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High schoolers have a lot on their minds: homework, friends, and even the next snack break! So, it can be challenging to get them to connect with the class and you. When traditional icebreakers just don’t cut it, try switching things up with Would You Rather questions for high school. These simple questions are an easy way to get students talking and thinking without the pressure of a writing prompt. Whether they are reflecting on what they want to do after college or thinking about that mystery meal in the cafeteria, these questions are the perfect mix of originality and fun.
Get to know your students with fun Would You Rather questions
The first few days of school can feel like a whirlwind: Everyone’s finding their rhythm again after a long break. Ease into the new year with these fun and lighthearted Would You Rather questions for high school students. Try them for a morning meeting, first-week-of-school activity, or SEL check-in.
Would you rather:
- Have a pet dragon or be able to fly?
- Eat only pizza at every meal for a month or no junk food for a year?
- Go on a comedy tour with Netflix or walk the runways of Paris?
- Have a long summer break to travel the world or take shorter breaks during the school year to let your mind reset?
- Write a journal on mathematical equations or try your hand at writing poems for publication?
- Go down in the history books for your Einstein IQ or for discovering the cure for cancer?
- Go to a school online or one that makes you leave your tech at home?
- Have free time and get C’s or have straight A’s but no time to socialize?
- Do projects where your grade is your hard work alone, or count on your friends to help you make the grade?
- Have to skip everywhere or run every time you enter the hallway?
Icebreaker Activity DIGITAL Middle & High School Would You Rather?
By Mindful and Kind Counseling
Grades: 6th-12th
You can create your own slides or use one of these 40 premade Would You Rather question slides. These work perfectly for whole and small group activities.
Printable Would You Rather Questions for Teens – Middle School and High School
By Khristen Massic — CTE Teacher Coach
Grades: 7th-12th
This set of 102 Would You Rather questions includes 17 pages with six cards on each page. This resource can be reused over and over again for laughs and fun.
High School Back to School Would You Rather Conversation Starters Activities
By College Counselor Studio
Grades: 9th-12th
Get back to school on the right foot with 100 colorful discussion question prompts. The resource also includes a printer-friendly black-and-white version to help students connect and think critically.
Step into a digital double life with tech Would You Rather questions
The American Psychological Association points out that teens spend about five hours daily on social media. Instead of fighting this sometimes-concerning trend, tap into it! Use digital-life Would You Rather (WYR) questions to help students open up and reflect on their online lives. They’re great for class discussions, journaling, debate topics, or just some lighthearted brain breaks for high school.
Would You Rather:
- Give up browsing YouTube for a month or stop your favorite TV app for a week?
- Go viral for falling in front of your crush or never get more than 100 likes on anything?
- Have a podcast on community change that everyone listens to but doesn’t follow, or have thousands of subscribers to your influencer channel, but no one listens?
- Post selfies with no filters or only post pictures your mom takes of you?
- Go completely tech-free or use only a flip phone for a month?
- Live in your favorite video game or comic world?
- Use just your favorite app for one month or give it up for the whole month?
- Have your favorite video go viral or get an Instagram photo posted on a billboard?
- Be famous for a video of your community service or for a hilarious video you made with friends?
Reflect with Would You Rather questions for high school students
When students enter school, they’re surrounded by familiar faces, classmates, lifelong friends, and the teachers who cheer them on. Many of these foundational connections stretch back to kindergarten. Help students think more deeply (and playfully!) about those relationships with these thought-provoking Would You Rather questions. They work for building empathy and reflecting on what really matters through high school journal prompts or brain breaks.
Would you rather:
- Lose touch with your best friend for two years or never meet them in the first place?
- Have a best friend who only speaks in rhymes or one who always shouts?
- Take a road trip with your bestie but no WiFi, or have unlimited WiFi but no contact with friends?
- Have a friend who never hurts your feelings or one who always tells you the honest truth, even if it stings?
- Give up your phone but keep your friends, or keep your phone but have no friends for a week?
- Have a famous friend or one you can truly rely on?
- Go on a road trip with your favorite sibling or your closest friend?
- Accidentally reveal a friend’s secret or have them accidentally reveal yours?
- Have one best friend who always has your back or a big friend group that boosts your ego?
