Author Topic: April Fools Day Ideas (Read 8607 times)

JuliusCaesar108 · « **on:** March 24, 2011, 03:19:21 pm »

When I was in 4th Grade, I had an awesome teacher who told us not to work ahead, but to finish reading before completing the pop quiz. The questions were ridiculous. When we got to the last one, it said not to complete any of the questions from above. Most of us students didn't listen, and regretted it, but loved her anyways (maybe even respected her more for being so cool to pull a prank on us).

I can't remember all of the questions, but that's okay. I made my own. Here is an example of what the quiz looks like, and here is an attachment to save paper.

Pop Quiz.
Do not work ahead. Read all questions before completing the quiz.

1.   Write your name here -> ___________

2.   What is your favorite sport? ___________

3.   Write down the time. ____________

4.   How’s the weather? ____________

5.   Clap your hands 3 times.

6.   Count your fingers.

7.   Say, “I’m doing number 7.”

8.   Look at the clock.

9.   Tell your friend, “I’m almost finished!”

10.   Don’t finish any of the questions except this one.

misty · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2011, 04:17:22 pm »

Nice! I'll definitly be using this next Friday.

minnekev · « **Reply #2 on:** March 24, 2011, 04:24:46 pm »

Hey does anyone have any good ideas for April Fools? There's a chapter in our book about it... I thought about getting students to design their own prank in teams? Anyone done this before or have any brilliant thoughts?

minnekev · « **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2011, 08:03:49 pm »

Haha yea I saw that right after I posted this topic

rowanoak7 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2011, 09:09:21 am »

Haha I remember this from my favorite teacher in high school! Don't forget the sarcastic "Thank you for reading all the questions first" on #10.

gilbert.a.h · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2011, 09:37:13 am »

Shouldn't the instructions be a bit clearer? I mean, shouldn't it say "Don't answer any questions until you have read all of the questions." Otherwise, if a student claps twice, they didnt complete the question...

gookie · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2011, 09:41:35 am »

nice one, i can really imagine the students doing those before reading to #10

but wasting so much paper just for a little joke seems like a bad idea

any ideas that doesn't require paper anyone?

Juno106 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 25, 2011, 11:54:04 am »

My plan is to fake an email saying everyone in the class won 100,000 won as part of a special english prize. Early on in the class I will get a phone call. The call will make me open up my email (which is coincedently being projected oon the tv screen) It will be half in korean. Then I Will get reall y excited and tell the students about it. And then I will ask them what they will do with the money? Then....APRIL FOOLS! and i will have a 10 minute april fools day presentation.

Darkeru · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2011, 12:12:22 pm »

I'm tempted to have the powerpoint start with 'Surprise Speaking English Test - will count for 10% of final English Grade' written in Korean.

I don't think they'll believe it though and it might be too mean.

JuliusCaesar108 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2011, 12:19:36 pm »

Quote from: gilbert.a.h on March 25, 2011, 09:37:13 am

Shouldn't the instructions be a bit clearer? I mean, shouldn't it say "Don't answer any questions until you have read all of the questions." Otherwise, if a student claps twice, they didnt complete the question...

Great idea! I think I will change that for mine. I will leave the attachment the same because of the download count. Feel free to add your version if you think you have a better one.

Quote from: thcbud on March 25, 2011, 09:41:35 am

nice one, i can really imagine the students doing those before reading to #10

but wasting so much paper just for a little joke seems like a bad idea

any ideas that doesn't require paper anyone?

I see what you're saying, but It all depends on what you mean by 'waste.' If this joke further establishes an excellent rapport between you and the students and teaches them a valuable lesson to listen to instructions carefully, it really isn't wasting paper.

If you think any resources used for a prank is waste, then there you go!

CellarDoor · « **Reply #10 on:** March 27, 2011, 10:31:29 pm »

I took the original quiz file and worked in some people's suggestions plus an idea or two I found elsewhere. Thanks for the original and the feedback suggestions! Here's what it looks like now:

Pop Quiz.
Do not work ahead. Read all questions first before you answer anything.
1.   Write your name here -> ___________
2.   What is your favorite sport? _____________________
3.   What time is it now? ____________
4.   How’s the weather? ______________
5.   Draw 2 squares on the bottom of your paper.
6.   Write an X in one square and an O in the other.
7.   Count your fingers.
8.   Look at the clock.
9.   Tell your friend, “I’m almost finished!”
10.   Now, don’t finish any of the questions except the first one. Thanks for reading.

I also fiddled with the formatting so I could fit 4 quizzes on one page and saved it as the .doc in case a few people out there still have the older version of the program. 4 on a page takes a little more cutting that way, but I often have the time at my desk for busy work. Plus, my main activity of the week will probably already take 2 papers per student (with over 500 students... we'll see how management likes my decision... =\ Maybe I'll try to print those "classroom English" sheets on both sides instead...), so I've got to try to save somewhere.

