Unplugged Coding Task Cards | 30 Debugging WarmUps K-2 | No Tech

Find the Bug: Picture Debugging Warm-Ups | Grades K–2

Picture debugging task cards make early computer science accessible to young learners with 30 visual bug-finding challenges that require no student reading and no devices. Students look closely, find what does not fit, explain their thinking to a partner, and draw the fix.

What’s Included

This resource includes six separate PDF files:

• Teacher Guide – 6 pages

  • Teacher directions and implementation ideas

  • Teacher script for guiding students without giving away the answer

  • Standards alignment

  • Scope and sequence

  • Two-week pacing plan

• Student Reference – 2 pages

  • Five-step picture debugging cycle

  • Student-friendly debugging checklist

  • LOOK → POINT → SAY → FIND → FIX routine

• Recording Pages – 2 pages

  • Draw-the-fix response sheet

  • Student debugging tracker

  • Progress tracking by bug type

• Picture Cards 1–30 – 30 pages

  • 30 visual debugging task cards

  • 6 bug types

  • 3 difficulty levels

  • One card per page

• Answer Key – 8 pages

  • Correct answer for every card

  • Suggested fix

  • Misconception behind each bug

  • Notes for teacher conferencing

  • Alternate correct fixes identified where appropriate

• Terms & Credits – 2 pages

Six Bug Types

Students practice six foundational types of picture debugging:

• Order — steps are in the wrong order

• Patterns — one piece breaks a repeating or growing pattern

• Robot Path — one arrow points the wrong way

• Count It — the number does not match the quantity

• Sort It — something is in the wrong category

• Match It — one pair does not go together

How It Works in the Classroom

⭐ Bell-Ringers

Project one picture debugging card and work through it together.

• Read the goal aloud twice.

• Let students turn and talk.

• Have students identify the bug.

• Ask them to explain why it is wrong.

• Finish by drawing the fix.

The teacher guide recommends approximately 5–8 minutes per card, with one card per day providing about six weeks of warm-up practice.

⭐ Stations

Print and laminate the cards and place them at a station with the recording page.

Students:

1. Look at the goal.

2. Examine each picture.

3. Find the box, arrow, or pair that does not fit.

4. Explain their thinking.

5. Draw the correction.

Five cards make a comfortable 15-minute station rotation.

⭐ Whole Group

These cards are especially effective for carpet time and partner discussion.

Because the cards are visual, the teacher reads the goal aloud while students do the actual problem solving. The spoken explanation is part of the assessment, making this more than simply a "find the wrong picture" activity.

⭐ Sub Plans

No login, devices, or previous computer science experience are required. Print the cards, student checklist, recording pages, and answer key, and you have a ready-to-use unplugged activity.

Standards & Learning Goals

Students practice early computational thinking through:

• Debugging errors in algorithms and programs

• Following and evaluating sequences

• Recognizing repeating and growing patterns

• Following precise sequences of directions

• Connecting numbers with quantities

• Sorting objects according to rules

• Matching objects by attributes

• Explaining their reasoning to a partner

The resource is aligned to CSTA 1A-AP-14 and CSTA 1A-AP-08, with additional connections to CSTA 1A-AP-09, 1A-AP-10, and 1A-AP-11, as well as CCSS.MATH.K.CC.B.4, CCSS.MATH.K.MD.B.3, and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.

The six bug types intentionally move from familiar visual reasoning into more challenging concepts. For example, Card 24 asks students to determine whether 3 is less than 3, introducing boundary testing, while Card 25 requires students to apply two rules at once.

Why Teachers Love It

⭐ Misconception-focused answer key

The answer key explains why children may make the mistake, not just which answer is correct. This gives teachers useful language for guiding students without simply revealing the solution.

⭐ No reading required

Students do not need to read the cards independently. The teacher reads the goal aloud, making this accessible to pre-readers, emerging readers, and English learners.

⭐ Truly unplugged

No computers, logins, coding platforms, or devices are needed.

⭐ Builds debugging habits early

Students learn that debugging means searching for what does not fit—not simply waiting for an adult to point out the mistake.

⭐ Encourages mathematical reasoning

Counting, sorting, patterns, quantities, size, shape, color, and comparison are naturally embedded throughout the cards.

⭐ Built-in progression

Each bug type includes three levels of difficulty. One-dot cards have visible bugs, two-dot cards require a trace or test value, and three-dot cards look correct until students check them carefully against the goal.

⭐ Great for partner talk

Every card asks students to explain their thinking, giving young learners practice with mathematical and computational reasoning.

⭐ Supports differentiation

The scope and sequence makes it easy to pull a specific group of cards for targeted reteaching.

⭐ Original visual design

Every picture is an original drawing, so the cards are designed specifically for this resource rather than relying on generic clipart.

Make early computer science visual, accessible, and engaging with ready-to-use picture debugging task cards for Grades K–2!

Use them for morning work, carpet time, computer science warm-ups, partner activities, stations, or unplugged coding practice. Students will build the habit of looking carefully, finding the problem, explaining their thinking, and trying a fix.

Add Find the Bug to your classroom and give your youngest learners a fun way to start thinking like problem-solvers and debuggers! 💛