Exit tickets are a quick and effective way to gauge your students’ understanding at the end of a lesson. They give you real-time insights into how well students have grasped key concepts, allowing you to adjust instruction for the next class.
But what happens when you want to go beyond the classic “What did you learn today?” question? How can you make exit tickets both engaging and informative for assessing student learning?
In this blog, we’ll dive into 30 creative exit ticket ideas you can implement in your classroom, from quick & simple ones to subject-specific checks.
These ideas are designed to actively assess student learning, encourage reflection, and provide you with valuable feedback to help shape your future lessons.
What an Exit Ticket Is
An exit ticket is a quick formative assessment tool used by teachers to gather immediate feedback from students at the end of a lesson. Essentially, it’s a way for students to summarize what they’ve learned, ask any remaining questions, or reflect on the day’s topic.
Benefits of Exit Tickets:
- Quick Formative Assessment
- Encourages Reflection
- Informs Next-Day Instruction
Exit tickets are more than just a way to wrap up a lesson—they are an essential tool for measuring student learning and providing targeted instruction.
Deliver Exit Ticket Ideas Effectively
Low-Tech & No-Tech Methods
These methods are perfect for classrooms without devices or for quickly gathering feedback in a tactile way:
- Sticky Notes: Ask students to write one key takeaway or lingering question on a sticky note and post it on a board as they leave.
- Exit Slips: Use printable templates or index cards to have students jot down a short response or reflection.
- Thumbs Up/Down/Sideways: A quick check for understanding, where students show thumbs up (understood), thumbs down (didn’t understand), or sideways (partially understood).
- Emoji Check-ins: Students draw or point to an emoji that represents how they feel about the lesson (e.g., 😊 for understanding, 😕 for confusion).
- Whiteboards: Have students write a final thought or response on small whiteboards and hold them up as they leave.
- Fist to Five: Students show a number of fingers (1–5) to rate how well they understood the lesson.
Digital & Interactive Tools
These exit ticket ideas are perfect for tech-savvy classrooms or remote learning.
- ClassPoint in PowerPoint: Embed quizzes or short answer questions directly in your slides for instant feedback
- Google Forms: Customizable exit ticket form with multiple choice, scales, and short answers
- Padlet or Jamboard: Visual, collaborative board for students to post reflections
- Edcafe AI: Generate quick prompts and exit ticket ideas based on your lesson
- Flip (formerly Flipgrid): Video reflections for deeper thoughts
- QR Codes: Students scan and complete on their own devices before leaving
To help you get started, here are 30 creative exit ticket ideas. These are designed to help you assess student learning while keeping students engaged. Whether you need a quick check of their understanding or a more creative reflection, there’s an idea for every classroom.
Quick & Simple Exit Ticket Ideas
1. One-Word Summary
Ask students to summarize the lesson in one word.
Example: Summarize “Photosynthesis” after a biology lesson on plant processes. Or summarize “Innovation” after a lesson on technological advances.
2. 3-2-1 Strategy
Students list 3 things they learned, 2 questions they still have, and 1 connection they made to prior knowledge.
Example:
- 3 things: “Photosynthesis, Chlorophyll, Sunlight”
- 2 questions: “How does sunlight affect growth?”, “Can plants photosynthesize without sunlight?”
- 1 connection: “It’s like how we need food to survive.”
3. Emoji Reflection
Students draw or point to an emoji that represents how they feel about the lesson.
Example: Do you understand how evaporation, condensation, and precipitation work together in the water cycle? “😊” for understanding the topic, “🤔” for confusion.
4. Traffic Light
Use red, yellow, and green cards to show how well students understood the lesson.
Example: Use a red, yellow, or green card to show how well you understood today’s math lesson on fractions.
- Green = “I understood everything.”
- Yellow = “I understand most of it but need help with a few concepts.”
- Red = “I didn’t understand the lesson.”
5. Post on Blue Sky
Have students summarize the lesson in 280 characters like they’re posting a tweet.
Example: “Summarize today’s lesson on World War II in 280 characters like you’re posting on Blue Sky.”
6. Rate Your Understanding
Students rate their understanding of the lesson on a scale of 1–5.
Example:
- “I understand 100% (5) about the periodic table!”
