Backs to the Board

(TESOL Ideas--Any Vocabulary Set)
This is actual an activity I've referenced many times when posting my materials, but it occurs to me that I've never actually explained what it is.  So I should probably do that.
This is a practice activity for practicing vocabulary sets.  I find it works best as a review game for vocabulary sets that the students have already studied in previous lessons, but it can also work as a semi-controlled practice in a vocabulary lesson.

Students are divided up into teams.  Sometimes 2 teams, sometimes 4 (depending on the logistics of the room and how much space you have at the front of the classroom).
One member from each team sits in a chair at the front.  They are facing their teammates, but have their backs to the whiteboard.
On the whiteboard, a vocabulary word is displayed.  (This can be done on a PowerPoint if prepared before class, or--for a no-prep activity--the teacher just writes the word on the whiteboard in the moment). 
The students sitting in the front of the room cannot look behind them to see the word on the board.  Their teammates must describe it for them.  The teammates can not say the word, but have to describe the word using other words. 
[Often, it is necessary to implement other rules: no spelling or giving the first letter, no similar word forms (e.g. if the word is "run" they can't say "running"), no use of L1, no gestures, et cetera--but all these extra rules will depend on the preferences of the teacher.]

First team to guess the word gets a point.  This can be done orally (i.e. the first team to shout out the answer) or, if using mini-whiteboards, it can be the first team to write the answer on their mini-whiteboard.
Then the students at the front get to go back to their team, and new students from their team come up to take their place..