120 Fun Attendance Questions to Kickstart Student Engagement For The Day (PDF Included)

Gone are the days when attendance checks were just about calling student names and waiting for the monotone chorus of “Present!”

Sure, there’s nothing inherently wrong with this traditional approach. It gets the job done, after all. But shouldn’t attendance, being the first touchpoint of the day, do more than just record who’s in the room?

Attendance is what welcomes the day. It sets the tone, and the “vibe” (as Gen Alphas would say) for everything that follows. That’s why switching it up with fun, thoughtful attendance questions is essential.

In this blog, we’ll explore the ultimate list of attendance questions across different types to help you kick off your class and be seen as the “cool” teacher.

Yes/No Questions

These are quick, straightforward attendance questions that can be answered with a simple “Yes” or “No.” Perfect for easing students into the conversation, these prompts invite personal reflection without putting anyone on the spot.

1. Do you think humans will live on Mars in your lifetime?
2. Have you ever tried learning something just for fun, outside of school?
3. Do you believe in the concept of “good karma”?
4. Have you ever tried to learn a skill from YouTube?
5. Do you think animals dream like humans do?
6. Have you ever created something (art, music, writing) just for yourself?
7. Do you believe people can truly multitask effectively?
8. Have you ever had a random act of kindness brighten your day?
9. Do you think laughter really is the best medicine?
10. Have you ever felt inspired by a movie or book?
11. Do you think technology will eventually replace all jobs?
12. Have you ever solved a mystery or puzzle just for fun?
13. Do you believe there’s intelligent life somewhere else in the universe?
14. Have you ever tried to solve a Rubik’s Cube?
15. Do you think happiness is more important than success?
16. Have you ever spent a day exploring a new place just for fun?
17. Do you believe creativity is just as important as logic?
18. Have you ever volunteered for something you were passionate about?
19. Do you think small actions can lead to big changes in the world?
20. Have you ever felt proud of something you accomplished on your own?

If you’re an active user of PowerPoint to deliver lessons, consider adding ClassPoint to your slides. ClassPoint houses features that make any presentation interactive, perfect for kickstarting the day with attendance questions.

One such feature is Quick Poll, which lets you run instant Yes/No questions straight from your PowerPoint.

Polls, in the form of attendance questions, are sent directly to your students’ devices, and they can cast their votes in real time. Their responses appear right back in your slide deck, turning a simple roll call into a digital check-in that’s fast, and fun!

More on how you can poll any audience live during PowerPoint presentation using ClassPoint's Quick Poll.

Feedback Rating Questions

These attendance questions level up the thinking slightly by asking students to consider and rate their opinions using a 5-point scale (Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree). Each question is phrased as a declarative statement.

Using the same Quick Poll feature in ClassPoint, you can switch the mode to Feedback (5 levels) to collect instant feedback ratings from students.

21. I think homework is a waste of time.
22. I believe social media does more harm than good.
23. I feel like school starts too early in the morning.
24. I think video games can teach valuable life skills.
25. I believe people rely too much on their phones.
26. I think fast food is worth the convenience, even if it’s unhealthy.
27. I believe grades are an accurate measure of intelligence.
28. I think it’s better to be kind than to be honest.
29. I feel like adults don’t understand what it’s like to be a student today.
30. I believe everyone should have to do chores at home.
31. I think celebrities have too much influence on young people.
32. I believe aliens probably exist somewhere in the universe.
33. I think it’s okay to break rules if no one gets hurt.
34. I believe money is the most important factor in choosing a career.
35. I think schools should let students use AI tools like ChatGPT for assignments.
36. I feel like summer vacations should be longer than two months.
37. I believe pets are just as important as family members.
38. I think humans will destroy the planet within the next 100 years.
39. I believe it’s better to focus on one skill than to try learning many things.
40. I think fashion trends are pointless and overrated.

One-Word Answers

These creative, curiosity-driven attendance questions ask students to boil down their thoughts or mood into a single word. It’s a challenge in brevity, and most importantly, self-expression.

41. What’s your spirit animal today?
42. What’s one thing you’d invent to make life easier?
43. What’s your current energy level? (e.g., “charged,” “drained,” “chill”)
44. What’s one word to describe your favorite movie genre?
45. What’s the first thing you’d save in a fire?
46. What’s one thing you’d do if time travel were real?
47. What’s your go-to emoji for how you’re feeling today?
48. What’s one thing you’d do if you ruled the world?
49. What’s your favorite way to procrastinate?
50. What’s one word to describe your dream vacation?
51. What’s the most random thing you’ve learned this week?
52. What’s one thing you’d trade for a lifetime supply of pizza?
53. What’s your favorite sound in the world?
54. What’s one word to describe your ultimate adventure?
55. What’s the best smell you can think of right now?
56. What’s one thing you’d bring to a desert island?
57. What’s your favorite thing about yourself?
58. What’s one word to describe your ideal weather?
59. What’s the weirdest food combo you’ve ever tried?
60. What’s one thing you’d tell your younger self?

For a quick mood check or creative warm-up, try using Word Cloud, an interactive question type in ClassPoint.

