Debugging and Errors

👩‍🏫 Teacher’s Guide

Objective
Students will explain debugging as finding and fixing mistakes in code and identify common errors like wrong order, missing steps, and typos.

Teaching Notes

Normalize mistakes: bugs are normal and help us learn.
Use simple examples: missing a step in directions causes wrong results.
Teach a debugging routine: read code, test, find bug, fix, test again.
Encourage patience and careful checking.

🧒 Student Worksheet

Concept and Helping Material

Debugging means finding and fixing problems in a program. Errors can happen when steps are missing, in the wrong order, or written incorrectly. Debugging helps programs work the right way.

Computer Vocabulary and Definition

— Finding and fixing mistakes in code.
— A mistake that causes a program to work wrong.
— Something that goes wrong in a program.
— To correct a problem.
— To run a program to see if it works.

Computer QA

What is debugging?
What is a bug?
What is an error?
What does fix mean?
What does test mean?
True or False: Bugs are normal when coding.
What should you do first when code does not work?
What is one common bug?
What is another common bug?
What is a typo?
Can one small typo break code?
True or False: Debugging means giving up.
Why is testing important?
What should you do after you fix a bug?
What can help you find a bug?
If a character will not move, what might be wrong?
If the program runs forever, what might be wrong?
What is one way to debug?
Who can help you debug in class?
What is the goal of debugging?

Computer Prtactices

Bug hunt: Find the missing step in a 5-step instruction list.
Order fix: Put mixed-up commands in the correct order.
Test and fix: Try a simple block program and change one block to correct it.
Debugging checklist: Write 4 steps (test, find, fix, test again).

Reflection

How can you stay calm while debugging?
What should you do after fixing a bug?