EdTech 541 week 12: Integrating Technology Into the Content Areas part 2

For my second area I decided I would really branch out and work with Social Studies.  I ended up having a really great time with this activity!  I must have got lucky with timing, because before doing this project, my wife and I recently watched The Imitation Game (preview below).

The movie is about Alan Turing and his achievements in breaking the German code machine called Enigma.  Alan turing is also one of the first pioneers to study Computer Science.  He created the definitions (as applied to modern Computer Science) for "algorithm" and "computation."

Since middle school students study the second World War, I thought studying the birth of computer science would be a perfect exploration.  In the activity, students learn about cryptography and the most basic form of encryption, the Caesar Cipher.  Students also learn about Alan Turing by reading Primary Source Documents.  Instead of just writing a narrative, students encrypt their essay before turning it in!  

For the Google Maps part of the assignment, I encrypted times and locations for attacks that happened during the war.  Students use Google Maps to pinpoint the locations and note the times in the details.  

Overall, I had a great time making this assignment.  I actually want to share it with some Social Studies teachers in the district!