Sample Question Cards
Tags: 
Kitchen Classroom
Student Engagement
Contributor

ESY Berkeley Teaching Staff
Edible Schoolyard Project
Berkeley, CA

Summary: 
This resource provides a set of open-ended questions intended to spur conversation and reflective thinking among students. At the Edible Schoolyard Berkeley, these questions are hand-written on index cards and are used in the kitchen classroom to encourage communication around the table.
  • What is the scariest thing about becoming an adult?
  • What is something you want to learn that they don’t teach you in school?
  • If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be? Why do you think people give up on their dreams?
  • If you could be famous, what would you be famous for?
  • If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
  • If you could bring back one person from the dead, who would it be?
  • What is the first step toward ending racism?
  • Why do you think we need to go to school?
  • What is your most important goal right now?
  • What is one lesson that you had to learn the hard way and what did you learn?
  • What is the worst crime against humanity?
  • What are your three best and worst qualities?
  • What is your most prized possession and why?
  • What do you like most about yourself?
  • If you could teach any class, what would it be?
  • If you could have any talent, what would it be?
  • When do you feel the most protected?
  • Do you believe a person is defined by what he or she does for a living?
  • What is your greatest fear about having children?
  • What is one of your most beautiful childhood memories?
  • What makes you angry and how can you change that?
  • How do you think others view you and why?
  • What is a piece of wisdom that you would pass on to your kids about being your age?
  • What question would you like to be asked?
  • What is your biggest accomplishment and why?
  • What is something you wish you could change about your life?
  • What is your greatest fear?
  • If you could change one law, what would it be?
  • What are three traits you look for in a friend?
  • If you could visit any time period, which would you choose?
  • Would you rather have a job with average pay that you love or a job with great pay that you hate?
  • What language would you like to speak fluently?
  • If you could supersize one of your senses, which one would it be? (taste, sight, touch, hearing, smell)
  • What makes you happy?
  • If you could make any dish in the world, what would you make?
  • Do you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist?
  • Who is someone that you admire and why?
  • Would you rather live in the city or in the country?
  • What is an essential life skill you need in order to live on your own?
  • What is a misconception that people have about you?
  • Where is your favorite place to read?
  • What historical person do you admire and why?
  • If you could rename the Golden Gate Bridge, what would you call it?
  • Would you rather explore the deep sea or outer space?
  • What do you do when you are talking with friends and someone makes an offensive (i.e. racist, sexist, homophobic) comment?
  • Which is more powerful: love or hate?
  • What is one goal you want to achieve in the next year?
  • What does loyalty mean to you?
  • If your life had a soundtrack, what would be theme song and why?
  • If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
  • If you won I Million dollars and could use it for anything but yourself, how would you use it?
  • Does climate change concern you?
  • Why or why not?
  • What is one thing you wish adults understood better about young people and why?
  • What is one thing you wish you understood better about adults and why?
  • If you could meet one historical figure, living or dead, who would it be and why?
  • If you had 5 minutes to meet with the US President, what would you say?
  • If you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 things what would you bring and why?
  • What is one thing people don’t know about you that you wish they knew?
  • Who is your favorite character in a book and why?
  • Do you think people under 18 should be allowed to vote? Why?