Fourth graders at Fulmar Road Elementary recently stepped back in time during an engaging STEAM lesson centered on Morse code. Led by teacher Mimi Murphy, the interactive session tied directly into the students’ current science curriculum as they explored sound waves, electrical circuits and the history of communication technology.
The lesson began with an introduction to Morse code, including how it evolved and its importance in the history of long-distance communication. The fourth graders discovered that Morse code is not a secret code, as many had assumed, but a structured system of transmitting information using dots and dashes. That didn’t stop the class from exploring a few fun secret codes along the way.
In a creative twist, inspired by the popular New York Times Wordle game, the students played “Morse Codle.” They took turns transmitting and decoding five-letter words. Using popsicle sticks to represent the dots and dashes, the students broadcast their words while their classmates translated them in real time.
“This was one of those lessons where everything clicked, literally and figuratively,” Murphy said. “The students were not only learning about circuitry and sound, but they were also practicing problem-solving, collaboration and communication.”
The students enjoyed the lesson so much that nearly every student requested a printout of the Morse code chart so they could continue decoding and transmitting messages at home. Adding to the hands-on experience, Murphy displayed a vintage rotary desk phone which sparked even more interest and conversations about how communication tools have evolved over time.
