Unit 3: Understanding How Cryptography Protects Digital Information

Navigation Links: ETAP 623 Fall 2026 Design Project Agenda | Taisha Dormil's Portfolio Page | Cybersecurity Awareness in the Classroom

Previous Unit: Unit 2: Making Safe and Responsible Digital Decisions

Next Unit: Unit 4: Designing a Standards-Aligned Cybersecurity Lesson

Unit Overview

Cryptography plays an important role in protecting digital information. Individuals use digital services that rely on encryption to help protect communications, accounts, and sensitive information. However, students may not understand how information can be transformed into an encoded form or why encryption is important. In this unit, participants will explore cryptography, encryption, and decryption. They will distinguish between plaintext and ciphertext and apply a basic cryptographic method to encode and decode messages.

Participants will also begin a fictional cybersecurity investigation involving Riverside Middle School. They will examine how student information was exposed, consider whether encryption could have prevented the incident, and revise their recommendations when additional evidence becomes available. Throughout the unit, participants will explore short classroom teaching examples and adapt a cryptography activity for an appropriate K–12 grade level.

By the end of this unit, learners will be able to:

• Explain the purposes of encryption and decryption in protecting information.
• Distinguish between encrypted and unencrypted information.
• Apply a basic cryptographic method to encode and decode messages.
• Adapt a cryptography activity for an appropriate K–12 grade level.

Unit Lessons

Lesson 1: Understanding Encryption and Decryption

• Learn about cryptographic processes (e.g., encryption and decryption)

Lesson 2: Applying and Teaching Basic Cryptography

• Encode and decode messages, examine cipher limitations, and adapt activities for students.

Lesson 1: Understanding Encryption and Decryption

Participants will explore the purpose of cryptography, distinguish plaintext from ciphertext, and investigate how information was exposed at Riverside Middle School.

Lesson 2: Applying and Teaching Basic Cryptography

Participants will encode and decode messages using a Caesar cipher, examine new evidence from the school investigation, revise their recommendations, and adapt a cryptography activity for K–12 instruction.

Click here to continue to Unit 4: Designing a Standards-Aligned Cybersecurity Lesson