educators since the early 2000s. His first craft book, co-authored with JoAnn Portalupi, Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, is a great guide for teachers, students, and workshop leaders. In this book, Fletcher breaks up ideas into days and weeks to help with lesson plans. His most recent book (pictured above), A Writers Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You, helps writers to see their world and, perhaps most importantly, how to react to what they see.

Advice from Ralph Fletcher

1. Make sure each writer has a writer’s notebook.
2. Provide adequate writing time of at least five minutes and up to 15 or 20 minutes, if everyone’s fully engaged. Ideas don’t just fly across space to land in a writer’s brain (well, at least not all the time).
3. Share a piece of your own writing before everyone starts writing. And write with them.
4. It’s okay to let workshoppers draw rather than write as all forms of creative expression are encouraged.
5. Help your group to find ideas by asking questions and sharing prompts.

Some great first workshop examples include:
–What do you know a lot about?
–Do you play sports, or enjoy an activity such as dance or chess?
–Who’s a special relative you spend lots of time with?
–Do you collect stuff?

Fletcher, a big believer in tying writing prompts to reading, provides some great ideas for read-alouds connected to writing:

—The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant. Write about a time you had relatives come to your house. What were you celebrating?

— Marianthe’s Story: Painted Words Spoken Memories by Aliki. What is a color-filled memory you have?

— If You Find a Rock by Peggy Christianson. Write about a found object and the things you might do with it.

— My Map Book by Sara Fanelli. Create a map of an object or place. Explain in writing how the object works or what makes this place special.

When time is up, ask participants to share their work, even if they’re not finished, and encourage them to come back to these pieces later. You never know what a bit of time and distance can reveal.

And finally…

If all else fails, you could probably encourage writers to write about all the places chewing gum gets stuck. But I need to add one more thought on my favorite writing prompt from Ralph’s toolbox. Have students write or draw what makes a safe place. The result of this prompt is both surprising and revelatory… in equal measure.

STEM Tuesday– Spy Science and Cryptography– Book List

By STEM Tuesday on December 3, 2024 / Cryptography/Spy Science, STEM Tuesday

From ancient ciphers to modern-day digital encryption techniques, this month’s book list explores the science, technology, engineering, and math that make code-making (and code-breaking) possible.

The Enigma Girls written by Candace Fleming

It all began with a letter in an unmarked envelope received by ten teenage girls. It was World War II, and the British were desperate to break the German Enigma code. Instead of turning to cryptographers, these women were responsible for Bletchley Park, a well-kept secret operating under the code name Station X. Award winning author Candace Fleming spins an engaging narrative based on true facts.

Unbreakable: The Spies Who Cracked the Nazis’ Secret Code by Rebecca Barone

Rebecca Barone jumps across the European continent to trace the history of the Enigma machine, an encryption device invented by the Germans and thought to be unbreakable. Barone highlights the international collaboration among Polish, French, and British spies and codebreakers that made it possible to break the Enigma cipher and secure victory for the Allies during World War II. This well-researched nonfiction book reads like a spy novel, and readers will be riveted from the first page to the last.

Can You Crack the Code? written by Ella Schwartz and illustrated by Lily Williams

This book focuses on the history of ciphers and codes. It’s well laid out with great illustrations and would be a great fit for aspiring cryptographers and anyone who loves secret codes, ciphers, and puzzles. It includes historical stories and explanations on how letters, numbers, and symbols can translate into understandable text. The book also features sample codes to solve yourself and resources at the end.

Create Your Own Secret Language written by David J. Peterson and illustrated by Ryan Goldsberry

This how-to book will help children learn how to create their own secret language, codes, ciphers, and hidden messages. David J. Peterson is an expert language creator who invented languages for Game of Thrones, the Marvel Universe, and more. KIds can learn how to communicate in secret whether it’s written, drawn, or spoken. The illustrations are especially useful.

Code Cracking for Kids by Jean Daigneau

Another essential volume about codes and ciphers, this book provides a comprehensive history of “secret writing,” from hieroglyphics and invisible ink to ciphers, bar codes, and semaphores. Sprinkled throughout the text are instructions for 21 hands-on activities that give aspiring cryptologists a chance to try their hand at making and breaking their own codes.

CodeBreakers by DK Publishing

This book provides an overview of the greatest code makers and code-breakers in history through easy to read stories to engage young readers. Examples are deciphering the Rosetta Stone and cracking the Enigma code during World War II. The book includes a reference section with key facts, timelines, and a glossary of terms. It’s easy to navigate with eye popping illustrations.

Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers by Lee Francis IV, Roy Boney Jr., Arigon Starr, Jonathan Nelson, Renee Nejo, and Lee Francis III

Created by six Native American authors and illustrators, this fascinating graphic novel tells the history of Native American code talkers in the United States military. While the Navajo code talkers of World War II are the best known, this book sheds light on the many other tribes who served in Navy, Army, and Marines, beginning with the Cherokee and Choctaw during World War I. Because tribal languages were not based in Latin or written down, they became the basis for an unbreakable code that led to victories in both world wars. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in codes and cryptography!

Top Secret: Spies, Codes, Capers, Gadgets, and Classified Cases Revisited by Crispin Boyer

This book is essentially a kid-focused encyclopedia covering a slew of interesting and historical information in a fun and creative way, from Egyptian hieroglyphics to gaming nomenclature. Young readers will learn tricks of the spy trade, get the scoop behind sleuthing, and discover all kinds of skills, like how ninjas walked on water. The texts are easy to read and are paired with engaging pictures and illustrations.

How to Be an International Spy by Andy Briggs

Structured as a training manual for wannabe spies, this engaging book contains factoids about intelligence agencies around the world, demystifies the lingo used in espionage, and features profiles of real spies from history. There are extensive sections devoted to cryptography, digital espionage and cybersecurity, high-tech tools (including instructions for how to make your own), and even tips and tricks for conducting surveillance and going off the grid.

Top Secret Science: Projects You’re Not Supposed to Know About by Jennifer Swanson

Scientists have been on the front lines of secret projects throughout history, from encryption to weapons development to human experimentation. Part of the Scary Science series, the six short chapters in this easy-to-read book introduce readers to the Manhattan Project, Operation Vegetarian, Nazi experimentation, and more.

This month’s STEM Tuesday book list was prepared by:

Author Lydia Lukidis

Lydia Lukidis is an award-winning author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023), which is a Crystal Kite winner, Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Honor, and Cybils Award nominee. A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. Another passion of hers is fostering a love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools across Quebec with the Culture in the Schools program. For more information, please visit www.lydialukidis.com.

Callie Dean is a researcher, writer, and musician living in Shreveport, LA. She writes stories that spark curiosity and encourage kids to explore their world. Her first picture book will be published in 2026. For more information, please visit https://calliebdean.com.