Women code-breakers changed the course of WWII by cracking Japanese codes that revealed the movements of people and supplies in the Pacific Islands. In this lesson, students will learn how specific information discovered led to a turning point when cryptographers were able to pinpoint the plans of the Pearl Harbor Attack’s “architect”, Admiral Yamomoto.Students will examine videos and articles to find out more about this episode in history. In pairs or small groups, they’ll look at the US Post Office’s newly revealed stamp commemorating it. They’ll identify what they think are the pros and cons of the stamp and then design their own. 

During WWII the Marines enlisted Navajo code talkers to send messages. The Navajo language is not written down and is very difficult for non-native speakers to speak and understand. The Marines started with 29 Navajo men for this project. Their code became unbreakable and fast. They could decode 3 lines of English in 20 seconds versus the normal 30 minutes.In this lesson students will hear audio of spoken Navajo language. They will make predictions on what language they think is being spoken. After learning the language they will research the Navajo code breakers. Students will then use the Navajo dictionary to practice creating and deciphering messages. Students will then be able to make connections to cybersecurity. 

The student or small groups will compare and contrast the major events of World War I and II, as a review activity. The student(s) will sort the responses to show the similarities and differences between the 2 World Wars and their outcomes. This Learning Experience can be implemented individually, in a small group, or “draw a random student in class” type of learning experience.