Discover travel goals with This or That questions
The world is so much bigger than the walls of your school hallways. But with exams, homework, and college prep piling up, it’s easy to forget there’s a whole planet waiting to be explored. Spark curiosity and expand your students’ horizons with these travel-themed WYR questions. Drop these into a geography lesson as a fun activity, as well.
Would You Rather:
- Explore ancient ruins in Rome or Greece?
- Visit every U.S. state or spend time in one foreign country of your choice?
- Watch the Northern Lights in Alaska or relax by the crystal-blue waters of the Caribbean?
- Explore the pyramids of Egypt or sail the Greek Islands?
- Stroll the streets of five major, famous cities around the world or take a year-long cruise around the world, but you can’t go too far from the boat.
- Space travel to Mars for crater exploration or take rock samples from the moon?
- See the Eiffel Tower up close or check out the Tokyo Skytree?
- Travel the globe with a celebrity with no limits or your best friend on a budget?
- Experience the cultural traditions of Buddhist Asia or Renaissance Europe?
- Climb to the summit of Mount Everest or dive deep into the ocean’s mysteries?
- Walk along the Great Wall of China or hike through the heart of the Amazon?
Would You Rather | Travel & Transport GOOGLE SLIDES | This or That Game Activity
By Transition Abilities
Grades: 5th-12th
Incorporate interactive travel WYR questions with pictures for a low-prep activity. This asset allows students to think about their travel preferences, and the format will enable students to justify their answers on response worksheets.
Get your students thinking about their futures with these high-impact choices
High school students often start thinking about their futures early on, but the closer they get to graduation, the more real that decision-making process becomes. Help ease the pressure and ignite curiosity with a fun and reflective activity. Work this into a career exploration senior project to get the wheels spinning. It’s also a great bell ringer journaling activity for English to keep career exploration in your upperclassmen’s minds. These Would You Rather questions for high school students are perfect conversation starters that will get your students thinking about education options and life after high school in a low-pressure, engaging way.
Would you rather:
- Be a tech innovator or medical trailblazer?
- Lead the class as a teacher or run the show as a principal?
- Attend college or take a skilled trade path?
- Travel the world before college or fast-track to a degree?
- Live the dorm life with roommates or get your own apartment?
- Be at the top of the class or study abroad during your senior year?
- Take passion over paycheck or cash over calling?
- Be jet-setting odd hours or have a steady 9-to-5?
- Impress as a global CEO or set the stage as a small-business changemaker?
- Get your dream job now or experience your way to the top?
Laugh at life’s fails with This or That questions for high school students
Laughter really is the best medicine. This is especially true when students hit that midday slump. Give your teens a brain break with these funny, slightly embarrassing scenarios. Perfect for a quick reset before diving back into an intense lesson.
Would you rather:
- Trip in front of your crush or go viral for falling down the school stairs?
- Your ringtone blasts in class, or you start snoring mid-lecture?
- End a call with “I love you” to a stranger or send your baby photo to a crush?
- Skip deodorant for a day or realize your shoes don’t match?
- Have a loud burp or a sudden fart during your big presentation?
- Blast your mom’s embarrassing voicemail or have your frenemy’s voice message play out loud?
- Declare your undying love for a celeb on social media or sneeze on your crush?
- Accidentally post a no-filter selfie during a breakout or freeze during the school play?
- Walk around with spinach in your teeth or have a used Kleenex stuck to your shoe?
- Have your backpack explode in the hallway or ketchup squirt on your shirt at lunch?
Explore questions about swapping styles in high school
Fashionistas, unite! Because high school can be a runway. Whether you’re serving looks or side-eyeing someone’s plaid-with-stripes combo, these questions are your next style convo starters. Get debating together about students’ latest wardrobe choices.
Would you rather:
- Dress like the school mascot or make your gym teacher dress like you?
- Only shop thrifted or wear hand-me-downs from your trendy sibling?
- Rock Crocs with socks or suspenders with a pocket protector?
- Style yourself like your VR avatar or your favorite video game character?
- Wear the same outfit every day or let your parents pick your look?
- Follow every different fashion trend or create your own iconic style?
- Wear a cringe outfit in front of your crush or give up your favorite look to your bestie?
- Rock 80s hair for a day, or go bold and shave your head for the year?
- Go to prom in a flapper dress or full-on 80s ruffles and sequins?
