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Code Talkers

Subjects

  • Arts & Humanities
    --Language Arts
  • Social Studies

Grade

  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12

 



Brief Description

Students learn about the Navajo code talkers and use a Navajo code talkers' dictionary to create and decode secret messages.

Objectives

Students will

  • learn about the Navajo code talkers and their contributions to World War II. Students use a Navajo code talkers' dictionary to create and decode messages.

Keywords

Native American, Navajo, Navajo code talkers, World War II, dictionary, decode, messages

Materials Needed

 

Lesson Plan

  • Read to students background information about the Navajo code talkers from library sources or from The Navajo Code Talkers. Discuss the code talkers' contributions.
  • Divide the class into small groups. Distribute printouts from one of the dictionaries. (Note: There is a slight difference between the two dictionaries. Choose the same one to distribute to each group.)
  • Give students an example of how the code might work. (For example, boy in Navajo code might be "shush ne-ahs-jah tsah-as-zih." Shush is the Navajo word for "bear"; ne-ahs-jah is the Navajo word for "owl"; and tsah-as-zih is the Navajo word for "yucca." If you take the first letter of each translated word, those letters spell boy.)
  • Tell students to work together to create messages using the dictionary. Then tell groups to exchange papers to decode one another's messages. Encourage creativity!

Assessment

Observe students' participation and ability to work in cooperative groups.

Lesson Plan Source

Education World

Submitted By

Lois Lewis

National Standards

Language Arts:
NL-ENG.K-12.1
NL-ENG.K-12.2
NL-ENG.K-12.3
NL-ENG.K-12.4
NL-ENG.K-12.5
NL-ENG.K-12.9

Social Sciences:
NSS-USH.K-4.3
NSS-USH.5-12.8

 


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