Showdown

How to Use the Cooperative Learning Strategy Showdown

1. Students are placed in groups of four.
2. Each group of students is given a set of task cards placed face down in the center of their workspace (Interactive Whiteboard okay too).
3. A student is chosen to pick the first card and read it aloud to the group they are the team captain for this round.
  - The teacher chooses which student goes first. I will usually choose this student based on their seat at the table, whoever is tallest/shortest, or whoever’s birthday is closest. It does not matter who starts because the role of team captain rotates to all students.
4. Students each find the answer to the question independently in their own workspace. During this time they will not share their thoughts or answers.
5. When everyone is finished working the problem they show the team captain they are done.

- You could have have students turn over their whiteboards to signal they are done. This nonverbal signal is clear, but doesn’t cause a lot of commotion. Another one is show of thumbs.

The team captain calls, “Showdown.”
Students show and share their answers with one another.
If all teammates agree on the answer they erase their boards, celebrate and move on. If even one of the team members disagrees then they must discuss their answers and come to a consensus on the right answer.
The process is repeated with the role of team captain rotating in a clockwise fashion.

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What is the Teacher’s Role in Showdown?

While your students are busy with their roles in showdown, you are free up the teacher to move around the room. This allows you to listen in on conversations, help out a team that is struggled (only if all 4 hands are up), or informally assess students learning as they complete their task. Celebratory noises also help you keep track of which table is whizzing past the problems and which one is struggling.

When to Use the Cooperative Learning Strategy Showdown

Showdown is best used as a cooperative learning strategy when students are reviewing a concept that has already been taught. It is ideal for test prep or any other kind of review. Showdown is NOT a strategy for directly teaching material.

Alternative Use of the Strategy

1. Students could write their own question cards to review for the exam.

2. This is a good strategy to review material that you covered during the last class period that you will be building on during the current course.

Management Tips

1. Short answer questions or problems that have specific solutions work the best.

2. Children may only ask for teacher's help if all four hands go up.

3. Children must celebrate- team cheer or teacher's choice.

Social Skills

1. Coaching

2. Greeting someone

3. Proper departing comments

4. Giving and accepting praise

5. Appropriate noise level

6. Giving and accepting constructive criticism

Ideas for teaching:

•Ideas-units of time,
equivalent fractions,
different numeric representations,
vocabulary
four operations questions

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