OVERVIEW

Activity Overview:

Help! Can you debug the Microbit code? We will look briefly at Grace Hopper to see the origins of debugging. Then develop strategies for debugging and wrap it up with debugging exercises. Students will write a simple code to test another student.

Meta description

• Subject Area: Computer Science
• Grade Level : 6-8
• Computer Science Domains:
  • Algorithms and Programming
• Computer Science Principles:
  • Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems
• Materials:
  • Website, Micro:bit
• Considerations:
  • Talk to building tech for current district practices around debugging

Lesson Plan

Overview

Help! Can you debug the Microbit code? We will look briefly at Grace Hopper to see the origins of debugging. Then develop strategies for debugging and wrap it up with debugging exercises. Students will write a simple code to test another student.

ASSESSMENT PRE/POST-TEST

1. What is debuging? 2.How do you fix problems?

Have students do the quizizz https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/62d1ce9c5fcb08001eb0054f?source=quiz_page

OBJECTIVES

1.investigate the problem and find a solution to five debugging challenges 2.explore a range of concepts through the practices of testing and debugging 3.develop a list of strategies for debugging projects

CATCH/HOOK

I will teach like a pirate and greet students waving the American flag saluting them as they come into the class.
Show the clip about Grace Hopper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meeCAFacrG0 Let them know we are going to develop debugging skills today with our Microbits.

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

This lesson is for 1 day at 50 minutes. Students will work in pairs, but produce their own work. After watching the Grace Hopper video we will access the pear deck to learn about the problem solving cycle as it relates to the debugging process. Students will generate a strategy list to support their work. Students will access the links in the pear deck to work with a partner debugging the various Microbit code. Students will have a reflection sheet they will fill out for each one. I will review the rubric for submitting those. Students will then create a simple code in Makecode and will test their partner to see if they can fix the problem. As students are leaving the room they will have an exit question to answer.

Supplements

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REVIEW

I will review the rubric and ask students out the door an exit question. Some questions will be: How did G.H. impact computers? How did G.H. impact women in computers? What is your strategy for debugging?

STANDARDS