Lesson Plan: The Code That Couldn’t Be Broken

A step-by-step guide to teaching this article in your classroom

KEY STANDARDS

RH.6-8.1, RH.6-8.7, RI.6-8.1, RI.6-8.7, W.6-8.4

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

• Include this article in a study of Native Americans in U.S. history.

• Use this article as part of an exploration of America’s role in World War II.

Before Reading

1. WATCH A VIDEO
(10 MINUTES)

Ask students what they know about the Navajo. Then show the code talker video to the class. Ask students if anything in it surprised them.

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Read & Analyze

2. INDEPENDENT READING
(20 MINUTES)

Have students read the article on their own, writing down any comments or questions.


3. CLOSE-READING QUESTIONS
(10 MINUTES)

Have students write their answers to each question, or use these prompts to guide a discussion.

  • ANALYZING DETAILS: What role did the Navajo code talkers play in World War II?
    (The Navajos created a code that the Japanese couldn’t decipher, playing a crucial role in the U.S. victory in the Pacific.)

  • DRAWING CONCLUSIONS: The code talkers’ achievement in World War II wasn’t honored for many years. Why might that have been?
    (Answers will vary but may include that their mission was secret and wasn’t declassified until 1968. Also, the Navajo and other Indian tribes lived apart from most other Americans, so their contributions could be easily ignored.)

Extend & Assess

4. DESIGN A TRIBUTE
Ask students to consider various ways in which the code talkers could be honored. Some ideas include medals, monuments, songs, or poems. Instruct students to design or write a tribute to the Navajo code talkers.

DIFFERENTIATING

Lower Level Read the article as a class, pausing after each section to identify main ideas and supporting details.

Higher Level Have students research the treatment of the Navajo by the U.S. government, including the Long Walk of 1864, then share their findings with the class.

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