Objective: 

Students will practice correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling by identifying and fixing errors in sentences, similar to debugging in computer science. Through this activity, students will learn to break down sentences into smaller parts, identify mistakes, and "debug" them, reinforcing computational thinking skills.

Materials Needed:

• Sentence strips or large paper

• Markers

• Pre-written cards with improper capitalization, punctuation, and spelling

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Explain to students that just like in coding, where programs sometimes have "bugs" (errors), sentences can also have mistakes that need fixing. 

  • Discuss how capitalization, punctuation, and spelling are important parts of communication, just like code is essential to making a program run correctly. 

  • Highlight the key rules for capitalizing holidays, product names, and geographic names, as well as using commas in greetings/closings and apostrophes for contractions and possessives.

• Group Activity: 

  • Divide students into small groups and provide each group with sentence cards that contain various "bugs" or errors (e.g., "dear john, its christmas in new york"). 

  • The students will work together to "debug" the sentences by correcting capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, focusing on identifying the mistakes and explaining why they need to be fixed. 

  • This process mirrors the debugging process in coding, where identifying and fixing small errors leads to a working program.

• Discussion and Collaboration: 

  • Encourage students to discuss the errors with their group members, explaining their choices and decisions, similar to how programmers collaborate to fix code issues. 

  • They can compare the sentences to examples of correct sentences, treating these examples like "reference documentation" in coding. 

  • After fixing the sentences, students will share their solutions with the class.

• Equity and Access:

  • Provide sentence cards with varying levels of complexity, including simpler sentences with fewer errors for students who may need additional support. 

  • Offer visual aids, such as example sentences or anchor charts, and provide peer assistance to ensure all students can engage meaningfully with the activity. 

  • Additionally, allow students to verbalize their corrections if writing is challenging.

Real-World Application: 

Link this activity to the real world by explaining that in both writing and coding, small errors can create big problems, whether it's a misunderstanding in a sentence or a bug in a program. Emphasize how "debugging" written work improves communication, just as debugging code improves a program's function.

CS Practice(s):

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify "bugs" in sentences by locating errors in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, and then define what needs to be corrected.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: After fixing the sentences, students review their corrections to ensure the sentences are clear and grammatically correct, similar to how coders test their solutions.

Standard(s):

• CA CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.2

• CA CS K-2.AP.13

Objective: 

Students will use Google Docs or another word processing app to practice capitalization, punctuation, and spelling by identifying and fixing errors in sentences, similar to debugging in computer science. They will use digital tools to correct mistakes and reflect on their editing process, integrating computational thinking as they "debug" sentences.

Materials Needed:

• Tablets or computers with access to Google Docs

• Pre-created Google Docs with sentences containing capitalization, punctuation, and spelling errors

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Introduce the concept of "debugging" by comparing it to fixing mistakes in writing. 

  • Just like code can have bugs that need fixing, sentences can have errors in capitalization, punctuation, or spelling that need to be corrected to ensure clarity. 

  • Highlight the importance of proper capitalization (holidays, product names, geographic names), using commas, and forming contractions and possessives with apostrophes.

• Group Activity: 

  • Students will work in pairs, accessing Google Docs files pre-populated with sentences that contain errors (e.g., "dear sarah its summer in san francisco and i love the nike shoes i bought"). 

  • They will collaborate to correct the sentences using editing tools like highlight, comment, and track changes. 

  • As they "debug" the text, they can leave comments explaining why they made certain corrections, reflecting the same process coders use to document and explain code fixes.

• Creating and Debugging: 

  • As students identify errors, they will apply fixes in real-time, seeing the sentence "improve" through their edits. 

  • Encourage them to check for common mistakes like missed capitals for holidays, incorrect use of commas, or missing apostrophes in contractions. 

  • This mirrors the debugging process in coding, where each error must be identified and corrected for the program to function properly.

• Testing and Refining: 

  • After completing their edits, students will review the entire document to ensure all errors have been caught and that the sentences flow properly. 

  • Encourage them to think like a coder who runs a program after debugging to check for any remaining issues. 

  • They can also share their edited documents with peers for review, just as coders might ask teammates to test a program.

Equity and Access:

Provide scaffolded Google Docs with sentences that vary in complexity, allowing students to work at their own level. Offer visual aids and keyboard shortcuts for those needing extra guidance with digital tools. For students with limited typing skills, enable voice typing features or allow verbal explanations for their corrections. Pair students with different strengths to encourage peer collaboration and support.

Real-World Application: 

Explain how editing writing to fix errors is similar to debugging in computer programming—both require careful attention to detail and a methodical approach. In real life, this process is critical for clear communication, whether writing emails, creating presentations, or developing software.

CS Practice(s):

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify "bugs" or errors in the text and define the needed corrections, applying grammatical rules just like solving a coding problem.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: After editing, students review their work to ensure the sentences are error-free, similar to testing code to ensure it runs correctly.

• Collaborating Around Computing: Students work together to debug the sentences and discuss their changes, fostering collaborative problem-solving like in programming teams.

Standard(s):

• CA CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.2

• CA CS K-2.AP.13