The Three Minute Test
Question:1. Read everything before you do anything.2. Put your name in the upper right-hand corner of this page.3. Circle the word “name” in sentence two.4. Draw five small squares in the top right-hand corner under your name.5. Put an X in each square you have just drawn.6. Put a circle around each square.7. Sign your name under the title of this page.8. After the title, write “yes, yes, yes.”9. Underline sentences number seven and eight.10. Put an X in the lower left-hand corner of this page.11. Draw a triangle around the X you have just made.12. On the back of this page, multiply seventy by thirty.13. Draw a circle around the word “top” in sentence four.14. Loudly call out your first name when you reach this point in the test.15. If you think you’ve carefully followed these directions, tell a partner “I have carefully followed the directions.”16. On the reverse side of this paper, add 107 and 278 together.17. Count out (in your normal speaking voice) from one to ten.18. If you’re the first person to get this far, write your name on the board.19. Punch three small holes in your paper with your pencil here.20. Now that you’ve finished reading everything carefully, only complete numbers one and two, then turn in your test. Potential Answer: If they follow the instructions correctly, students should only write their name on the test before turning it in. Explanation: This “pop quiz” is actually testing whether students can thoroughly read and follow instructions as written. If they proceed through the whole list (and embarrass themselves in the process), then you’ll know they didn’t read the instructions properly!
Jake from State Farm
Question: What color pants does Jake from State Farm wear? Correct Answer: Khaki. Explanation: This one’s pretty straightforward, but you may want to save it for older teen and adult students—young kids might not know (or remember) the infamy of Jake from State Farm. “Jake” is a recurring character from State Farm commercials (yes, the insurance company) who has achieved celebrity status. One particularly memorable ad showed a husband calling Jake at the insurance company at 3 a.m. when his wife catches him on the phone. She thinks he’s talking to another woman, so she asks Jake what he’s wearing, and he replies, “Uh…khakis?”
Draw a Funny Picture
Question: Draw a picture. If it makes me laugh, is related to our class topic, or is fun, you’ll get three extra credit points. If it’s mean, you’ll get -3 points. Be creative! Potential Answer: The sky’s the limit, as long as it makes you laugh! One standout answer from a science exam featured a “smooth” endoplasmic reticulum picking up some ladies, while the rough endoplasmic reticulum bemoaned his lack of rizz. Variations: You could also ask students to draw pretty much anything silly and fun—like a dragon breathing rainbows, a pug on a treadmill, or a person with fruit for hair.
Oh Captain, My Captain
Question: The first person to read this, stand up proudly on their chair, and yell “Oh Captain, My Captain” at the top of their lungs will receive a 95% on the exam. Potential Answer: One lucky (or unlucky, depending on your POV) student must stand up on their chair and yell out the famous movie quote—no tricks here! Variations: You could have students say any funny and famous line you want. Maybe “I’m the king of the world” from Titanic or “You talkin’ to me?” from Taxi Driver!
Leonardo DiCaprio
Question: Including The Revenant, how many times has Leonardo DiCaprio been nominated for an Academy Award? Correct Answer: 6. Variations: You could replace Leo with pretty much any famous actor, or give a bonus point for each nominated movie the student can name (The Aviator, Blood Diamond, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Revenant, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape).
Beliebe in Physics
Question: Justin Bieber is thrown horizontally at 10.0 m/s from the top of a cliff that’s 122.5 meters high. A) How long does it take him to reach the ground? B) What is the horizontal displacement? C) What is Justin’s final velocity? Correct Answer: A) 5.0 seconds B) 50.0 meters. C) 50.05 m/s at an angle of 78.6 below the horizontal. Variations: Feel free to replace J-Biebz with pretty much any celeb, or switch up the numbers for an easier or more challenging problem (depending on the level of your students).
Shark Butt
Question: Draw a shark butt. Potential Answer: Well, drawing a shark butt! Since a shark butt isn’t something that can be easily visualized, you might get some pretty funny doodles from your students. Variations: Switch out the shark with other animals that don’t have a distinct butt (what a sentence!). E.g., a snake, dolphin, hamster, or T-rex.