- “I’m at a 3 out of 5 for today’s math lesson.”
Check out our guide on The Easiest Way To Poll Students During Presentation in PowerPoint.
7. Question of the Day
Ask students to pose one question about the topic you covered.
Example: “How does gravity work on other planets?” after a lesson on physics or “What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources?” after a lesson on energy.
8. 1-Minute Free Write
Have students write a short reflection on what they learned in one minute.
Example: “Today we learned about photosynthesis. I understood how plants use sunlight, but I don’t get how carbon dioxide fits in.”
To help spark inspiration, here's a list of 80 Creative and Fresh Writing Prompts for Students of All Ages.
9. Draw What You Learned
Students sketch an image or diagram that represents the key lesson.
Example: A student might draw a map showing different biomes after a geography lesson.
10. Exit Poll with Multiple Choice
Create a simple multiple-choice poll to gauge student understanding.
Example: “Which of the following is true about photosynthesis?”
- A) Plants need sunlight to grow.
- B) Plants only need water to survive.
- C) Plants do not need sunlight.
- D) None of the above.
Tip: Do this in PowerPoint! Keep reading to learn how.
Creative and Engaging Exit Ticket Ideas
11. Meme It
Ask students to create a meme that summarizes the lesson.
Example: A meme about the periodic table with the caption: “When you realize noble gases don’t want to react with anything.”
12. TikTok Script
Have students write a 15-second script explaining the key points of the lesson as if they were making a TikTok video.
Example: “In today’s math lesson, I learned about fractions! A fraction is just a part of a whole, like 1/2 is half of a whole thing.”
Speaking of TikTok, here are 3 Fun Ways Educators Can Bring TikTok in the Classroom.
13. What If?
Students apply what they’ve learned to a new or hypothetical situation.
Example: “Apply what you’ve learned about the causes of the American Revolution to this scenario: What if the American colonies had never been taxed by Britain? How would history have been different?”
14. Color-Coded Post-It Reflection
Give students post-its in different colors to represent different levels of understanding.
Example: Use a green, yellow, or red post-it to indicate how well you understood today’s lesson on identifying themes in literature. Green post-it for “I fully understand the topic,” Yellow for “I have some questions,” and Red for “I need help.”
15. Folded Fortune Teller Responses
Use paper fortune tellers with questions or prompts inside that students answer before leaving.
Example: “What’s your favorite fact from today’s lesson?” or “What’s one thing you’re still unsure about?”
16. Design a Quiz Question
Have students create a quiz question based on the lesson.
Example: “What is the capital of France?” after a geography lesson on European capitals.
17. Comic Strip Summary
Ask students to create a mini comic strip that summarizes the lesson.
Example: A comic strip about the water cycle, showing evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
18. Letter to Your Future Self
Ask students to write a letter to their future selves explaining what they’ve learned and how they’ll apply it.
Example: “Dear Future Me, today I learned that plants need both sunlight and water to survive. I’ll make sure to take care of my plants better!”
19. “I Used to Think… Now I Think…”
Have students reflect on how their thinking has changed during the lesson.
Example: How has your perspective on world climate zones changed after today’s lesson? “I used to think that climate zones only depended on temperature. Now I understand that factors like precipitation and vegetation play important roles too.”
20. Sketch a Concept Map
Students create a concept map that connects the main ideas they learned.
Example: A student might create a map showing Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution, and how they relate to the structure of a story.
Subject-Specific Exit Ticket Ideas
21. Math: Solve One Final Problem & Explain It
Students solve a final problem and explain their reasoning.
Example: “Solve 3/4 + 1/2 and explain how you got your answer.”
22. ELA: Write a Metaphor About Today’s Topic
Ask students to write a metaphor that reflects today’s lesson.
Example: “Reading this novel is like sailing through uncharted waters—challenging, but exciting.”
23. Science: One Hypothesis + One Surprising Result
Students write one hypothesis and one surprising result from the lesson.
Example: “Hypothesis: If I add salt to water, it will freeze faster. Surprising result: The water actually froze slower than expected.”
Make Science learning cool with these 5 Innovative Science Formative Assessment Examples to Assess Science Skills Effectively (Downloadable Template Included)!
