Free teacher tool · No sign-up
Random Group Maker
Make fair, random groups in one click. Paste your class list, choose groups of four, six teams or jigsaw groups, and put them on the board — or print them.
- Time: 1–5 min
- Grades: K–12
- Group: Teams
- Materials: None
Add names, choose how to split, then press Make groups.
Space make / reshuffle · F board mode
What is Group Maker?
Choosing groups is one of those small classroom jobs that can go wrong in a big way: the same friends always together, the same students picked last, and ten minutes lost to negotiation. A random group maker solves all three. The groups are fair, students accept them because the computer chose, and you are ready to start in seconds.
This free group generator splits your class list into groups of any size or into a set number of teams, always keeping group sizes within one of each other. It also makes jigsaw groups for cooperative learning: every home group gets one student for each topic, and students with the same topic meet first as an expert group. Show the groups on the board, print them, or copy them into your lesson notes.
How to use Group Maker in class
Add your class
Type or paste one name per line. The list is remembered in your browser (and shared with the name picker and other games).
Choose how to split
Pick “Groups of…” for a group size, “Number of groups” for a set number of teams, or “Jigsaw” and enter the number of topics.
Make groups
Press “Make groups” (or Space). Colorful group cards appear on the board. Press again to reshuffle.
Add leaders (optional)
Tick “Pick a leader” to star one random student in each group as the leader or reporter.
Share the groups
Use Board mode so the class can find their group, or print the groups and copy them into your notes.
How jigsaw groups work
The jigsaw method is a cooperative learning structure. The class is split into home groups, and each member of a home group is given a different topic — for example, one part of a chapter. Students with the same topic first meet in an expert group to study it together. Then everyone returns to their home group and teaches their topic to the others, so every student is both a learner and a teacher.
Choose “Jigsaw”, enter the number of topics, and the group maker builds both sets of groups at once. Switch between Home groups and Expert groups above the cards. If the class does not divide evenly, a few home groups get an extra student who shares a topic with a partner.
More ways to use it
Pairs
Choose “Groups of…” and enter 2 for instant random partners; an odd student makes one group of three.
Teams for games
Choose “Number of groups” to make two to six teams for the Quiz Board or scoreboard.
Lab groups
Make groups of three for science labs and tick “Pick a leader” for a lab manager who collects the equipment.
Reading circles
Use jigsaw groups so each student reads one section and teaches it back to their home group.
Weekly reshuffle
Make new random groups every Monday so students work with many different classmates across the term.
Teacher tips
- Explain before you click that groups are random and final — it prevents groans.
- Reshuffle once if you see a pairing you know will not work; the tool is fast enough that nobody will notice.
- Give each group a job for the leader so the role means something.
- For jigsaw, choose topics that take about the same time to learn.
Group Maker: FAQ
How do I make random groups for my class?
Paste your class list, choose a group size or number of groups, and press “Make groups”. Every student is placed in a random group, and group sizes never differ by more than one.
What is a jigsaw activity?
A jigsaw activity splits a topic into parts. Each student in a home group learns one part with other “experts” on that part, then returns home to teach it. Choose “Jigsaw” in the group maker to create both sets of groups.
What happens with leftover students?
They join existing groups, so you might get some groups of four and some of five, but never a group left with one student.
Are my students’ names saved online?
No. Names are saved only in your own browser and are never sent to us. Use “Delete saved names” to remove them.
Can I print the groups?
Yes. Press Print for a clean sheet of all the groups, including expert groups for jigsaw, or Copy to paste them anywhere.