Creating Groups
Made Easy

If youre looking to create random pairs or groups of students for group activities, use one of these ideas:

Sock It To Them. Collect a bag of socks. Have each student reach into the bag and pull out a sock. Students find their matches to create pairs/partners for a learning activity.

Colored Clothespins. Hand out or have students reach into a bag to grab a colored clothespin. Students with like-colored clothespins gather for a cooperative-group activity.

Playing Cards. Pre-select from a deck of playing cards a number of cards equal to the number of students in the class. Hold the cards facedown and fan the cards. Invite each student to pick a card. Arrange students into groups according to the value of their cards.

If you have 20 students and want to end up with groups of four for the activity you have planned, you might pre-select from the deck four fives, four sevens, four nines, four jacks, and four aces).

If you have 24 students and want to end up with groups of six students for the activity you have planned, you might pre-select from the deck six hearts, six diamonds, six spades, and six clubs.

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09/14/2010