24. Social Studies: Relate the Topic to a Current Event
Ask students to relate the lesson to a current event.
Example: “How does the government shutdown affect the U.S. economy?” after a lesson on government and economics.
25. Art: Thumbnail Sketch Based on Today’s Theme
Ask students to create a thumbnail sketch inspired by the lesson’s theme.
Example: A student might draw a scene representing the Industrial Revolution after an art and history lesson.
26. Music: Reflect on Rhythm or Melody Used
Ask students to reflect on rhythm or melody used in the lesson.
Example: “How does the rhythm in the song ‘Ode to Joy’ make you feel? Describe it in your own words.”
27. PE: How Did You Push Your Limits Today?
Ask students how they pushed their limits during class.
Example: “Today, I pushed my limits by running an extra lap even though I was tired.”
28. STEM: Predict What Would Happen If One Variable Changed
Students predict what would happen if one variable in an experiment changed.
Example: “If we increased the amount of water in the experiment, how do you think it would affect the plant growth?”
29. Language: Use 3 New Vocabulary Words in a Sentence
Ask students to use 3 new vocabulary words from the lesson in a sentence.
Example: “I will analyze the poem, compare it to others, and summarize my thoughts.”
To strengthen students' vocab skills, here are 7 Fun Vocabulary Games for Kids.
30. Any Subject: Self-Grade Today’s Participation with Justification
Ask students to self-grade their participation in the lesson.
Example: “I would give myself a 4 out of 5 because I answered most of the questions but didn’t contribute to group discussions as much.”
Tips to Make Exit Tickets More Effective
To get the most out of your exit tickets, keep these tips in mind:
- Keep it Short and Purposeful: Exit tickets should be quick and focused on key learning objectives.
- Make it a Routine: Use exit tickets regularly to build a habit and ensure consistent feedback.
- Follow-up: Use the responses to adjust future lessons and follow up with students who may need additional support.
- Tie Questions to Learning Objectives: Ensure that exit ticket prompts are aligned with the day’s key takeaways.
- Offer Variety: Change up the format to keep students engaged and avoid monotony.
How to Create Exit Tickets in PowerPoint with ClassPoint
Step-by-Step Guide: Creating Exit Tickets in PowerPoint Using ClassPoint
Install ClassPoint
First, make sure you have ClassPoint installed on your PowerPoint. Visit the ClassPoint website, download, and install the plugin for free.
Open Your PowerPoint Presentation
Start with your existing PowerPoint or create a new one where you’ll add the exit ticket.
Navigate to the slide where you’d like to insert the exit ticket.
Insert a Question Slide
Add a new slide to your presentation.
On the slide, type out your question. Keep in mind the ClassPoint question types so you know your question type options.
For example:
“What was the most important thing you learned today?” or “Rate your understanding of today’s topic from 1-5.”
Add in ClassPoint Button
Click the corresponding ClassPoint button in the ClassPoint tab of the PowerPoint ribbon. This will add an interactive button to your slide.
Feel free to move this and resize it as needed on your slide. In addition, you can also customize your question with the side panel depending on your needs
Collect Responses in Real-Time
When it is time for the Exit Ticket, click on the ClassPoint button on your slide.
Students can submit their responses through their devices after joining the class from classpoint.app and you can display the results live during the lesson.
Show a leaderboard, live results, or a summary of the responses as a quick check-in. This helps engage students and encourages participation.
Review & Reflect
After class, review the exit ticket responses to inform your lesson planning and adjust upcoming sessions based on student feedback.
Why Use ClassPoint for Exit Tickets?
- Instant Feedback: Get real-time insights into how students understood the lesson.
- Engagement: Students will appreciate the interactive nature of the tool.
- Ease of Use: Adding interactive exit tickets takes only a few clicks, with no need for external apps or tools.
- Integration: All data is stored within your PowerPoint presentation, keeping everything in one place.
Exit tickets are a simple yet powerful tool for assessing student learning. With these 30 creative exit ticket ideas, you can gather meaningful feedback, encourage student reflection, and improve your teaching. Don’t be afraid to experiment and find the methods that work best for your classroom. Try incorporating some of these ideas and see how they transform your assessment strategy!
