Lesson Title: The Enigma Machine

Lesson #: 3
Subject: History of Mathematics 11/20th Century World History 12
Grade: 11
Rationale: Teach students the history of the enigma machine and how to crack the enigma code.
Students are able to use problem solving and decoding skills in this lesson.
Curriculum Connections: Social Studies. Mathematics
Curriculum Competencies: Curriculum Document
Big Idea: Historical mathematicians nurtured a sense of play and curiosity that led to the
development of many areas in mathematics.
Reasoning and analyzing
o Explore, make connections, predict, analyze, generalize, and make conclusions
o Use historically appropriate tools and technology to explore problems from the past
Understanding and solving
o Explore multiple strategies used to solve problems throughout history
o Develop, construct, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and
problem solving
o Engage in problem-solving experiences that are connected to place, story, and cultural
practices relevant to the historical context
Communicating and representing
o Communicate in a variety of ways, including written and oral language from a variety of
cultures
o Understanding historical mathematical understanding through concrete, pictorial, and
symbolic representations of the past
Content:
Cryptography: use of cyphers, encryption, and decryption throughout history; modern uses of
cryptography in war; digital applications
Number and Number Systems: including written and oral numbers, zero, rational numbers, pi,
irrational numbers, prime numbers

Learning Intentions Activity Assessment

Problem Solving Solving the Enigma Code via Worksheet and working as a
Simulator group

How the Enigma Machine Worksheet Worksheet completeness

Worked?

Prerequisite Concepts and Skill:

Critical Thinking
Problem Solving
Computer Literacy and the use of Google Suite

Materials and Resources with References/Sources:

 For Teacher For Students

Imitation Game Clip: Decoding the Message

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C25CwNlVjA

Google Doc Worksheet Chromebooks/Laptops/Google Docs

Enigma Machine Simulator Enigma Machine Simulator

http://enigmaco.de/enigma/enigma.html http://enigmaco.de/enigma/enigma.html

Lesson Powerpoint
Projector

Differentiated Instruction (DI) (Accommodations):

Harder: Ability to change the Router Settings on the Enigma Simulator and create own Code
Harder: Make longer more complicated messages with the same router settings as the whole
class
Easier: Simpler Message
Pair and Share allows students that may be struggling to get help from a partner

Possible Aboriginal Connections/First Peoples Principles of Learning:

Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
Learning involves patience and time.

Lesson Activities:
Teacher Activities Student Activities Pacing

In the year 1939, a man named Alan Turing, built a machine Listening 5 Min
(The Bombe) that was capable of solving a cipher that has
158 million million possibilities!

Today we're going to learn about the Enigma machine and

the people who broke the code! Were also going to learn
how to use the machine and crack some of our own codes.

Video: Imitation Game Clip Decoding the Message

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C25CwNlVjA
Watching the Clip

5 Min
 Online Enigma simulator shows how complex the code Listen and watch the Enigma
seems, also shows the simplicity of the wiring inside. Simulator on the Projector
http://enigmaco.de/enigma/enigma.html

Start rotors at the same

Begin by working together as a class and showing how it place, so everyone is on the
works (HI = _ _) Remind students the astronomical number of same settings all the time
possibilities and show how you can continue pressing the
same letter with no pattern repetition at all. Pair and Share - They have to
Router Settings:1,2,3 solve the codes on the
Letter Settings: A, B, C worksheet.
Message Answer: Helloclass

Students will engage with the simulator playing around and

making codes. The entire class will start on the same settings Google Doc Worksheet
and write a message to be decoded. w/Codes to break
Scaffolding/ Can I Do It?
Then students will work on decoding messages. As a class, exercises that start simple
with a known starting point, students will try to decode each and gradually have less given
other's messages. information and force
students to do more critical
Differentiated Learning: thinking on their own
If this is too complex- use the pocket enigma (only one rotor,
easier to use).
Use worksheet, Easy to Hard and students may choose which Make clues to router settings
codes they want to break. and a message on separate
sheet, this will be given to
another group for them to
decypher.

Possible relation to past WW2 lessons, discuss the historical Paper ticket out the door:
importance of Alan Turings creation (modern computing) Groups Deciphered Message
and the cracking of the enigma code. Discuss how cyphers from another group.
continue to be used, give examples.

Lesson Notes:

Answer Key for worksheet:

1. Hello
2. Howareyou
 3. Wowthisisneat
4. Whereareyoufrom
5. Alanturingcreatedthemachine
6. MathMathMathMathMath
7. Wesatinstarbucksandcreatedthisworksheet
8. Myfavouritefoodissteak
9. Lizisawesome
10. Welovehistoricalconnections

Teacher Notes:

Unwittingly, the Germans themselves helped the British to decipher the Enigma. For example:
Messages often began with the same opening text - many began with the word Spruchnummer
(Message Number), and many Air Force messages began with the phrase An die Gruppe (To the
Group).
Messages often enciphered routine information such as weather reports and phrases such as
Keinebesondere Ereignisse (Nothing to report).
Messages often ended with Heil Hitler!
The Germans often transmitted the same message more than once, with each version
enciphered differently

https://plus.maths.org/content/exploring-enigma

https://maths.org/enigma

https://plus.maths.org/content/exploring-enigma

http://enigmaco.de/enigma/enigma.html

http://www.teachinghistory100.org/objects/for_the_classroom/enigma_cipher_machine

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/topics/enigma#p00chn46

https://bletchleypark.org.uk/learn/for-teachers/secondary-schools