This term in ICT, We are Codebreakers.

Thinking about ways to pass messages, we first looked at Semaphore which uses a pair of flags in different positions to represent each letter in a word.

After making our own flags, we tried passing messages to each other in semaphore but found it wasn't a perfect method: each word took quite a while to pass on; it was easy to make mistakes; and it only worked as long as you could see the other person.

In our next lesson, we learned about another way of sending messages -

Morse Code.

After making circuits in our pairs, we sent messages to each other in

morse code using the flashing of the bulbs.

Next, our task was to decypher a coded message on the board and finally we had a go at sending messages using a real morse code machine.

Our third lesson involved some proper code-breaking with us

learning about the Caesar Cypher.

We had a go at decyphering three different messages of varying

length and difficulty.

Finally, it was time to get on the computers!

In ICT, we will be making our own game using Scratch but, before that happens, we need to learn how to make code using the program.

By the end of the first lesson we had all made a simple little game where the Cat (or sprite) chased the mouse around the screen until it is caught.

In ICT, we have started using a new piece of software on the ipads called

Purple Mash.

Using Purple Mash, there are loads of things we can cover. This term we have been looking at how to use and make databases. After familiarising ourselves with how to navigate the alien database, we had to use the information contained within it to answer a series of questions about the aliens.