Most students, at one time or another, become enamored with
spies and espionage. Spies live in the shadows, gather intelligence and use all
sorts of evasive actions to avoid detection. They inhabit a world fraught with
danger and mystery, and their exploits are often riveting. What’s not to like?
The use of espionage to gather intelligence has a lengthy
record in history. Sun Tzu stressed the importance of using political and
military techniques of “deception and subversion” in his seminal work The Art of War, written around 600 BC. Surveillance operations have also been
documented as far back as ancient Egypt, where early pharaohs used trusted
agents to spy on their subjects as well as political “frenemies” in Rome and
Greece. The ancient Romans honed espionage to a fine art, using it as an
effective method in helping to govern their immense empire that spanned three
continents. Indeed, Roman documents contemporary to the period indicate that
the Roman intelligence community knew in advance of the plan to assassinate
Julius Caesar in 44 BC. European governments in medieval times relied on spies
particularly in times of war, while Queen Elizabeth I and her cabinet
infamously employed a vast network of spies, some of whom were double or even
triple agents.
The first documented case of spying in the U.S. occurred in
1776, when Nathan Hale was executed by the British for spying on them during
the American Revolution. George Washington realized early on that espionage
would be vital to winning independence from the British, and relied on his
personal band of spies known as the Culper Ring to feed him information. More
recent spies such as Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Anna Chapman, and scores of
others continue to make headlines from time to time, but most spies remain in
the shadows for life. Today, nearly all countries use espionage to gather
intelligence on friends and foes alike, employing both traditional spies as
well as digital methods. According to recent news reports, the U.S. is the target
of “hundreds of thousands” or cyber-attacks daily, many of which originate in
Beijing. Security experts believe the attacks are meant to infiltrate
government, manufacturing, and military systems, and concede that a fair
percentage of the attacks have been successful. This type of espionage could be
a great topic of discussion in social studies classes, as well as in lessons
devoted to economics, health and safety, technology, current events, and
others.
My picks this week focus on spy-themed lessons that work
across the curriculum for a variety of ages. As always, we’ll also be featuring
several new lessons and resources on this topic each day throughout the week on
our
Facebook and
Twitter pages,
so be sure to check those pages regularly.
Boston Spies’ Report
on the Redcoats
Subjects: US history, Writing
Grade: 3-5
In this lesson, students collect information about British
actions in Boston, and send it by secret coded message to leaders in
Philadelphia. This is a fun lesson that incorporates research with primary
source documents, hands-on activities, and critical thinking skills. This
lesson offered by Beacon Learning Center, which offers standards-based
resources and professional development activities.
An American Spy with
Money to Spend
Subjects: Geography, Math (measurement)
Grade: 6-8
In this lesson, students pretend to be international spies
on a mission. The lesson teaches across the curriculum, with the spies
"visiting" different countries, and exchanging currency. This lesson
is a product of Beacon Learning Center, an online educational resource and
professional development center that offers a variety of in many subject areas,
and are aligned to Florida's Sunshine State Standards.
Subjects: US history, World history
Grade: 8-12
In this interactive online game, you are a Soviet agent in
late December 1945. Relations between your country and America have been
rapidly deteriorating. Your government is worried that the United States will
turn its power against Soviet interests in the world. Your government has asked you to find out
what you can about American foreign and defense policies and about American
intelligence capabilities. You have 45 minutes to examine sensitive files from
President Truman's safe and select five you think will be most useful to your
country's leader, Premier Josef Stalin. Write down your reasons for selecting
the documents you choose. If you do well, you may be allowed to live. This
online game is a product of the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, a
nonprofit organization that houses thousands of documents by President Truman
and his administration, and offers many educational resources for teachers and
researchers.
~Joann's Picks - September 22, 2011~
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