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White Board Wipe-Out

This technique allows students to respond to a prompt in writing and show their response immediately for the teacher to see. It allows the teacher to quickly see the level of comprehension of concepts that were just taught and keeps students engaged.

How to use

1. Create

Create a class set of white boards. These can be purchased individually, or for a cheaper alternative, purchase shower board from a hardware store and have the store cut the board down into the size you prefer. Another option is to put paper inside of clear sheet protectors. Each student or student group using the whiteboard will also need a dry erase marker and something with which to erase the board. Option: if you glue a pom-pom to the end of the marker, students will have their own eraser, too!

2. Ask

Ask students a question regarding the material just covered in the lesson. This can be an open-ended question, or possibly a multiple choice, yes/no, or true/false question. Keep in mind that they are limited to the space on the white board when writing their answer.

3. Assess

Have students hold up their white boards with their answer. Scan the room to assess the students’ answers.

When to use

Use White Board Wipe Out at any point in the lesson to check for understanding.

  • Multiple times during the Input portion of a lesson to ensure students are following along
  • As a closing activity so that students can review what was learned in the lesson
  • As a review game for an upcoming test or assessment
  • At the beginning of a lesson to activate prior knowledge or to review material from a previous lesson


Be the Teacher

Students can also use white boards to teach another student about a particular concept. They can write and draw on the boards to explain a concept or to review with a partner.

Group Wipe Out

In groups, students must first discuss the question posed by the teacher, come to a consensus and write their answer on the white board. The first table to hold up the correct answer scores a point (table point or game point).

Partner Practice

Students can practice spelling words or math facts in partners with one partner giving the word or problem and the other writing it on their white board.  Students can compare answers and check each others' work.

Additional Notes

Alternatives to White Boards.

 If you are not able to obtain real white boards, consider using one of the following:

  • plastic dinner plates
  • a piece of card stock inside a sheet protector (inserts may be graph paper, templates, maps, etc.)
  • laminated sheets of card stock
  • student desk tops

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