How to play Whiteboard Showdown
- Give every student a whiteboard, a marker and an eraser. Set the rule: boards stay face down until you say "Showdown!"
- Read or project a question and start a short timer (15–60 seconds, depending on the question).
- Students write their answer on their own, flip the board face down and put the marker down when they finish.
- Count down: "3, 2, 1, Showdown!" Everyone holds up their board at the same time.
- Scan the room and say what you see ("Most of you have 42. Let's look at why some of us got 24"), then explain the answer.
- For a team game, give one point for each correct board on a team and a bonus point when the whole team is right.
Variations
- Team showdown: in teams of 4, a captain reads a question card, everyone writes, the captain calls "Showdown!", and teammates coach anyone who missed it before the next card.
- Last one standing: everyone stands, and a wrong answer means sitting down. A correct answer on the next question brings students back up, so nobody is out for long.
- K–2 and ESL beginners: students draw the word, write the first letter or show a number with tally marks.
💡 Teacher tips
- Markers down on the countdown stops last-second copying.
- Share good mistakes without names: show a common wrong answer and ask the class what the thinking might have been.
- An old sock is a cheap eraser and also holds the marker between games.