How ready do you feel for today's lesson?
- Ready to go
- Mostly ready
- A bit tired
- Not ready yet
Poll questions for students: 48 for every part of a lesson
A class poll lets every student answer at once, not just the three who always put a hand up. These questions work in any subject, from the first minute of a lesson to the exit ticket, and students vote on any phone, tablet or laptop.
- 48class polls
- 6moments in a lesson
- Any subjectreusable
- Freeno student accounts
By Michael Hodge, BSc Psychology Updated September 2026
Class polls for the whole lesson
None of these depend on the subject you teach, so you can reuse them all year. Pick the moment in the lesson, or the age of your class, to narrow the list.
48 of 48 questions
For
Format
Check-ins for the first two minutes
Settle the room and learn where students are before you start teaching.
How did last night's homework go?
- Easy
- Okay
- Hard
- I did not finish
How much do you already know about today's topic?
- A lot
- A little
- Nothing yet
How much of the last lesson do you remember?
- Most of it
- Some of it
- Not much
How is your energy for this class right now?
- High
- Medium
- Low
How would you like to start today?
- A quick review
- Straight into new work
- A short game
How did you get to school today?
- Walked
- Bus
- Car
- Bike
What is the weather like where you are?
- Sunny
- Cloudy
- Rainy
- Snowy
Check understanding without calling on anyone
Ask after each new idea. If more than a third of the class is unsure, that is your cue to explain it another way.
Tip: show the result to the class. Students who are lost learn they are not the only ones.
How confident are you with what we just covered?
- Very confident
- Fairly confident
- A bit unsure
- Lost
Should we go over that again?
- Yes, please
- No, I have got it
- Just the last part
Which step is the hardest so far?
- Step one
- Step two
- Step three
- None of them
Is the lesson moving too fast or too slow?
- Too fast
- About right
- Too slow
Could you explain this to a classmate right now?
- Yes
- Probably
- Not yet
Which example helped you most?
- The first one
- The second one
- The third one
- None yet
Do you want to try one yourself or see another example first?
- Try one myself
- See another example
How sure are you about your answer?
- Certain
- Fairly sure
- Guessing
Exit tickets for the last two minutes
One question before the bell. Read the results before planning the next lesson.
How well did you understand today's lesson?
- Very well
- Mostly
- A little
- Not at all
What should we spend more time on next lesson?
- Practice
- Explanation
- Group work
- Review
How did working in groups go today?
- Loved it
- It was fine
- I prefer working alone
How much did you learn today?
- A lot
- Some
- Not much
Which activity helped you learn the most today?
- The explanation
- The practice
- The discussion
- The video
Do you know what to do for homework?
- Yes
- Mostly
- No
How would you rate today's class?
- Great
- Good
- Okay
- Not great
How challenging was today's work?
- Too easy
- Just right
- Too hard
Let the class decide
Small choices students can own. A class that votes on the plan is more likely to stick to it.
Which should we do first today?
- The quiz
- The group task
- The reading
Which day should we have the test?
- Monday
- Wednesday
- Friday
How should we review for the test?
- Practice quiz
- Study guide
- Review game
- Q and A session
Where should we go on our class trip?
- Museum
- Science center
- Zoo
- Park
What should our class reward be?
- Movie day
- Extra recess
- Game time
- Pizza party
How should we form groups for the project?
- Choose our own
- Teacher picks
- Random
What theme should our class display have?
- Space
- Oceans
- Our town
- Future jobs
Should we do the reading in class or at home?
- In class
- At home
Discussion starters for older students
Vote first, then discuss. Seeing the split before anyone speaks gives quieter students the confidence to join in.
Should phones be allowed in class?
- Yes
- No
- Only for class work
Is homework useful?
- Yes
- Sometimes
- No
Should school start later in the morning?
- Yes
- No
Is it better to study alone or in a group?
- Alone
- In a group
- Depends on the subject
Should students sometimes grade their own work?
- Yes
- No
- Maybe
Longer lessons or more breaks?
- Longer lessons
- More breaks
Should school uniforms be required?
- Yes
- No
Is learning online as good as learning in class?
- Better
- As good
- Worse
Fun polls that build a class community
For the first week of term, a Friday afternoon or a class that needs a reset. Every student has an answer to these.
What is your favorite subject?
- Math
- Science
- English
- Art
Which superpower would help you most at school?
- Flying
- Invisibility
- Super speed
- Mind reading
What is the best school lunch?
- Pizza
- Tacos
- Pasta
- Sandwiches
Which pet should our class adopt?
- Fish
- Hamster
- Rabbit
- Stick insect
What do you want to be when you grow up?
- Scientist
- Artist
- Athlete
- Something else
What kind of book should we read next?
- Adventure
- Mystery
- Funny
- Real life
What is the best way to spend a rainy recess?
- Board games
- Drawing
- Reading
- Chatting
What should we name our class plant?
- Leafy
- Sprout
- Mr Green
- Fern
No question matches. Clear the search or pick another chip.
How polling changes a lesson
Nothing hears from a whole class faster than a poll. Used at the right moments, it changes what you teach next.
Every student answers, not just the confident few
Hands up tells you what the keenest students think. A poll tells you what the class thinks, including the student who is lost and would never say so. You see the whole picture in thirty seconds.
Vote, discuss, vote again
Ask a question, let students vote, have them convince a neighbor, then vote again. That is Peer Instruction. When Harvard's introductory physics course switched from lectures to it, the average learning gain on a standard concept test doubled in the first year.1 The understanding checks on this page work for the first vote.
End with one question
An exit ticket poll takes two minutes and tells you where to start next time. Look for the students who chose the lowest option, and plan the first five minutes of the next lesson for them.
Running a poll in class
Launch a question here and put the link on the board. Students vote from whatever device is in front of them, and the result goes up on the screen as it comes in. An online class works the same way.
| Where | Options per poll | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Poll Maker | Every question on this page | No account to create or vote. Share one link anywhere. |
| Instagram story | Up to 44 | Keep options to a word or two. |
| X | Up to 4, 25 characters each2 | The card on each question says when it fits. |
| Teams chat | Up to 65 | Made with Microsoft Forms inside the chat. |
| Up to 12, 100 characters each3 | Several answers are allowed unless you switch it off. |
Class polls: common questions
Do students need an account to vote?
No. Each student follows the link and picks an answer. Creating the poll is free and needs no account either.
Are class polls anonymous?
Poll Maker polls do not ask voters to sign in, so students can answer an understanding check honestly without the class knowing who chose what. Only ask for names when you really need them.
How often should I poll my class?
One or two polls a lesson is usually enough: an understanding check after the main explanation and an exit ticket at the end. Past two, polling begins to cost you teaching time.
Can I use these with younger students?
Yes. Filter by younger students, read the question aloud and keep to three or four options. For very young classes, a show of hands on the same options works just as well.
Poll your class tomorrow
Pick one understanding check and one exit ticket. Launch them from here, and you will know where your class stands before you plan the next lesson.
