With all the tasks that teachers need to complete daily, taking attendance might be the most mundane. If you’re an educator, you could relate to the feeling of boredom that comes with calling your students’ names one by one and having them respond “here” or “present.”

Luckily, there’s a great way to make the start of your day more engaging and spark some curiosity in your classroom. If you haven’t heard of using attendance questions, this simple strategy can help your classroom become a tight-knit community where students get to know each other (and you) better.

Research suggests positive relationships with students enhance learning and motivation for your classroom. Good teachers know that having a successful school year extends far beyond teaching the material. He or she establishes trust and builds relationships with every student. Having some good attendance questions prepared is a step in the right direction. When you’re taking attendance, the question of the day could get posed. Students would respond with the answer, and you’ll know they’re present for today. You’ll find it much more exciting as well!

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Why Teachers Should Use Attendance Questions

Having an effective way to communicate with your students is important, especially with 21st-century learners. With more technology at your student’s fingertips, everyday discussions in class are more essential than ever. If a student isn’t feeling comfortable enough to speak up in front of the class, he or she will likely not engage in learning.

Build Trust In Your Students

When you have a classroom community that is trusting and cohesive, students are more likely to take risks. You can also make them feel comfortable by snickering at someone’s joke or responding to a difficult question. If they know that they can take risks without feeling embarrassed, they are more likely to achieve in school.

Build Confidence For Future Classroom Discussions

Did you know you could help your students build more background knowledge without them realizing it’s an assignment? For instance, if you’re studying a unit on dinosaurs, your attendance question might be, “why do you think dinosaurs became extinct?” The teacher could reference answers later on in the day when revisiting the topic for effective classroom discussion or debate.

Get To Know Your Students Better

Typically, the first few days of any school year involve “icebreaker” activities. These help the teacher learn more about their students and vice versa. However, you can do this every day without feeling like it’s a waste of time. When you ask your students personal questions, they feel more comfortable opening up to you. Over time, you’ll get to know them on a deeper level, and they’ll trust you more as a result.

Utilizing Attendance Questions In The Classroom

There are several fun ways to use these types of questions during the first part of the day. One idea could be having a list of questions mixed up in a special jar. Every day, the teacher would ask one student (preferably not the same student twice in a row) and call on that individual to answer. Every student feels comfortable knowing that his or her turn will come up eventually. Don’t forget to include yourself in answering the question as well because kids will love to hear about you too.

Another way to spice up the start of class is by using a PowerPoint presentation with questions for each day. This is especially helpful if you have a large class or want to project the question on the board. If you choose this route, try to be creative with your questions by adding visuals or graphics. Students will be more likely to remember the answer to a question that’s attention-grabbing.

Get The Students Involved In Asking Questions

After your students have had practice answering your attendance question, you can make it more powerful by selecting one student a day to be in charge. You could have a special place in the front of the room where the student of the day would stand and ask the attendance question. This is an excellent way to get your more introverted students involved in class while also providing a leadership opportunity.

45+ Attendance Questions For Different Age Groups

Below are some ideas for different questions that could be used in your classroom. As you’ll see, the questions can be thought-provoking, a little silly, or even personal. The key is to make sure they are appropriate for the age group you’re teaching. (The ways to answer each question are provided in parentheses along with how to respond).

Fun Attendance Questions

  1. What would life be like as your favorite animal? (students should pick only one animal)
  2. What is one school rule that you wish we had every day? (can be something not typical- i.e. chewing gum, two-hour recess, etc.)
  3. What holiday do you wish happened more often? (answers could vary here)
  4. What pizza topping do you dislike the most? (anchovies, olives, mushrooms, etc.)
  5. Do you know somebody who is a twin? (identical or fraternal)
  6. How much do you think you weigh on the moon? (could be discussed later in the science lesson)
  7. Which snack is better? Salty or sweet? (tell why you like it better)
  8. Are you a cat or a dog person? (even if they don’t have a pet)
  9. What is one thing you wish you could have unlimited amounts of?(Candy, money, video games)
  10. Why do you think the sun is yellow? (inquiry-based learning for later discussions)

Attendance Questions For High School

  1. What is one way you think you could change the world? ( end violence, stop pollution)
  2. What achievement are you most proud of in your life? (grades, my family, responsibility)
  3. Does money buy happiness? (expand on yes or no answer)
  4. Would you rather have one million dollars or have a penny double every day for 30 days? (reveal the comparison later in class)
  5. What job do you believe is the most difficult and why? (doctor, construction worker, teacher)
  6. If you were a social media influencer, what positive message would you promote? (helping the homeless, better pay for jobs)
  7. What is one thing you own that is the most important to you? (necklace, car, family heirlooms)
  8. How can you help a random person today? (smile at them, hold the door)
  9. Are you an Android or Apple person? (explain why they like the particular brand)
  10. Is technology good or bad for teenagers? (expand on the reason)

