Coding

 

The Coleman Scouts relied on codes to keep messages secret while they were being carried. To read the code, the person receiving the message would have to have a key that let them know how the code was supposed to be read. In this activity, you will use the code key to solve the message below.

 

Directions:  Each letter in the coded message stands for another letter in the actual message. Match each letter in the code with its match in the key. And you will be able to read an important message that Sam might have carried.

 

Code Key:

 

Code Letter  Actual Letter

  1.  

G
  1.  

M
  1.  

L
  1.  

K
  1.  

J
  1.  

I
  1.  

H
  1.  

A
  1.  

B
  1.  

C
  1.  

D
  1.  

E
  1.  

F
  1.  

Z
  1.  

Y
  1.  

X
  1.  

W
  1.  

V
  1.  

U
  1.  

R
  1.  

S
  1.  

N
  1.  

O
  1.  

P
  1.  

Q
  1.  

T

 

 

Example:  Coded message – LGR  is code for CAT

 

 

Now solve the following message:

 

QGZDJJU YZ RAJ FYNJ. XEJGUJ MJ LGVJISE. RAJQ GVJ HYBZH RY LAGRRGZYYHG.

 

Questions to think about:

 

Can you think of any other messages that you could make using this code?

 

 

Would it be easy or hard to figure out how this code worked?

 

Can you think of a code of your own to use for secret messages?  What system would you use? What type of messages would you send using this code? Who would you let know the secret of your code?

 

 

 

Practice writing code with a friend in class.