Just add your attendance question to a PowerPoint slide (like “Describe your weekend in one word”), click the Word Cloud button from the ClassPoint tab on your PowerPoint ribbon, and run your presentation in Slide Show mode.

Check out our quick guide on How to Make an Interactive Quiz in PowerPoint in Less Than 1 Minute with ClassPoint!

Students can then join your class via your slide show class code, and submit their responses right from their devices. Their words will start appearing live on your slide, forming a colorful cloud of answers.

Short Answer Questions

These prompts invite students to reflect and share a sentence or two about their ideas or beliefs. They tap into personal storytelling and critical thinking, ideal for thoughtful classroom attendance.

For open-ended attendance questions like so, use ClassPoint’s Short Answer feature to run them interactively.

61. If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be and why?
62. What’s one thing you’d change about school if you were in charge?
63. If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
64. What’s one thing you’re really curious about right now?
65. If you woke up tomorrow in a completely different life, what’s the first thing you’d do?
66. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet?
67. If you could erase one invention from history, what would it be and why?
68. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to your future self?
69. If you could only keep one app on your phone forever, which would it be?
70. What’s one thing you wish people knew about you?
71. If you had $1 million but couldn’t spend it on yourself, what would you do with it?
72. What’s one thing you’ve learned this year that surprised you?
73. If you could ask a time traveler one question, what would it be?
74. What’s one thing that always makes you laugh, no matter what?
75. If you could design your own school subject, what would it be called?
76. What’s one thing you’d do if you weren’t afraid of failing?
77. If you could live inside any video game or book for a day, where would you go?
78. What’s one object you’d preserve to represent humanity to aliens?
79. What’s one thing you’ve done recently that made you proud?
80. If you could create a new holiday, what would it celebrate and how?

To spark more question ideas, here are 100+ Short Answer Questions Across Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels. 

Multimedia Responses

These attendance questions ask students to share photos, GIFs, or screenshots that represent their thoughts or feelings, so the day starts with fun sharing and creativity!

Run attendance checks by getting students to upload a photo as their response. With ClassPoint, this is possible using the Image Upload feature.

81. Share a picture of your favorite place to relax.
82. Upload a GIF that represents your mood today.
83. Show us an object in your room that says a lot about you.
84. Share a meme that describes how you feel about school right now.
85. What’s one photo on your phone that makes you smile?
86. If your life had a theme song, what would it be? (Share the album cover or lyrics.)
87. Share a screenshot of your favorite app or game.
88. Find a picture online that represents your dream job.
89. Share a picture of your go-to snack or drink.
90. What’s one image that inspires you? (It could be art, nature, or anything else.)
91. If you could design a flag for your personality, find an existing flag or image online that matches your vibe.
92. Share a photo of something you’ve made or created recently.
93. Find a GIF that shows how you react to homework.
94. If you were a weather forecast, find a real weather image online that matches your current “forecast.”
95. What’s one thing you’d put in a time capsule for the future? (Find a photo of it online.)
96. Share a picture of something random in your bag or pocket right now.
97. What’s one emoji or symbol that represents you today? (Find it online or take a screenshot of it on your phone.)
98. If your day had a soundtrack, describe the genre and share a photo of the artist or instrument.
99. Share a picture of your favorite piece of clothing or accessory.
100. Find a photo online that represents your ideal weekend.

Modern Roll Call

These wild-card attendance questions are perfect for a more energetic, personality-packed start to class. They’re unpredictable, and often hilarious, designed to kickstart a fun classroom vibe.

101. When I call your name, say the most random thing you’ve laughed at today.
102. Respond with the last thing you searched on your phone when I call your name.
103. When I call your name, tell me which celebrity you’d trade places with for 24 hours.
104. Respond with the most chaotic thing you’d do if you won $1 million tomorrow when I call your name.
105. When I call your name, say which fictional universe you’d survive in the longest.
106. Respond with the most unhinged snack combination you’ve ever tried when I call your name.
107. When I call your name, tell me which app you’d use to survive a zombie apocalypse.
108. Respond with the most random fact you know when I call your name.
109. When I call your name, say which song lyric describes your life right now.
110. Respond with the most ridiculous thing you’d do if you became famous overnight when I call your name.
111. When I call your name, tell me which fast-food restaurant you’d live in if you had to pick one.
112. Respond with the most savage comeback you’ve ever heard (or said) when I call your name.
113. When I call your name, say which movie or TV character would make the worst roommate—and why.
114. Respond with the most over-the-top conspiracy theory you’ve ever heard when I call your name.
115. When I call your name, tell me which emoji best describes your personality.
116. Respond with the most useless skill you’re secretly proud of when I call your name.
117. When I call your name, say which viral trend you’d never, ever try—even for $1,000.
118. Respond with the most random thing you’d shout if you saw a celebrity in public when I call your name.
119. When I call your name, tell me which historical figure you’d roast in a group chat.
120. Respond with the most chaotic thing you’d do if you could delete one app from everyone’s phones when I call your name.

With ClassPoint’s Name Picker tool, you can randomly call on students and add that extra twist of suspense. It keeps everyone engaged and ready to jump in, especially when the roll call questions are this unexpected and fun.

Learn how to randomize student names with a wheel of names built right inside PowerPoint.