This or That Questions for Students and Teachers

Read a pair aloud and students move to the side of the room that matches their pick.

Random this or that picker

Classroom
RecessorFree choice time
Next question

One round takes 2 to 5 minutes.

Jump to a section (10)
  1. School this or that questions
  2. Back to school this or that
  3. This or that brain break and movement break
  4. This or that morning meeting questions
  5. This or that attendance questions
  6. This or that math questions
  7. Teacher this or that questions
  8. How to run a this or that classroom game
  9. Tips from the classroom
  10. Frequently asked questions

School this or that questions

These this or that school edition pairs are about the school day itself. Every student has an opinion, so they work in any grade from 2nd through 12th.

  1. RecessorFree choice time?
  2. PencilorMarker?
  3. DeskorBeanbag?
  4. Line leaderorDoor holder?
  5. Field triporAssembly?
  6. Reading cornerorWriting center?
  7. Group projectorWork alone?
  8. Front roworBack row?
  9. BusorCar rider?
  10. Hot lunchorPacked lunch?
  11. Library timeorComputer lab?
  12. GymorArt?
  13. Music classorScience lab?
  14. Spelling testorMath test?
  15. BackpackorRolling bag?
  16. Lined paperorGraph paper?
  17. CrayonsorColored pencils?
  18. Field dayorSpirit day?
  19. Class pet lizardorClass pet bunny?
  20. Glue stickorTape?
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Back to school this or that

Use this this or that back to school edition in the first week. The pairs are low-risk, so new students can answer without sharing anything personal.

  1. New shoesorNew backpack?
  2. First day nervesorFirst day excitement?
  3. Summer camporSummer at home?
  4. PoolorBeach?
  5. Sleep inorWake up early?
  6. Lunch boxorPaper bag?
  7. Pick your seatorAssigned seat?
  8. New friendsorOld friends?
  9. School supplies shoppingorClothes shopping?
  10. Ice poporIce cream cone?

This or that brain break and movement break

For a this or that movement break, students stand on this side of the room for the first option and that side for the second. Each pair below also has an action, so this or that brain break for kids gets bodies moving.

  1. Hop like a bunnyorWaddle like a penguin?
  2. Jumping jacksorArm circles?
  3. TiptoeorStomp?
  4. Swim like a fishorFly like a bird?
  5. Roller coasterorFerris wheel?
  6. Dance partyorFreeze dance?
  7. Superhero poseorStatue pose?
  8. Run in placeorMarch in place?
  9. Touch your toesorReach for the sky?
  10. Slither like a snakeorGallop like a horse?

This or that morning meeting questions

In morning meeting, use one pair as the share. Go around the circle and each student says their pick and one reason in a single sentence.

  1. Sunny dayorRainy day?
  2. Bake saleorBook swap?
  3. MountainsorOcean?
  4. Board gameorVideo game?
  5. DragonorUnicorn?
  6. Be a teacher for a dayorBe the principal for a day?
  7. Magic paintbrushorMagic backpack?
  8. Build a fortorBuild a sandcastle?
  9. SingorDance?
  10. Comic bookorChapter book?

This or that attendance questions

Write the pair on the board before class. Students answer with one word when you call their name, so roll call doubles as a quick check-in.

  1. PizzaorTacos?
  2. BananasorPears?
  3. PuppiesorKittens?
  4. GrapesorStrawberries?
  5. WinterorSummer?
  6. BikeorScooter?
  7. PancakesorFrench toast?
  8. Hot cocoaorLemonade?

This or that math questions

Math pairs let students talk about how they think. Ask "Why?" after each one, and accept any answer with a reason.

  1. AdditionorSubtraction?
  2. FractionsorDecimals?
  3. Mental mathorShow your work?
  4. Odd numbersorEven numbers?
  5. RulerorProtractor?
  6. Word problemsorNumber problems?
  7. MultiplicationorDivision?
  8. CirclesorTriangles?
  9. CalculatororPencil and paper?
  10. EstimateorCount exactly?

