April Fools Day: Three Simple Pranks that Teachers Can Pull on Students

As April Fools Day rolls around, teachers can show their lighter sides with these three easy tricks.

1. Collect a faux homework assignment.

Materials Needed: Blank paper with "April Fools" written on the front
Difficulty Level: Easy
Grade Level: Middle and High School

Before the students walk in the classroom, write a fake homework assignment on the board. Make the assignment look as real as possible (for example, "page 142, #1-25"). At the beginning of the period, ask students to turn in their homework. The students will most likely protest, "But we didn't have any homework!" Simply point to the board and say, "Yes, we did. I assigned it at the end of the period. It is your responsibility to copy the assignment from the board."

You may carry this prank throughout the entire period. At the end of class, announce that there is a new homework assignment tonight. Since nobody completed the previous evening's "homework," you will be assigning a worksheet that will help students understand the lesson. Pass out a worksheet that says, "April Fools."

2. Give a fake quiz.

Materials Needed: A quiz from a teacher in your content area
Difficulty Level: Easy
Grade Level: High School

At the beginning of class, announce to students that you would like to administer a brief quiz to check comprehension of current unit. Explain to the students that if they have been paying attention the last few weeks, this assessment will not be difficult. Pass out a quiz from a teacher in same content area, but a different unit (for example, passing out a quiz over Hamlet when your students have been reading Romeo and Juliet). Students may become flustered and confused. Some students may complain that they were not taught the material. Respond, "I taught the material. You perhaps did not choose to learn it."

At the end of the quiz, add one additional question: "What is today's date?" Watch as the students' faces start to smile.

3. Rearrange the students' nametags on their cubbies and personal areas
Materials Needed: None
Difficulty Level: Medium
Grade Level: Elementary School

Before students arrive, remove their nametags from personal areas such as cubbies, lockers, and mailboxes. Switch the labels around. As students file into the room, encourage them to "hurry along, as we have a lot to accomplish today." As students become confused and disoriented, act as though nothing is wrong. You might say, "Please just put your things away and take a seat. We must hurry to begin our day."

Make up excuses for the students to go to their areas, such as getting something out of their bookbags. While the students are at afternoon recess, hang a sign on the front of the mismatched space that reads "April Fools."