Attendance Questions For Middle School

  1. Would you rather be an animal or a fish? (choose one and explain)
  2. Do you think life is easier as an adult or a teenager? (provide one to two details why)
  3. Do your parents always check your homework? (why or why not)
  4. What person means a lot to you that’s not a part of the family? (athletic coach, friend)
  5. What school rule would you want to change and why? (testing, homework, etc.)
  6. What is your favorite reward in school? (extra recess time, candy treats, no homework)
  7. Why do you see your breath when it’s cold outside? (explain why and reveal the answer later)
  8. What special talent do you wish you had? (singing, genius at math)
  9. Where would you go if you could travel back in time? (to the moon, with the dinosaurs)
  10. Who is one person you wish you could have lunch with and why? (the president, a famous sports star)

Attendance Questions for Months Of The School Year

  1. January: What is one thing you accomplished last year that made a difference in school? (becoming a better reader, studying more)
  2. February: What candy bar do you love the most? (choose one and tell 3 reasons why)
  3. March: Is there really gold at the end of the rainbow? (elementary students)
  4. April: What’s a funny joke you could play on the teacher? (April Fools)
  5. May: How are you feeling about going to the next grade? (nervous, excited)
  6. June: What is your favorite summer activity? (traveling with family, going to the water park)
  7. August: Who did you visit in the summer that was important to you? (family member, friends)
  8. September: Why do the leaves change color in fall? (guess one reason)
  9. October: Who do you want to dress up like for Halloween? (one character or person)
  10. November: What person are you most thankful for? (parent, brother, best friend)
  11. December: Is it better to receive gifts or to give them? (why)

Bonus Brainteaser Attendance Questions:

  1. What weighs more- 100 pounds of rocks or 100 pounds of feathers?
  2. Why don’t you have to tell your body to breathe?
  3. How many hundred dollar bills do you need to make one million dollars?
  4. Is there life on other planets? (human life or any lifeform at all)
  5. Why does your voice change as you get older?
  6. Does the sun still shine even on cloudy days?
  7. How can starfish grow their arms back?
  8. How many pennies would it take to fill your bathtub?
  9. Does the ocean floor go down forever?

Making Your Attendance Questions Highly Effective

To ensure you’re getting the most out of your daily attendance questions here are a few tips we recommend.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions are those that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no. They require thought and usually begin with words like who, what, where, when, why, or how. Asking open-ended questions will encourage your students to think critically and share their opinions and ideas.

Make It Relevant

If you want your students to be engaged with the question, make sure it’s relevant to them. This can be done by tying the question into current events, pop culture, or their personal interests and experiences.

Get Creative

To keep your students engaged, mix up the types of questions you ask. You might want to ask a mix of factual questions, opinion questions, and brainteaser questions. You can also use different question formats like fill in the blank, multiple choice, or open-ended.

Extend To Other Classroom Activities

If you have a particularly engaging question, consider using it for other activities in your classroom. For example, if you ask a question about a current event, you can use it as the basis for a class discussion or debate. If you ask a math question, you can use it as the starting point for a class lesson.

Attendance Questions Are A Great Way To Encourage Classroom Community

If you’re a teacher looking for a way to create a more engaged and supportive classroom community, consider using attendance questions. By asking thought-provoking questions each day, you’ll encourage your students to think critically and share their ideas and opinions. It’s a simple strategy that doesn’t take much prep work, and you’ll be surprised at how much your students enjoy it. Give it a try and see what attendance questions work best for your class.

Attendance Questions FAQs

Why should teachers use attendance questions?

There are many benefits to using attendance questions in your classroom. They encourage your students to think critically and share their ideas and opinions and it’s an excellent way to develop social skills in the classroom setting.

Should I use a different attendance question every day?

We recommend mixing up the types of questions you ask and the format in which you ask them. This will keep your students engaged and prevent boredom. They’ll also be anxious to know something different is coming the following day.

How long should my students get to respond to an attendance question?

Depending on the question and the age of your students, they should have 1-2 minutes to think about their answer and respond.

We hope you find our list of attendance questions helpful and useful in your classroom. Enjoy!