The Badge Archive

A1Z26 Cipher

Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Brownie Cybersecurity Investigator badge requirements.

Info Needed for badge requirements: Information on computers is sent by using codes. It uses numbers to stand for different letters because numbers are easier to send than letters. It’s called Binary language and is a bit difficult to learn. Let’s try solving a simpler code.

Items Needed

  • VTK Code Sheet by GSUSA (one for each scout) (This is traditionally called the A1Z26 Cipher – a simple substitution of numbers for the alphabet.)
  • Index cards (one for each scout)
  • Paper
  • Markers
  • Whiteboard or poster board with these codes written:
    • “Hello” [8-5-12-12-15]
    • “Scouts rule” [19-3-15-21-20-19-18-21-12-5]

Instructions

  1. Explain that scouts will be solving a secret message using a code. Codes use symbols, letters, or numbers to replace words and are often used to send private messages.
  2. Show the code for “Hello” [8-5-12-12-15] on the poster board. Challenge Scouts to write the word on an index card when they figure it out. Scouts use their Code Sheet to figure out what the numbers spell.
  3. On the back of their index cards, scouts write their favorite food in number code using the Code Sheet.
  4. They pass their card to the scout next to them, who deciphers the code to guess the favorite food.
  5. Show the harder code for “Scouts rule” [19-3-15-21-20-19-18-21-12-5]. Scouts decode the message as a team or individually.
  6. Scouts can take their Code Sheet home and create secret messages for family or friends.

Optional Extended Challenge

  • Add codes for symbols like:
    • Period (.) = 27
    • Exclamation mark (!) = 28
    • Question mark (?) = 29
  • Scouts use these new symbols to create or solve more challenging messages such as: “Who am I?” or “Code is fun!”
Tia Kennard