1+1 = ?
Question: Time for a mental break—you deserve it! What is 1 + 1?a) Not this oneb) Still not this onec) 2d) You’ve gone too far, go back to C. Correct Answer: C – 1+1 does indeed equal 2. Variations: Give your students a brain break with any questions that everyone should know the answer to. Other options include “what color is the sky” (blue), “what do you call a baby dog” (puppy), and “What popular sandwich is made of peanut butter and jelly?” (a PB&J).
Pink Pens
Question: During our last class, I quickly mentioned that only a pink pen will save you tomorrow. Draw a stick figure below with that pink pen. Correct Answer: A stick figure drawn in pink ink. Explanation: This test of student preparedness (and listening skills) requires you to tell them in the class prior to the exam that they’ll need a pink pen.
Impress Me
Question: Impress me. Potential Answer: If you’re impressed by what the student wrote, then they’ve earned the extra credit! In an example shared online, a student just wrote “Why” as their response. Their teacher gave them extra credit, responding with “Good, always question the man.” Explanation: Students can write, draw, or do anything that they think will impress their teacher. You’ll likely receive some interesting responses that'll reveal a lot about each of your students.
Rick Roll
Question: Rick Astley’s never gonna:A) Give you upB) Let you downC) Make you cryD) Hurt youE) All of the above Potential Answer: E Explanation: These are the iconic lyrics of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up,” in which he promises never to do any of the things listed in the multiple choice answers.
Enveloped
Question: What starts with “e” and ends with “e” but only has one letter in it? Correct Answer: An envelope! Explanation: This classic riddle is a bit tricky—the word “envelope” starts and ends with the letter “e.” And the object of an envelope contains one written letter!
Codenames
Question: Follow this formula to come up with your super-secret spy alter ego, then stand up and announce it to the class before turning in your test: Your favorite color + the street you live on + your lucky number (e.g., Green Canby 27). Potential Answer: If a student successfully announces their “code name” (out loud) to the class, they’ve earned their point. Variation: To make this bonus question even more fun, print a secret agent code name generator (like this one) on the test. Have students come up with their spy name from there!
Color Recall
Question: Which color shirt did I wear last class? Potential Answer: Students must (correctly) write down the color of shirt you were wearing in the previous class session. This question works best if your last class was fairly recent (i.e., yesterday). Variations: Ask students to tell the kind of shoes you wore the day before, if you were wearing jeans, whether your hair was up or down, etc.
Berry Good
Question: Which one of these is not a real fruit or berry?A) Horned melonB) CloudberryC) BreadfruitD) Mutant grapeE) Tree tomatoF) None of these are real!! Nice try! Correct Answer: D. Explanation: As much as we might want it to be, a mutant grape is not a specific type of fruit. The other options, however, are all real!
Eavesdropping for Dummies
Question: Describe the dumbest conversation you overheard recently. Potential Answer: If a student writes a conversation that makes you giggle or drop your jaw, then they probably deserve a point. One example answer was “Guy: ‘Do you like Bon Jovi?’ Girl: ‘No thanks, I don’t eat Italian food.’” Yikes! Explanation: Honestly, this question is more for your entertainment than anything else. You can also give a range of extra credit points (i.e., 1-5) based on just how dumb and hilarious the conversation is.
Periodic Table of Spelling
Question: Spell a word (or phrase) of 4 or more letters with element symbols from the periodic table. Example: “neon” would be spelled “Ne O N.” Note: This example will not be considered an acceptable answer. Potential Answer: Any coherent word or phrase spelled out with real symbols from the periodic table would work here. For example, you can use the symbols for americium, erbium, iodine, and calcium to spell [Am] [Er] [I] [Ca]. Variations You could also flip this question around—give students a word or sentence spelled out with periodic table symbols, then ask them to identify the elements (in order) that correspond to each symbol.