Teacher this or that questions

This this or that teacher edition works at a staff meeting or on the first day, when students quiz the teacher. Read the pair, let the class guess your answer, then reveal it.

  1. GradingorLesson planning?
  2. Coffee in the loungeorCoffee at your desk?
  3. Recess dutyorBus duty?
  4. Dry-erase markerorSmartboard pen?
  5. Teach kindergartenorTeach high school?
  6. Summer breakorWinter break?
  7. Field trip chaperoneorScience fair judge?
  8. RubricorChecklist?

How to run a this or that classroom game

  1. Pick 5 to 10 pairs from one section. Fewer pairs for a brain break, more for an icebreaker.
  2. Point to the two sides of the room. Say "Left wall is the first answer, right wall is the second."
  3. Read the pair as "A or B?" and count down from 3. Students walk, not run, to their side.
  4. Call on one student from each side to give a reason in one sentence.
  5. Send everyone back to the middle before the next pair, so the class resets.
  6. End with a calm pair, such as "Book or Nap?", and ask students to walk back to their seats.

This or that whiteboard questions and worksheets

For this or that whiteboard questions, write one pair on the board each morning. Students add a tally mark or a sticky note with their name under their pick as they walk in.

This site does not offer a downloadable this or that worksheet. To make your own, use the print layout on this page (browser Print, or Save as PDF), or type 10 pairs into Google Docs with a circle-one line under each. A this or that worksheet for kids can add a "Why?" line for a writing warm-up.

Tips from the classroom

  • Set the movement rule before the first pair. Students who stand in the middle lose the point of the game.
  • Watch for friend-following. If a whole table always moves together, switch to a hands-up or eyes-closed vote.
  • Avoid pairs about family, money or appearance. Some students cannot answer those without feeling singled out.
  • Use the same pair for attendance and for a writing prompt. Students already know their answer, so they start writing faster.
  • Keep the random picker at /this-or-that-generator open on the board for days you have no list ready.
  • Let a student read the pairs on Friday. Kids listen more closely when a classmate runs it.
  • Add an action to each side. The this or that questions students remember best are the ones they acted out.

Frequently asked questions

What are this or that questions for students?

This or that questions for students are quick two-choice prompts, such as "Pencil or Marker?" or "Recess or Free choice time?", that a whole class answers at once. Teachers use them as brain breaks, morning meeting greetings, attendance questions and back to school icebreakers. One round takes 2 to 5 minutes and needs no prep beyond a list of pairs.

Good this or that questions for students use two choices every child knows, such as Recess or Free choice time, Pencil or Marker, and Field trip or Assembly. Pick pairs with no wrong answer and no personal details, so every student can answer in front of the class.

Read a pair, point to two sides of the room, and have students move to their pick. Five pairs take about 3 minutes. For a stronger brain break this or that version, add an action to each side, such as hopping or tiptoeing, so students move while they choose.

Use safe, light pairs such as Summer camp or Summer at home, New shoes or New backpack, and Dragon or Unicorn. They let new students share a preference without sharing anything personal, and they show who has things in common.

No downloadable worksheet exists on this site, but you can print any page. Use your browser's Print or Save as PDF option for a clean copy. For this or that worksheets with answer lines, paste 10 pairs into Google Docs and add a "Why?" line under each.

Use one pair as the share. Write it on the board, then go around the circle while each student says their pick and one reason. A class of 22 finishes in about 5 minutes. Answer first yourself so students hear an example.

Yes. This or that for teachers uses pairs like Grading or Lesson planning and Recess duty or Bus duty, because every teacher has an opinion. Run 5 pairs at the start of a meeting, and have staff stand or raise a hand for each side.

Pairs about the school day work in any grade: Recess or Free choice time, Hot lunch or Packed lunch, Gym or Art, and Field day or Spirit day. Younger students answer quickly, and older students give longer reasons, so the same list covers a whole school.

Set three rules first: walk to your side, no talking until you arrive, and back to the middle between pairs. Use a countdown from 3 before students move. If noise rises, switch to a silent version where students point instead.

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