We ended up on the Second World War topic after W made a booby-trap in the bath using balloons and string. It's too complicated to describe and any photos would involve nudity so suffice to say if you'd tried to use our shower yesterday you'd have had a nasty shock when a balloon partially filled with water fell to the floor! That'd teach you to use our shower without asking!
We googled booby traps but I fell into one as everything the internet could offer seemed to make use of the word booby (snigger) or involve swearing or death or both. With a bit of filtering during translation we did find some interesting stuff about pit vipers being hung from trees in the Vietnam war and pressure sensor bombs being hidden under helmets by the retreating German army in WWII.
It was all a bit of a downer as there's nothing terribly cheerful about a deadly snake attaching itself to your face or having your legs blown off so we moved on to code breaking. We watched a short video on Enigma and got to thinking about cryptography and why armies needed to send secret messages in the first place.
For our secret code machines the boys made matching rotating cyphers so that they can exchange secret messages and change the settings each day at midnight, just like in the war. Or maybe 8am because we're not as disciplined as the German army.
So far the secret messages say 'ask mummy' (for what?! this is torture!) and 'snail'. I guess the lettuce-eating invaders in the back garden had better watch out. Or maybe someone will ask me for a snail. Only time will tell.
Topically, we had a good rummage through my Dad and Grandad's things as well today. Lots of war memorabilia which was very topical. Here's Nana with a 'Dig for Victory' poster, making a guest appearance in class!
