4. Debugging
Coding does not mean "sitting still"! You can do this activity in the gym or on the playground.
In turn, one student per shift walks across to write one piece of the algorithm. Writing a mistake means starting over...
This activity is based on “block drawing” in the “Code crackers” chapter. But it gets even more fun because the students have to work together intensively!
Your students will:
- Learning to communicate ideas through codes.
- Learning to work together to bring something to a successful conclusion.
- Step by step, quality control must be achieved.
STEP 1
Preparation
Provide writing materials and blank pages.
Print a few pages with 4x4 tables.
Print the worksheet.
STEP 2
To work!
For this activity you need some space: a playground, a gym or any open space.
With this activity we will try to remove errors from a program! But we will also write a program ourselves by working together: each in turn will write one step. The next person checks and takes the next step.
On the first work sheet we will always remove the error from the program alone or in pairs. There is one mistake in every program.
For the following assignment we divide into larger groups: 4 or 5 students is ideal. Have each group form a line at the start line. On the other side of the room, place an identical grid for each group that you will find on page 2 of the work sheet.
At the starting signal, 1 student from each group walks to the other side and translates a part of the grid into a symbol. This student walks back and taps the next student from his team.
This one also walks to the other side, looks at the grid and the symbols that have already been drawn there. He or she can correct errors by changing symbols and then adding the next symbol themselves.
This student also returns and taps the third student who also walks to the other side and if necessary corrects the code and supplements it with one symbol.
This continues until the entire grid has been converted to symbols.
STEP 3
Discussion
What have we learned from this exercise?
Were different solutions possible?
Was every error indicated really an error?
Is it more difficult or easier to write one code with many?
Differentiate
Place the answer strips in a different place than the grids so that they first have to look at the grid and only then can write the symbol in a different place.