Make a "Cryptography Kit"
Click on the picture or resource name below to learn more about code and cipher tools
Invent with Python
This site is very long and loaded with text, but it provides great information about ciphers. If you scroll down the page at this site, you will see directions and forms to create a St. Cyr Slide and a Cipher Wheel. There are also explanations of these tools and practice problems using them. |
Bletchley Park
This site is a file that contains a lot of information about ciphers. On pages 6-8 of this document, there are forms you can print to create St. Cyr Slides, Cipher Wheels, and a Vigenere Tableau (they call it a Polyalphabetic Cipher Table). This site also contains practice exercises for the different ciphers that use those tools. |
Top Spy Secrets This site contains directions and forms you can use to create Cipher Wheels. There are also directions explaining how to use the Cipher Wheels. |
Top Spy Secrets
This site contains directions you can use to use lemon juice to make invisible ink. Make sure you have your parents' permission to do this. To develop the ink, heat is required. |
How Stuff Works This site provides an example of a Polybius Square that you can create to add to your Cryptography Kit. There are also directions explaining how to use the Polybius Square to encipher a message. |
Scholastic Printables
This link provides access to a printable version of the Morse Code alphabet. This is a handy tool to have in any Cryptography Kit! |
Canadian War Museum
This link provides directions for making semaphore flags and shows the semaphore alphabet. This cipher system uses the location of flags people are holding to spell words so that they can be seen from a distance away. |
Math-Aids
Follow this link to find graph paper you can print out to use for a variety of ciphers including the Route Cipher, the Polyibus or Greek Square, or the Cardano Grille. |
Create a Scytale
This link goes to our activities page that offers resources and directions about making a scytale. |
Create a Jefferson Wheel Cipher
This link goes to our activities page that offers resources and directions about making a Jefferson Wheel Cipher. |
Top Secret Picture: Some rights reserved by Malakhi Helel Creative Commons license BY-ND 2.0