Recommended Grade Levels
Grades 3-5
Grades 3-5 coding challenge
Debug the Haunted House
Welcome to the Haunted House Debugging Challenge!
The friendly haunted house is full of bugs. The doors will not open, the witch cannot reach the moon, the potion recipe is scrambled, and the pumpkins are being carved in the wrong order.
Complete the six debugging challenges before midnight. Each correct answer will give you one letter. Put the letters together to unlock the final message and help the Halloween characters get ready for trick-or-treaters.
A TCEA educator resource · CC BY-NC 4.0 · Free to use and adapt with credit · Not for commercial use · No logins · No data collected
Teacher Guide
Enter the teacher password to view the guide and answer key.
Learning Objectives
Students practice debugging, sequencing, algorithm development, pattern recognition, directional language, spatial reasoning, if-then conditions, and testing instructions.
Time
About 20 to 30 minutes.
Classroom Use
Use individually, with partners, or as a whole-class projected activity. Partners can take turns as driver and checker.
Answer Key
- The Crooked Path: change the third arrow from Down to Up. Letter T.
- The Potion Room: Place the cauldron on the table; pour in two cups of swamp water; add three spider rings; drop in one purple feather; stir the potion five times; pour the finished potion into the bottle. Move "Add three more spider rings" to Do Not Use. Letter R.
- The Witch's Tower: change command 4 from Turn right to Turn left. Letter E.
- The Pumpkin Workshop: arrange the safe carving steps in order. Letter A.
- The Banner Blunder: replace the sixth item, Cat, with Ghost. Letter T.
- The Escape Hall: choose "If you see a ghost, turn left" so the student reaches the trap door. Letter S.
- Final word: TREATS.
Discussion Questions
- What is a bug?
- How did testing help you find mistakes?
- Which challenge was most difficult?
- Where do people debug instructions outside of computer programming?
- How could you make one of the algorithms shorter or clearer?
Extension Activity
Create your own Halloween algorithm with one intentional bug. Trade with a partner and see whether your partner can identify and fix the mistake.
Haunted House Map
Room
Final Unlock
Open the Front Door
Collected letters: _ _ _ _ _ _
