Signals, Symbols and Secret Codes

From ancient carvings to binary code, people have long searched for clever ways to send messages in secret. In this interactive, hands-on course, students will become junior cryptographers, learning about real code systems from around the world and throughout history, then using them to crack challenges and invent their own.

Each week, students explore a different code through a real-world example, a decoding challenge, and a hands-on creative project. From Morse code relays to Pigpen ciphers, emoji puzzles, and binary bracelets, students will use logic and pattern recognition while building teamwork and communication skills. The teaching approach balances structure and play,

drawing on stories, physical activities, and tactile learning to make abstract concepts concrete and engaging. By the end of the course, student teams will create their own original codes and put them to the test in a class-wide Code Challenge.