Classroom Name Wheel
Replace the raised hands with a wheel. Swap the sample names for your class, and every question goes to somebody who was not expecting it.
Loading the wheel…
Editing the entries only changes your copy. Press Save in the Saved wheels panel to keep it, or reset to start again.
Keyboard shortcuts
- Space Spin the wheel
- R Spin again
- F Full screen
- S Open settings
- Esc Close a dialog or leave full screen
While you are typing in a box, these keys belong to the box — only Escape stays global.
How to use this template
- Select the sample names and paste your own class list over them — one name per line.
- Leave “Remove the winner after each spin” switched on so the wheel works through the class without repeats.
- Switch off any student who is absent instead of deleting them, so the list is intact tomorrow.
- Press F for full screen before the lesson, then Space to spin without touching the mouse.
- Save the wheel once and it will be waiting the next time you open WheelToss on this computer.
What people use it for
- Cold-calling during a question round, without the same three hands every time.
- Choosing who reads next, presents next, or demonstrates on the board.
- Assigning classroom jobs at the start of the week.
- Deciding the order for a set of short presentations.
- Picking a partner or a group leader when nobody wants to choose.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop the same student being picked twice?
Keep “Remove the winner after each spin” on. Each name leaves the wheel as it is drawn, so a round covers everyone before anybody repeats. Reload the saved wheel to start a fresh round.
Can I handle absences without editing the list?
Yes. Open “Weights, colours and on/off” and untick the students who are away. They stay in the list but are excluded from the draw, so you can tick them back on next lesson.
Is it safe to type student names in?
The names stay in your browser — they are not uploaded and we never receive them. Even so, first names or initials are usually enough, and on a shared classroom computer it is worth turning off “Remember the wheel I am working on”.
Can I make one student more likely to be chosen?
You can, using weights, but it is worth thinking about why. A weight of 2 makes that name twice as likely as a weight of 1, and the slice grows to match so the class can see it.
Related templates
- 8 entries · ready to spin Icebreaker Question Wheel A good icebreaker is one nobody dreads. These prompts are short, specific and answerable in a sentence — swap in your own and spin.
- 8 entries · ready to spin Chore Wheel Nobody argues with a wheel. Put the jobs on it, spin once per person, and the week is sorted before anybody has time to object.
- 100 entries · ready to spin Random Number Wheel 1–100 Sometimes you want to watch the number arrive rather than just read it. This wheel holds 1 to 100 — edit the list for any other range.