Crytography

Activity 1 – Learn the basics of cryptography.

watch this clip get get a great introduction to the topic!

Activity 2 – encode a message with a Caesar cypher.

  • Use the sheet provided by your teacher to construct a cipher wheel https://bletchleypark.org.uk/cms/2020/04/caesar-wheel-2.pdf
  • Encode a message for someone else to decipher.
  • Decipher a message from someone else using the key (the number of shift places)
  • If you intercepted a message you would not have the “key”. How could you decode it? (hint, how many different variations of the Caesar cipher are there?) Try with a message which you don’t have the key to.
  • Thinking – how could you make this type of cipher harder to crack? Try making a cipher wheel with an improved code – remember, you can use any symbols which you like.

Activity 3 – can you decode this caesar cipher?

P tla h ayhclssly myvt hu huapxbl shuk,
Dov zhpk—“Adv chza huk ayburslzz slnz vm zavul
Zahuk pu aol klzlya. . . . Ulhy aolt, vu aol zhuk,
Ohsm zbur h zohaalylk cpzhnl splz, dovzl myvdu,
Huk dypurslk spw, huk zully vm jvsk jvtthuk,
Alss aoha paz zjbswavy dlss aovzl whzzpvuz ylhk
Dopjo fla zbycpcl, zahtwlk vu aolzl spmlslzz aopunz,
Aol ohuk aoha tvjrlk aolt, huk aol olhya aoha mlk;
Huk vu aol wlklzahs, aolzl dvykz hwwlhy:
Tf uhtl pz Vgfthukphz, Rpun vm Rpunz;
Svvr vu tf Dvyrz, fl Tpnoaf, huk klzwhpy!
Uvaopun ilzpkl ylthpuz. Yvbuk aol kljhf
Vm aoha jvsvzzhs Dyljr, ivbukslzz huk ihyl
Aol svul huk slcls zhukz zaylajo mhy hdhf.”

Activity 4 – learn how a vigenere cipher works.

You can do your own research, but this video is a good start.

Activity 5 – complete the activities using the vigenere cipher.

your teacher will print some activities which will help you to build skill with the cipher.

Activity 6 – Encode a message with the vigenere cypher.

A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill will hold more than his belican,
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week
But I’m damned if I see how the helican!

Activity 7 – free research on codes

There are many great resources online for cryptography. See where the trail takes you!

Activity 8- solve cryptograms.