Digit Showdown Rules Sheet Partner Math Game • Grades 2–4
DIGIT SHOWDOWN
Roll, arrange the digits, and subtract on a number line!
2 Players
4 Rounds
What You Need
1 die (or 3 dice), pencil, & 1 recording sheet per player
Game Goal
Create the largest difference each round to collect the most stars!
How to Play Each Round
1
Roll Three Times
Roll your die 3 times. Write each number in the Roll 1 , Roll 2 , and Roll 3 boxes.
2
Make the BIGGEST Number
Arrange your 3 digits from greatest to least . Put your highest roll in the hundreds place!
3
Make the SMALLEST Number
Arrange your 3 digits from least to greatest . Put your lowest roll in the hundreds place!
4
Subtract on the Number Line
Subtract: Biggest − Smallest . Show your friendly jumps on the open number line to find the difference!
Turn Walkthrough Example See How It Works!
Rolls
4 1 6
Biggest Number
Order: 6, 4, 1
641
Smallest Number
Order: 1, 4, 6
146
Jump Method: Count up from 146 to 641 Total Jump = 4 + 50 + 400 + 41 = 495
146
150
200
600
641
+4 +50 +400 +41
Equation: 641 − 146 = 495 Difference
How to Win a Round
Compare your difference with your partner's. The player with the greater difference wins that round and colors in a star! If you tie, you both color a star.
Grand Champion
After 4 rounds, count your total stars. The player with the most stars is the Showdown Champion! (Tie-breaker: add all 4 differences).
Math Strategy Secret: To get the biggest possible difference, look for rolls that are far apart! Having a 6 in your hundreds place and a 1 in your smallest number creates massive leaps!
Digit Showdown Recording Sheet DIGIT SHOWDOWN RECORDING SHEET
Roll 3 Digits • Make Biggest & Smallest • Subtract on the Number Line
4 Rounds
Name:
Partner:
Date:
1 Round 1
Rolls:
Biggest:
Smallest:
Open Number Line: Show your subtraction jumps Start at smallest, jump to biggest!
Equation:
−
= Difference:
Partner Difference:
Won Round?
2 Round 2
Rolls:
Biggest:
Smallest:
Open Number Line: Show your subtraction jumps Start at smallest, jump to biggest!
Equation:
−
= Difference:
Partner Difference:
Won Round?
3 Round 3
Rolls:
Biggest:
Smallest:
Open Number Line: Show your subtraction jumps Start at smallest, jump to biggest!
Equation:
−
= Difference:
Partner Difference:
Won Round?
4 Round 4
Rolls:
Biggest:
Smallest:
Open Number Line: Show your subtraction jumps Start at smallest, jump to biggest!
Equation:
−
= Difference:
Partner Difference:
Won Round?
GAME TOTALS:
Stars Won:
/ 4
My Highest Difference:
Game Winner:
Digit Showdown Lesson Plan Teacher Facilitation Guide • Tier 2 / Guided Math
DIGIT SHOWDOWN LESSON PLAN
20-Minute Small Group: 3-Digit Place Value & Open Number Line Subtraction
Grades 2–3
Group: 3–6 Students
Learning Target: I can arrange three digits to create the maximum and minimum 3-digit values and subtract using friendly landmark jumps on an open number line.
Materials: Dice (1-2 per pair), Recording Sheets, dry-erase sleeves/pencils.
1
Hook & Place Value Warm-Up
3 Minutes
Quick Roll: Roll 3 dice on the table (e.g., 2, 5, 1).
Teacher Script Prompt:
"How can we arrange these 3 digits to make the biggest number possible? Which digit must go in the hundreds place? Why? Now, how do we make the smallest number?"
✓ Key takeaway: Highest digit belongs in the hundreds place for maximum value; lowest belongs in hundreds for minimum value.
2
Guided Modeling: The "Count Up" Jump Method
6 Minutes
Model Round 1 using rolls 5, 2, 1 → 521 and 125. Frame subtraction as measuring the distance between two numbers by hopping along friendly landmarks (nearest 10, next 100, then to the target).
Jump Strategy: Landmark Hops
Start at 125 on the far left.
Hop +5 to reach friendly ten 130 .
Hop +70 to reach friendly hundred 200 .
Hop +300 to reach 500 .
Hop +21 to reach target 521 .
Total Combined Jumps 5 + 70 + 300 + 21 = 396 Difference
3
Partner Gameplay & Teacher Observation
8 Minutes
What to Look For
Are students correctly putting the largest roll in the hundreds place?
Are jumps labeled clearly with +100, +10, +1?
Are students correctly summing their hops to find the difference?
Coaching Prompts
"What is the nearest friendly ten to your starting number?"
"Can you make one giant jump of 200 instead of two jumps of 100?"
"How does your difference compare with your partner's?"
4
Debrief & Strategic Reflection
3 Minutes
Ask the Group:
"Who had the biggest difference in their game today? What numbers did you roll? Why does rolling a 6 and a 1 give a much bigger difference than rolling a 4, 3, and 2?"