You may also notice I changed some of the questions that are more revealing about the students not actually following the instructions. This is partially to help them save at least a little face, and partially because it doesn't give away the joke as easily right away. For the record, I do think the original is more funny, but I feel a little better doing this version. I was never much of a prankster, I guess.

Edit: I may end up having to teach this (or something like it) all week long. And kids talk to each other at lunch. Any suggestions on how to keep it fresh after the first or second day? Is that even possible? Tell the kids not to tell their friends?

Incredagogue · « **Reply #11 on:** March 28, 2011, 11:34:23 am »

So April Fools is coming up pretty quick here. I wanted to introduce the tradition to my classes with some (harmless) pranks.....anyone got suggestions?

roscopecotrain · « **Reply #12 on:** March 28, 2011, 11:58:57 am »

Fake a heart attack, fart noises near kids, dress as a student, dress as the opposite sex, change the classroom so everyones facing backwards, pop quizzes/tests for no reason, randomly start yelling during a conversation...the list goes on

summerthyme · « **Reply #13 on:** March 28, 2011, 12:04:10 pm »

Threads merged and moved.

I have my third graders on Friday. I was thinking of coming in and telling them how angry they made me last class. I would proceed to give them a ridiculously hard quiz and tell them that a substantial portion of their grade would depend on it.

Ten minutes later I would 'fess up.

Unfortunately, I think I might need the whole class to do the actual lesson *sigh*. Maybe next year...

Beki · « **Reply #14 on:** March 28, 2011, 01:37:45 pm »

Interesting media generated April fools day jokes to share with your class:

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/P10/ lists the top 100

My personal favourites from the list:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dfWzp7rYR4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27ugSKW4-QQ

#3: Instant Color TV
1962: In 1962 there was only one tv channel in Sweden, and it broadcast in black and white. The station's technical expert, Kjell Stensson, appeared on the news to announce that, thanks to a new technology, viewers could convert their existing sets to display color reception. All they had to do was pull a nylon stocking over their tv screen. Stensson proceeded to demonstrate the process. Thousands of people were taken in. Regular color broadcasts only commenced in Sweden on April 1, 1970.

#20: The 26-Day Marathon
1981: The Daily Mail ran a story about an unfortunate Japanese long-distance runner, Kimo Nakajimi, who had entered the London Marathon but, on account of a translation error, thought that he had to run for 26 days, not 26 miles. Reportedly Nakajimi was now somewhere out on the roads of England, still running, determined to finish the race. Various people had spotted him, though they were unable to flag him down. The translation error was attributed to Timothy Bryant, an import director, who said, "I translated the rules and sent them off to him. But I have only been learning Japanese for two years, and I must have made a mistake. He seems to be taking this marathon to be something like the very long races they have over there."

#35: Big Ben Goes Digital
1980: The BBC reported that Big Ben, in order to keep up with the times, was going to be given a digital readout. The announcement received a huge response from listeners shocked and angered by the proposed change. The BBC Japanese service also announced that the clock hands would be sold to the first four listeners to contact them. One Japanese seaman in the mid-Atlantic immediately radioed in a bid.

Loved the one about Nixon on the list...lol! I love April fools day and can't wait to prank my kids

brentdws · « **Reply #15 on:** March 28, 2011, 02:50:52 pm »

I work at a different school on Fridays, so this will not apply to me.

But it will be good to implement into a lesson a few days prior to April fools, explain to them about it and how to do an April fool's joke, so the students themselves can come up with an April Fool's Joke for the day of.

I was going to tell them class is canceled but now I'm not so sure that's a good idea...

karenology · « **Reply #16 on:** March 29, 2011, 11:56:55 am »

I think I'm going to do the fake speaking test thing, so they think that's the April Fool's Joke. They will probably see right through this, as I think a few of them are already familiar with the concept.

Then I'm going to give them "candy" which is really beans (or whatever else I can find at the store) wrapped in shiny paper.

CURSEBREAKER · « **Reply #17 on:** March 29, 2011, 03:52:02 pm »

You liked your high school teacher? What was it about your high school teacher that was likable? You must have been the one student that wasn't embarrassed by failing to follow directions. You probably weren't the one that was clapping like a fool while your class mates snickered at you.
High School is such a surreal requirement for rite of passage into personal independence. How did any of us survive high school?

LemonWater · « **Reply #18 on:** March 29, 2011, 04:16:41 pm »

I've been using this idea this week for gr 3 middle school. . . I would start out by writing "English Test Today" on the board, and listen to the groans and watch some students sweat. After the quiz I explained it to them, but there are some pretty low-level students in my class, so the co-teacher had to explain a bit. Overall it was well received and got some good laughs from students. I was even able to recycle the slips of paper later on in the lesson to do a 2 truths, 1 lie style activity.

gookie · « **Reply #19 on:** March 29, 2011, 04:24:23 pm »

well maybe its ok to do this little quiz with my Friday classes as I only have 2 on that day. (partyin~ partyin! yeah!)

News:

Author Topic: April Fools Day Ideas (Read 8607 times)