Author: Amanda McGarrigle

Computing
We are bug fixers

Background Information
This unit will teach the class to work on a range of different scratch projects. They will be using their previous knowledge to explain how scripts work, using this knowledge to find and correct errors in them using creative methods. This will enable the children to identify some common programming errors. This unit will help to extend their problem solving skills through logical thinking.

In this unit the children will…
Find and correct the bugs in the multiplication program.
Improve the circle drawing program.
Find and correct the bugs in the penguin program.
Find the bug in the ‘Pong’ game and try to correct it.
Find and correct the bugs in the division program.
Think of ways to improve a car driving program.

By the end of this unit….
All children can:
Correct ‘off-by-one’ errors in loops.
Improve the performance of the circle- drawing program.
Get the dialogue in the joke program to work in sequence.
Experiment with the speed variable and other factors in the racing car simulator.
Most children will:
Describe how the times-table program works.
Describe how the circle-drawing program works.
Describe how the two joke scripts work together Correct the ‘Pong’-style game so the bounce is more realistic.
Describe how the racing car simulator works
Some children will:
Explain how they debugged the times-table program using logical reasoning.
Explain the connection between the number of steps, step size and turn in the circle- drawing program.
Explain how they corrected the joke program.
Describe how the ‘Pong’-style program works.
Suggest explanations for the bug in the racing car simulator.

Key Vocabulary
Algorithm
Bugs
Debug
Instruction
Program
Scrip