Objective: 

Students will create informative posters that explain common troubleshooting strategies for solving simple hardware and software problems. They will describe strategies such as rebooting, checking power connections, and ensuring a device is connected to the network. This lesson integrates computer science concepts by encouraging students to identify and convey how systems work and how troubleshooting steps can be applied across various devices.

Materials Needed: 

• Poster paper

• Markers

• Crayons

• Pencils

• Chart of common troubleshooting steps.

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Begin by asking students if they've ever experienced a device not working, such as a tablet that won't turn on. Introduce troubleshooting as a way to solve simple hardware and software problems. 

  • Share examples, such as checking the power or restarting the device.

• Group Activity: 

  • In small groups, students will select one common device problem (e.g., device not powering on) and create a poster that explains the problem and provides steps for solving it. 

  • Encourage students to use diagrams to illustrate each troubleshooting step.

• Writing and Drawing: 

  • On their posters, students will write a short paragraph that names the problem, provides facts about it (e.g., "If the device isn’t responding, it might not have power"), and describes the solution (e.g., "Check if the device is plugged in or fully charged"). 

  • They should also draw pictures to illustrate their solutions.

• Presentation and Discussion: 

  • Each group will present their poster to the class, explaining the troubleshooting strategy they focused on. 

  • Lead a discussion on how different troubleshooting strategies can be applied across different devices.

Equity and Access: 

Provide printed templates or pre-drawn examples for students needing extra guidance. Pair students of differing abilities to ensure collaboration and support.

Real-World Application: 

Discuss how troubleshooting is a skill used in everyday life, from fixing a broken computer to solving problems with home appliances.

CS Practice(s): 

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students recognize the common problems that arise with devices. 

• Communicating About Computing: Students describe solutions in an organized and visual way, addressing both computational thinking and clear communication about computing systems.

Standard(s): 

• CA CCSS for ELA-Literacy W.3.2

• CA CS 3-5.CS.2

Objective: 

Students will write an informative text about common troubleshooting strategies for solving simple hardware and software problems, such as rebooting, checking connections, or adjusting settings. They will then create multimedia presentations that visually represent the information they have written. This lesson integrates computer science concepts by helping students articulate how systems work and how troubleshooting strategies can be applied across devices.

Materials Needed: 

• Computers or tablets

• Chart of common troubleshooting steps

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Begin by asking students if they've experienced device problems, such as a tablet that won’t connect to the internet or an app that crashes. 

  • Introduce troubleshooting as a set of strategies to fix these problems. Share examples like checking power or restarting the device, and explain that they will be writing and illustrating these strategies.

• Individual Writing: 

  • Students will choose one common device problem (e.g., the device not powering on) and write a short informative text about it. 

  • Their text should explain the problem and provide facts about troubleshooting steps (e.g., "If the device isn’t responding, it might be out of power, so the first step is to check if it’s charged"). 

  • Encourage students to clearly describe each step in sequence.

• Group Activity 

  • Creating Presentations: 

    • After writing their informative text, students will work in small groups to create a multimedia presentation using an app like Google Slides or Powerpoint that visually represents the troubleshooting process they wrote about. 

    • Each group will combine their written facts with images or diagrams to explain the problem and solution visually. 

    • For example, one group might draw a device with a low battery and arrows pointing to a charger.

• Presentation and Discussion: 

  • Each group will present their presentation. 

  • Lead a class discussion on how troubleshooting strategies can be applied across different types of devices and situations.

Equity and Access: 

Provide sentence starters or structured templates for students needing additional writing support. Pair students with varying writing or artistic abilities to ensure collaboration and support.

Real-World Application: 

Discuss how troubleshooting is a critical skill used in many real-life situations, such as fixing problems with computers, phones, or even household devices like a TV remote.

CS Practice(s):

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students practice identifying and defining common hardware and software problems (e.g., device not charging) and develop troubleshooting strategies to address these issues.

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students develop multimedia artifacts that demonstrate their understanding of how to solve computing problems. 

• Communicating About Computing: Students use both written explanations and visual representations to clearly communicate how a system problem can be fixed. 

Standard(s): 

• CA CCSS for ELA-Literacy W.3.2

• CA CS 3-5.CS.2