Codes and Secret Messages

Lesson at a glance

Suitable for: Key stage 2

Time period: Early 20th Century 1901-1918, Second World War 1939-1945

Curriculum topics: The First World War, The Second World War

Suggested inquiry questions: What do the documents reveal about codes and secret messages?

Potential activities: Follow the video activities. Create your own codes and messages.

What do the documents reveal about codes and secret messages?

Codes have been used throughout history to keep messages secret and private. So what does today’s mystery document reveal about codes and information in the past?


Tasks

Part One

When we look at today’s mystery document we are going to play a little game!

I’m going to show you a document for just 10 seconds and I want you to see how many things you can notice! I’m only showing you part of the document at this stage…You can write or draw your ideas or share them with your helper. This can be things you can see in the document but it can also be ideas about the type of document you think it is and how old it is.

Then let’s look at the mystery document again, including the section that I didn’t show you first time around. Is there anything else we can spot and can we answer the question about the type of document this is?

What has this picture source to do with today’s theme of coding and secret messages? Chat to your helper about what these new observations might mean.

Part Two

The big reveal! Let’s see what this document is all about….

Additional documents to investigate:

  • SP 53/2 f1
  • KV 2/27

Further activities

Have a go at creating your own codes! You could create your own cypher wheel – there are lots of good examples online. You could even try using Mary Queen of Scots’ cypher to write your own private messages!

Also check out our Time Travel pack at: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/time-travel-club-activities There is a secret code to crack here too!

Create your own Lego brick secret code. Work out which Lego pieces you’d like to use to represent each letter of the alphabet and then have a go at sending Lego secret messages to your family and friends!



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Lesson at a glance

Suitable for: Key stage 2

Time period: Early 20th Century 1901-1918, Second World War 1939-1945

Curriculum topics: The First World War, The Second World War

Suggested inquiry questions: What do the documents reveal about codes and secret messages?

Potential activities: Follow the video activities. Create your own codes and messages.

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