- Rock Hogwarts robes for a week, or go full Minion outfit for one unforgettable day?
Define your culture with these questions
Heritage is a big part of your students’ lives, but they don’t always get a chance to celebrate it at school. Use these questions to spark meaningful conversations, as part of a friendly classroom debate, or as part of a gallery walk. It’s a simple way to help students reflect on their roots while building connections and community.
Would you rather:
- Wear traditional clothing for a day or eat your family’s wildest recipes at lunch all week?
- Travel back in time to meet your ancestors or invite one to visit your school for the day?
- Be able to speak your ancestral language fluently or paint like your great-great-grandparents?
- See your culture’s art hanging in the Louvre or trending on social media?
- Dance in a school assembly in traditional clothing or teach your classmates a recipe from your culture?
- Show off your heritage through clothing or create a video of your culture’s language?
- Perform a cultural dance or sing a traditional song in the school talent show?
- Open a 100-year-old time capsule from your family or create a new one with your grandparents?
- Keep a long-standing tradition going, or create a brand-new one with your family?
- Have your favorite family recipe go viral or get featured in a local food magazine?
Spanish This or That España Culture Would You Rather Game – Spain Gallery Walk
By Profe Zulita
Grades: 4th-12th
Language and culture unite in this Spanish WYR resource. It includes 20 prompts that help students learn Spanish and immerse themselves in the culture. You can also access three template slides, a printable gallery walk, worksheets, and slides.
Bite into these delicious Would You Rather food questions
Teenagers are roaming vending machines of knowledge. They are part scholar and part snack connoisseur. From brain-fueling ramen to neon-red Takis, they know every shortcut to a Slushie and can sniff out pizza like bloodhounds on pepperoni patrol. Serve up this food for thought before lunch, and let their imaginations feast with This or That questions for high school students.
Would you rather:
- Get free cafeteria favorites for life or unlimited vending machine loot for one glorious week?
- Choke down a day of cafeteria mystery mush or wave goodbye to chips for life?
- Munch dried crickets in front of your crush or live stream a fiery spice challenge on social media?
- Feast on bottomless, mom-packed “healthy” brown-bag surprises or limp cafeteria pizza slices day after day?
- Dump an entire tray on your bestie or splatter chocolate milk on your crush’s fresh kicks?
- Swap lunches with a pal all week or skip your favorite snack for an entire month?
- Scoop soup with a fork or wield chopsticks like a spicy-snack samurai?
- Bite a mystery sandwich abandoned on a random tray or eat an opened bag of chips stashed in your locker beside sweaty gym clothes for a month?
- Endure thunderous soda slurps during silent reading or nonstop chip crunching in your ear?
- Drop your lunch tray every week in the packed cafeteria or sit next to your nemesis at every lunch every day?
Imagine the impossible with fun pop culture and superhero questions
Supercharge your class with questions that feel like stepping into a blockbuster movie or flipping through your favorite comic book. Grab your cape! It’s time to script your own epic adventure with fun Would You Rather questions high school kids will enjoy.
Would you rather:
- Be invisible every time you do something embarrassing, or know the future — but you embarrass yourself every time you learn it?
- Have your teacher always say glowing things about you or know exactly when your crush is thinking about you?
- Live as Harry Potter for a year or join the Avengers on a mission?
- Jump into your favorite movie universe or level up inside your favorite video game?
- Become a real-life movie star or step into the shoes of your favorite film character?
- Star on a reality show with your celebrity crush or take a globe-trotting trip with your favorite content creator?
- Be stuck as a character in a book you didn’t like or play your least liked villain in the Marvel Universe movie?
- Score lifetime Coachella tickets or sing backup for your favorite band on tour?
- Have your life turned into a comic series or streamed as the next big blockbuster?
Discover how TPT can elevate your WYR game
Getting high schoolers to open up isn’t always a breeze. Just mentioning an icebreaker might get you more eyerolls than enthusiasm. But Would You Rather questions have a whole different vibe. These quirky, unexpected prompts can crack even the toughest shells and get your classroom buzzing with laughs in no time. Whether you’re kicking off the year or shaking up your routine, use high school Would You Rather games, activities, and questions to mix things up. It’s the perfect way to get them thinking critically while still having a good ole’ time.