Free Group Maker for Teachers

Need to divide students into groups for a project? Want balanced teams without complaints about who's with whom? Our Group Maker randomly assigns students into fair, balanced groups.

How It Works

1. Enter student names (paste from your roster or type in)
2. Choose number of groups (2-10)
3. Click "Shuffle" to randomly assign
4. Re-shuffle if needed until you're happy

Names are saved in the URL so you can reuse the same roster all year.

Why Use Random Groups?

Eliminates Bias: You don't unconsciously put certain students together.

Prevents Cliques: Students work with different classmates, building broader social connections.

Saves Time: No manual assignment or counting off by numbers.

Fair Distribution: Algorithm ensures groups are as balanced in size as possible.

No Complaints: "The computer picked it" ends arguments about group assignments.

Classroom Use Cases

Project Groups

Divide students into teams for collaborative projects. Random assignment means students learn to work with everyone, not just their friends.

Literature Circles

Create reading groups for book discussions. Rotate groups every book so students encounter diverse perspectives.

Lab Partners

Assign science lab groups randomly. Ensures students don't always pair with the same partner.

Peer Review

Create groups for writing workshops. Students get feedback from varied readers.

Debate Teams

Randomly assign debate sides. Students practice arguing positions they might not personally hold.

Balanced Distribution

The algorithm distributes students as evenly as possible:

• 20 students into 3 groups = 7, 7, 6 (not 10, 6, 4)
• 15 students into 4 groups = 4, 4, 4, 3

This prevents "leftover" groups that are too small.

URL Saving

After entering names once, bookmark or save the URL:

/tools/group-maker?names=Alice,Bob,Charlie&groups=3

Next time you need groups, just open the link and click shuffle. No re-entering names.

Re-Shuffle Until Happy

Don't like the first grouping? Click "Re-shuffle" for a different random arrangement. Useful when:

• Two students had a recent conflict
• Groups seem imbalanced in skill level
• You want to see a few options before deciding

Multiple Classes

Create different bookmarks for each class:

• Period 1: /tools/group-maker?names=...&groups=4
• Period 3: /tools/group-maker?names=...&groups=3

Quick access to each roster.

Embed in Classroom Displays

Put the group maker on a permanent classroom display:

1. Get the embed code (📎 Embed button)
2. Add to your class website or digital whiteboard
3. Click shuffle during class when you need groups

Students see their assignments immediately.

Privacy

• No data stored on servers
• Names exist only in your browser and URL
• Share URLs only with people who should see the names
• Works offline after initial load

Tips for Using Groups

1. Set expectations: Explain that groups are random and final
2. Mix it up: Use different group sizes for variety
3. Track history: Screenshot groups for reference ("Remember your Week 3 project group?")
4. Absent students: Remove them before shuffling to keep groups balanced

Try It Now

Create your groups below:

You can also visit the full Group Maker page to use it in a separate window.