Random Group Generator

A class list rarely divides perfectly. The important choice is not whether there is a remainder, but where it goes. Putting every extra student into one group makes that group harder to manage and gives its members less time to speak. Leaving one tiny final group creates a different activity from the one everyone else is doing.

This generator keeps group sizes within one student of each other. With 26 students and six groups, two groups receive five students and four groups receive four. With a target size of six, the same class makes five groups: one group of six and four groups of five. The note above the result states those sizes before you print.

• Fixed number of groups: use this for a room with a set number of tables, lab benches, texts, or activity stations.
• Fixed group size: use this when the task depends on how many voices or roles belong in each team.
• Pairs: set the target size to two. An odd class produces one single-student group because the target is a maximum. If you prefer one trio, switch to a fixed number of groups and choose half the class size rounded down.

Balanced size does not guarantee balanced experience, but it gives every group the same practical chance to complete the task.

The best output depends on what students must do next. Project view is fastest when everyone only needs to read a group number and move to a table. It removes the setup controls, enlarges every name, and keeps an exit button on screen. Press Escape to close it.

Printed cards work better when each table, station, or group leader needs a copy. The print layout uses black text, white paper, thin borders, and no decorative background fills. Cards never split between pages. Smaller teams fit six cards on a page, while teams with long member lists receive larger cards and additional pages automatically.

• Choose the paper first. Letter and A4 use their true page dimensions and a 10 mm margin.
• Keep the seed on the page. It is printed in the footer so the exact arrangement can be restored.
• Cut or fold the cards. The border gives a simple guide for table tents and station signs.
• Print only after checking warnings. An amber pair-rule warning means the displayed groups need a teacher decision before they are handed out.

There is no separate answer key because the group cards are the final assignment. Keep one full printed page or the projected screen as the teacher copy.