All Activities
Computing

Fix the Mistake: Debugging Everyday Instructions

Overview

Students explore how mistakes in instructions cause problems and how fixing them improves outcomes.

Learning Objective
Students understand that debugging involves identifying and correcting errors in instructions.

Resources needed

  • No materials required
  • Optional: written instruction examples

Lesson stages

0 / 10 done
  1. 1 Introduce debugging as finding and fixing mistakes.
  2. 2 Give a deliberately incorrect set of instructions (e.g. making a sandwich).
  3. 3 Students identify what is wrong.
  4. 4 Discuss how errors affect outcomes.
  5. 5 In pairs, students create incorrect instructions.
  6. 6 Swap with another pair.
  7. 7 Identify and fix the mistakes.
  8. 8 Rewrite the correct version.
  9. 9 Share examples.
  10. 10 Discuss: why is debugging important?

Tap a step to mark it as done.

Variations

  • Act out incorrect instructions.
  • Use written or spoken algorithms.
  • Introduce multiple errors to fix.
More information

Teach: error, mistake, fix, debug, correct. Use frames: 'This is wrong because…'.

Provide simple examples. Allow verbal responses.

Can students identify errors? Can they correct them logically?

Fully discussion-based.

Students may think mistakes are failures rather than part of learning.

Debugging is a key part of programming and problem-solving.

Activity details
Primary Medium 25 minutes no prep Pairs, Small Group Indoor & Outdoor
Topics
Debugging Algorithms Error Detection Logic