Grouping Students: Purposeful & Random

There are many instances when my students are placed in groups to work on a particular task.  Sometimes those groups need to be purposeful in terms of students' needs; sometimes those groups can be random.  For the random groups, I sometimes use a Group Selection Picker created using Excel Formulas.  The program randomizes students into groups of 4 for me.  However, sometimes I want the students to be in random (or not so random groups), and then I want them to join a second group in a way that ensures they will be will all different students in the second group.  My Excel randomizer does not do that.  So, sometimes I use these cards:



Students receive a card with a number, a letter, and a sticker on it.  They get together with people who have the same number, letter, or sticker--depending on the type of group I want them to have.  This allows me to do a few things:


1.  I can make purposeful groups for the first round.  For example, I can place all students struggling with a particular concept in the "A" group.  Students struggling with a different concept can all be in the "B" group, and so on.

2.  I also have the ability to make sure they meet with a wider variety of people throughout the class time.  If they first meet with all of the "A's," and then they meet with all of the "1's," I know that they are seeing any of the same people in their second group.


It's a simple form of jigsawing, but it's one that I use often.  I'd love to hear if you create groups in a different way--especially if you use technology to do so.  Share your ideas and methods with me at englishschmitt@gmail.com !