Introduction to Spy Science

Developed by	David McAdams
Last update	4 June 2007
Grade Level	4-6
Subject	Various
Digital version	HTML http://www.lifeisastoryproblem.org/lesson/lpspyscience.html PDF http://www.lifeisastoryproblem.org/lesson/lpspyscience.pdf
Copyright	Copyright work © 2007, David McAdams, Orem Utah. This document may be copied for non-commercial educational use only. All other rights reserved.
Contact	Contact the author at DEMcAdams@usa.net.

Goal(s)/Standards
TBD
Specific Objectives
At the end of the lesson the student will have/be able to:
- Personalized the student's Spy Manual by drawing a cover page and completing the information sheet
- State several activities involved in spying.
- Identify the activities which interest the student the most.
Materials/Preparation
- Each student will need a 1" binder, and a pencil or pen.
- Each student will need access to crayons or markers.
- Each student will need the spy manual information sheet.
- The teacher will need several samples of secret writing and encrypted writing.
Prerequisite Vocabulary
- spy
- code
- invisible
Prerequisite Methodology
None
Instructional Procedure
1. Engage
  1. Ask the students what they know about spying. Write their responses on a white board or chalkboard. While they are responding, add to their vocabulary by introducing preferred words such as 'encryption'. Most of the student's knowledge will come from movies, which give a warped view of the activities of spies. Start differentiating between Hollywood's view of spying and the actual business.
  2. Discuss some of the activities that will be covered in the unit.
2. State the problem and objective
  1. State that the students will learn how spies actually operate.
  2. State that students will build spy devices.
  3. State that students will write their own spy manual.
3. Start the spy manual
  1. Pass out a 1" binder to each student along with paper to make a cover page. Note that card stock is easier to insert into a binder than standard paper. Tell the students that they will be starting their spy manual.
  2. State that the manuals will stay at the school (or other activity place) until the end of the course.
  3. Instruct the students to draw a cover page for their spy manual.
  4. Help the students insert the cover page into the front of the binder.
4. Complete the introduction page.
  1. Pass the introduction page out to the students. Discuss the various sections, then have the student complete the section.
Differentiation for Diverse Student Needs
- Blind students will need assistance in completing the worksheets, or compute access.
Assessments
- An informal assessment will be performed by listening to student responses during discussions.
- An formal assessment will be performed by reading the students information pages.
Other Resources
- Wiese, Jim, Spy Science - 40 secret-Sleuthing, Code-Cracking, Spy-Catching Activities for Kids, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1996, ISBN 0-613-27049-5.
- International Spy Museum, Handbook of Practical Spying, National Geographic, 2004, ISBN-10: 0792267958, ISBN-13: 978-0792267959.
Materials Masters
Download Introduction sheet for the student's spy manual.
Download this lesson plan in PDF format.