Code Talker

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What do you know about Indigenous languages in the United States? Who were the Navajo code talkers, and why did they need an unbreakable code during World War II (WWII)? Why is it so important to remember code talkers today?

Teaching Suggestion: While this prompt works best as an activation of prior knowledge, some students may not be familiar with Indigenous languages or the role of code talkers in WWII. It may be helpful to share the resources below in advance to help generate discussion.

• This short documentary provides information about the Navajo code talkers, including their origin, the recruitment process, the Navajo code, and their recognition today.
• This multimedia blog from the National Archives provides background information about Navajo code talkers and includes photographs taken during and after the war.

Short Activity

Review the before and after pictures of Diné children from the Carlisle Indian School presented by your teacher. List the differences you see between them, then consider the following questions: Who might have taken these pictures? What do you notice about them? How do you feel when you see them?

Next, watch the documentary about Indigenous American boarding schools to prepare for an in-class discussion. Draft answers to the following questions as you reflect on the documentary: Why were boarding schools created? What methods were used to disconnect students from their cultures? What impact did residential schooling have on Indigenous identities and cultures, and why? How does knowledge of this era of history recontextualize the historical and cultural significance of the Navajo code talkers?

Teaching Suggestion: The purpose of this activity is to help students understand the historical context of the novel. As discussion of forced residential schooling programs involves trauma, students may benefit from content warnings before viewing the film. It may also be helpful to remind students in advance of preestablished social-emotional learning strategies and difficult discussion protocols. 

• These guidelines from the University of Michigan may be useful when facilitating sensitive discussions. (Teacher-appropriate; not student facing.)
• These before and after pictures of Diné children from the Carlisle Indian School illustrate the effects of cultural assimilation.
• This documentary includes information about Indigenous American boarding schools.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Imagine you must send a secret note to a friend that absolutely cannot be read or understood by other people. First, create a code and key for a classmate, then write them a short message using this code. Once you are done, switch messages with your classmate, and try to decipher each other’s codes. After the activity, reflect on the following: What strategies did you incorporate when making your code? How did your partner’s approach compare? Were you both able to decipher the intended message? What were the benefits and drawbacks of the codes created?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may benefit from discussing methods they might use to create a code as a class before creating their own. It may also help to remind them to focus on the process rather than the creation of a perfect code. The sources below can be used to help students understand the components used in the creation of the Navajo code and codes in general.

• This webpage includes the declassified Navajo Code Talkers’ Dictionary.
• This webpage provides a breakdown of common coding methods, including instructions for making a cipher wheel.