Encryption Decryption | Leadership Heights

LEADERSHIP TRAILS

Encryption Decryption

Academics

Ah, the worst part of your day, sending emails. You type up emails to the dean, your lab assistants, the mad scientist in the neighboring laboratory who keeps making weird smells, and NASA. However, as you hit send you notice something weird. Your email is taking a really long time to send!

You call in one of those lab assistants, figuring that the younger scientist might be able to help. “Oh yeah, the IT department created a new encryption scheme and we’ve got to determine your code word! Hang on, I’ll grab the others.”

Goal

Communicate the secret code word as accurately as possible.

Goal

Communicate the secret code word as accurately as possible.

Purpose

Practice skills of communication and observation

Materials

None

Setup

Gather scouts in a line or a circle. You may play this with the whole group or with smaller teams of at least 5.

Purpose

Practice skills of communication and observation

Materials

None

Setup

Gather scouts in a line or a circle. You may play this with the whole group or with smaller teams of at least 5.

Running the game

This game is half telephone and half charades. Your goal is to communicate with your team to take a codeword from the beginning of the line to the end.

The first person in the line chooses a word. They turn to the person behind them in line and act out the word silently, taking no more than 30 seconds to do so.
The second person in line must take their best guess as to what the word is and turn to the third person, acting out the word silently, taking no more than 30 seconds to do so.
The code word makes its way down the line in this manner until it reaches the last player, who must guess what the word is.
Continue the game by shifting positions in line, playing for about 8 minutes.

Debrief

The following debrief questions are meant to give you an opportunity to discuss with your patrol mates and reflect on the game. You can have one leader ask the discussion questions or you could take turns asking the questions, making sure everyone’s voice is heard.

While most communication is more straightforward, non-verbal communication serves a very important role. Reflect on your communication strategies and challenges using the following questions.

What was the largest challenge you faced in this game? What were some strategies you could use to overcome it?
If you could have spoken up to 2 words while you acted, do you think the game would have been significantly easier or about the same? Why or why not?
Are there times when communication gets difficult, even when we are allowed to speak? How do we confront these situations?
Non-verbal communication serves an important function. What types of non-verbal communication do you experience every day?