Bella, Head of Signals on Earth, needs help interpreting signals picked up by an Earth-based listening station that are different from those detected by the Moon station. She asks staff to analyze the signals to determine if they are real messages from extraterrestrials or an elaborate hoax. There is a 119 character code that has been converted to pictures, and Bella wants conclusions drawn from the pictures about what they mean and how confident one can be in the conclusions.

1. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate 8 Hi. Can I interrupt? I’m Bella, Head of Signals (Earth). My team needs help! We’re picking up signals from our Earth-based listening station, which is different from the Moon one. Are they more exciting messages from extraterrestrials? I need your staff to interpret the signals. Are they real messages, or just a clever hoax? We must be sure the evidence justifies our conclusions. Activity 3: Hoax?

2. First, this code to crack. Does it make a picture? Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate 9 There are 119 characters – that’s 7 × 17 Student sheet Activity 3: Hoax?

3. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate 10 Great – thanks! Now, three more things to interpret. Our people have already converted the code to pictures. What do the pictures mean? Can you make conclusions from them? How confident are you in your conclusions? Student sheet Activity 3: Hoax? The atmosphere of Earth