Creative Grouping Strategies
Our first toolbox topic explores strategies for creating student groups. Use of small,
targeted groups is key to differentiated instruction, and is an essential element of
cooperative learning (Spencer Kagen). Effective grouping "ups" participation and
enhances student engagement. In a typical class of 30, when a single student gives an
answer 1/30 of the class is participating at a given time. In a group of four, 1/4 of the
class can be responding to the prompt simultaneously. More students are getting more
experience with content at a given time. If you want to skip the philosophy stuff, go down to
"Random Groups" for some fun ideas.
My Class Isn't Divisible by Four!
Group Size
1. left over = 1 team of 5
2. left overs = 2 teams of 3
3. left overs = 1 team of 3
In cooperative learning teams of four are magical. By breaking the team of four into
pairs you double participation, and can use Pairs Check, Paired Reading and the
Flashcard Game structures. The rationale:
1.
2.
3.
Allows for pair work.
Avoids "odd man out". A group of 3 generally forms a pair and leaves one out.
Creates more learning pairs. A group of 3 gives 3 possible student pairs, a group
of 4 generates 6!
Heterogeneous Groups
Heterogeneous groups mix achievement levels. Groups consist of 1 high-achiever, 2
middles, and 1 lower-achieving student. These take some work, so typically you form
these groups to last an extended period of time. Heterogeneous groups:
1.
2.
3.
Provide great opportunities for peer tutoring and support.
Improve cross-race and cross-sex integration.
Ease classroom management - having a higher-achiever in each group is kind of like
having a teacher aide per group.
Creative Grouping Strategies. Staff Development. Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/a/lavaridge.net/staff-development/home/creative-grouping-strategies
A Semi-Painless Way to Create Heterogeneous Teams
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Write each student's name on an index card.
Deal the cards into 4 equal piles according to student ability (High, Medium
High, Medium Low, and Low)
Choose one card from each pile. Be sure to include a mix of students (according
to gender, race, and personality). This is Team 1.
Form the remaining teams in the same way. Assign team numbers.
Topic-Specific Heterogeneous
Teams/Value Line
This technique creates a homogeneous team
based on their understanding of, or feelings
about, a given topic.
(Image from Cooperative Learning by Spencer
Kagan, Ph.D)
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Present an issue or topic to the group,
and ask each student to determine how
they feel about the issue (could use a 110 scale; 1 being strong agreement, 10
being strong disagreement).
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Form a rank-ordered line and number
the participants from 1 up (from strong
agreement to strong disagreement, for
example).
Form your groups of four by pulling one
person from each end of the value line and
two people from the middle of the group (for
example, if you had 20 people, one group
might consist of persons 1, 10, 11, 20).
Creative Grouping Strategies. Staff Development. Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/a/lavaridge.net/staff-development/home/creative-grouping-strategies
Random Groups
Random groups can really add to student engagement. They shake things up and add
variety. Random groups seem "fair," and provide leadership and skills transfer
opportunities. Here are just a few ideas for creating random groups. Some have
hyperlinks for more information. If you have a favorite technique, please email me. I'd
be glad to add it to the list!
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Puzzled People - find some pictures (clipart, magazines, calendars, postcards,
etc. and think about your content!) and cut them into four pieces, like a puzzle.
Shuffle and distribute to class members (or draw out of a bag.) Without talking,
student find their team by completing the picture. You can extend this to
integrate science by adding Linda Shore's Pieces of the Puzzle activity, showing
the importance of data.
Animal Sounds/Poems/Songs - Give students a card with a term, concept,
poem or song on it (you'll need four matching cards to generate groups of four.)
Find the other people in your team by acting-out the term, singing the song or
reciting the poem. Collect the cards and reuse!
Silly Stuff - create groups by thumb size, bellybutton height, birthday, favorite
hamburger, etc. Click here for more ideas, or download at the bottom of this page.
Fairy Tale, Book or Character Match - create cards with the names of four
people that go together. Choose characters from the same book, four scientists in
the same field, four generals from the same war, etc. Students try to find their
their teams by matching people. Keep the cards to reuse!
Characteristic Match - create cards with terms on one card and definitions on
another. Students find their pair by matching a term with the definition, then
create fours by grouping pairs. Click here or below for a neat variation, called
"Match Rocks." In this activity, students receive a rock they keep hidden.
Students write descriptions of how their rock looks on an index cards, then look
for others with the same description. If you want two students per group, pass
two matching rocks -- four per group, use four rocks! This concept can be varied
for any content. Review concepts and create groups at the same time!!!
Cooperative Learning Cards - Create a class set of cards that can be grouped
at your discretions. In Andra Kosmoski's activity, each card has different stickers,
symbols and words that stand for different student attributes. By grouping one
color, you get one type of cooperative learning group, group by a word for
another. It takes some initial work, but can be reused throughout the year.
Milling to the Music - Play a cool tune. Students mill about the room making
an easy comment (a compliment, a fact about content, etc.) When the music
stops, students group into however many you dictate and do a quick discussion.
Creative Grouping Strategies. Staff Development. Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/a/lavaridge.net/staff-development/home/creative-grouping-strategies