Four-Eyed Dinosaur
Question: A pair of spectacles is dropped from the top of a 32.0 m high stadium. A pen is dropped 2.0 s later. Draw a dinosaur wearing spectacles and holding a pen. (Disregard air resistance, g = 9.18 m/s. Correct Answer: A drawing of a dinosaur wearing glasses and holding a pen. Explanation: This question looks like a math problem…but it’s not. If students are reading the instructions carefully, they’ll be relieved to learn that they don’t have to calculate anything (except their drawing skills) to earn these points!
Pop Quiz
Question: Fill in the blank for each numbered phrase.1. ___ goes the weasel.2. If you live in the Midwest, you might call carbonated soda ___.3. Your paternal parent could be referred to as your ___.4. The acronymic abbreviation for Point of Purchase is ___.5. ___ is the name of a 1997 U2 album (hint: it’s a three-letter palindrome). Correct Answer: “Pop” is the correct answer for all five questions. Explanation: It’s a “pop” quiz – get it?!?
West Philadelphia
Question: Finish this sentence: “In West Philadelphia, born and raised, on the __________________________________________________________.” Correct Answer: “On the playground was where I spent most of my days.” Explanation: These are the opening lyrics to the iconic theme song for The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Since it’s an older show, you might want to save these questions for older teens, college students, and adult learners.
What Does the Fox Say?
Question: What does the fox say?a) nopeb) not quitec) Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding! Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding! Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!d) You’ve gone too far, go back to C. Correct Answer: C. Explanation: These are the lyrics to the viral song “The Fox (What Does the Fox Say)” by Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis.
California Love
Question: Complete the next verse: “I been in the game for ten years makin’ rap tunes, _____________________________.” Correct Answer: “Ever since honeys was wearin' Sassoon.” Variations & Explanation: These are the lyrics to the song “California Love” by Tupac Shakur. If you’d rather use a different rap song (or one you think your students would be more familiar with), try one of these options: “Ain’t you tired? Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably _____.” “A Minor.” “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar “Yeah, I’m in that Tonka, color of Willy Wonka, _____.” “You could be the king, but watch the Queen conquer.” “Monster” feat. Nicki Minaj “She says do you love me, I tell her only partly, _______.” “I only love my bed and my mama, I’m sorry.” “God’s Plan” by Drake “I’m just a late bloomer, I didn’t peak in high school, ______.” “I’m still out here getting cuter.” “Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X ft. Jack Harlow “Log 'em off the web, and every gangster's giving actress, ______.” “Gangsta's giving actress and all these fake activists.” “Catfish” by Doechii
Make Me Laugh
Question: Write a joke on the back of this paper that genuinely makes me LOL (laugh out loud). Potential Answer: If a student writes a joke that ACTUALLY makes you audibly laugh, then they score a point! Variations: If brainteasers are more your thing, ask them to write a riddle or trivia question that stumps you (but it has to have a legitimate answer when you ask them for it next class).
Meow Meow
Question: Stand up and meow, then sit back down like nothing happened. Potential Answer: If a student wants extra credit badly enough, they’ll stand up in the middle of the quiet exam room and meow like a cat, then sit down and immediately resume their test. Variations: You could ask students to do pretty much anything that’s loud and embarrassing (e.g., bark like a dog, howl like a wolf, or do an R2-D2 scream).
Hot Dog Philosophy
Question: Is a hot dog a sandwich or a taco? Please give an in-depth explanation (with evidence) for your answer. Potential Answer: Students should give a definitive answer, one way or another. For younger students, you can just let them answer the question. For older students, make them demonstrate their analytical reasoning skills with an evidence-based defense of their answer. Variations: Give a similarly silly question like “Is a pop tart a calzone?” or “Is cereal soup?”
