Lock and key

High school (ages 12+)
Making & Design

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/lock-and-key

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the earliest known lock type?Wooden pin tumbler lock
2. What is the location of earliest examples?Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt
3. What are locks and keys used for?Locks and keys keep our treasures safe and let only the right people open them. They help us feel secure in our homes and in our communities.
4. Where did the first locks come from?The earliest locks were made in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt around 4000 BCE. They were wooden pin‑tumbler locks that used big wooden keys.

Lever Tumbler Lock: An early metal lock mechanism where levers must be lifted to a specific height by the key to allow opening.
Public-Key Cryptography: A system using a pair of keys: one public for encryption, and one private for decryption.