Students will explore cryptographic techniques, including the Caesar and Vigenère ciphers, to understand encryption and decryption methods. Through hands-on activities, students will analyze letter frequency, perform brute-force decryption, and implement their own cipher algorithms in JavaScript. The lesson will also integrate an ethical discussion on cryptography and data privacy.
Students will be able to:
- Explain the principles of encryption and decryption.
- Apply Caesar and Vigenère ciphers to encrypt and decrypt messages.
- Analyze letter frequency and its role in breaking ciphers.
- Develop a Vigenère cipher algorithm using pseudocode and JavaScript.
- Discuss ethical considerations related to cryptography and data security.