Backwards to Forwards
Question: Spell backwards, forwards. Correct Answer: “b-a-c-k-w-a-r-d-s” or “s-d-r-a-w-r-o-f.” Explanation: This brain-teasing question can ignite a lot of discussion among students, since there are two potential answers, depending on whether you read the question as “spell the word ‘backwards’ forwards” or “spell the word ‘forwards’ backwards.” This question actually comes from the State of Louisiana Literacy Test, which was originally created in 1960 to keep Black citizens (who didn’t have the same access to formal education) from voting. But many of these questions are near-impossible for anyone to answer. Here are a few other example questions from the test to share with your students: “Print the word vote upside down, but in the correct order.” “Draw a figure that is square in shape. Divide it in half by drawing a straight line from its northeast corner to its southwest corner, and then divide it once more by drawing a broken line from the middle of its western side to the middle of its eastern side.” “Write right from the left to the right as you see it spelled here.”
Do You Even Know Me?
Question: Write out your teacher’s first and last name, spelled correctly. Correct Answer: Your first and last name, spelled correctly! Explanation: You might be surprised by how many students don’t know your full name, especially for younger students who refer to you as Mrs., Ms., or Mr.
It's-A Me, Mario
Question: Explain the relationship between Mario and Luigi. Correct Answer: They’re brothers. Variations: Alternatively, ask students to explain the relationship between another famous dynamic duo, such as Batman and Robin (adoptive dad and son), Bert and Ernie (roommates), or Princess Peach and Daisy (BFFs).
Red, White, and Black
Question: What’s black, white, and red all over? Potential Answer: This classic joke has multiple possible answers. As long as your student’s answer makes sense, we say to give them the point! Explanation: The standard answer to this riddle is a newspaper, because it’s black and white, and it’s also “read.” However, you could accept alternative answers, like an embarrassed zebra, a penguin with a rash, or a chocolate sundae with ketchup on top.
Spring Break
Question: Draw a picture of your teacher on vacation. Potential Answer: Any drawing that matches the criteria in the question (i.e., you sipping a fruity drink in a lounge chair by the pool!). Explanation: This super fun question is suitable for any age group, but it’ll be especially fun for younger kids who might come up with some silly holiday scenarios.
Octopus’ Garden
Question: Who’s the drummer for The Beatles? Correct Answer: Ringo Starr. Variations: If you don’t think your students will be familiar with Ringo (the best drummer in The Beatles, if you ask us), then you could swap him out for another pop culture figure. E.g., “Who sings the song ‘Halo’?” (Beyoncé), “What pop star has the alter ego ‘Hannah Montana’?” (Miley Cyrus), “Who’s the bass player for Red Hot Chili Peppers?” (Flea).
Backstreet’s Back
Question: Name 3 of the greatest all-boy bands of all time. Potential Answer: Students should name 3 boy bands. Here are some of the most popular: The Backstreet Boys, The Jackson 5, The Beatles, One Direction, *NSYNC, New Edition, The Monkees, New Kids on the Block, BTS. Variations: Instead of boy bands, ask students to name girl groups (e.g., Spice Girls, Destiny’s Child, Little Mix), British bands (e.g., Sex Pistols, The Rolling Stones, Queen), or Disney stars turned musicians (e.g., Demi Lovato, Sabrina Carpenter, Selena Gomez).
Colors of the Rainbow
Question: How many colors are there in a rainbow? Name the colors (in order). Correct Answer: 7. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Explanation: This question is a great choice for very young students (i.e., elementary schoolers) or older students that you want to give a freebie to.
Dental Hygiene & Dance Trends
Question: How do you “floss”? Potential Answer: Students can describe how they clean their teeth with floss, or they can describe the “flossing” dance move. Explanation: If you don’t know, the “floss” is a popular dance trend (circa the 2010s) where a person clenches their fists and repeatedly swings their arms from the back of their body to the front, alternating sides of their body.
Next Time Won’t You Sing With Me
Question: Name two songs that have the same tune as “The Alphabet Song.” Correct Answer: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Baa Baa Black Sheep.” Explanation: Even if you didn’t realize until way too late in life (????????), the same melody is sung for all three of these classic childhood tunes. The melody is derived from "Ah vous dirai-je, Maman," a French song by Bouin.
Comments
0 comment