Fifth graders learn debugging — the essential skill of finding and fixing the mistakes (“bugs”) in code — and discover that every coder makes mistakes, so patient problem-solving is part of the fun.
Students will be able to…
Even the best coders in the world make mistakes! When a program doesn’t work, the trick isn’t to give up — it’s to become a code detective. How do we find and fix the bugs?
Project each item and have students answer about debugging. The tool explains bugs and how to fix them.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Even great coders make mistakes — so what do they do when code breaks?
Students practice.
Students use the tool.
Students modify.
Students conclude.
Aligned to the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards and ISTE Standards for Students.
Test and debug a program to ensure it runs as intended.
Take on roles when collaborating to fix programs.
Create and correct programs.
Computational Thinker — persist and troubleshoot.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students trade a set of instructions with a partner, hunt for any bugs, and fix them together — celebrating persistence. A printable debugging sheet is in the Computer Science library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.