My teaching style lends itself to many group activites. Sometimes students are in groups of 2…sometimes 3…sometimes 4 etc.

So, is there a right and wrong way to do divide students into groups?

No, not really. However, there are ways to create groups that will also allow students to learn and/or review content as they find their new group.

That’s right, teachers can use the method by which they divide their students into groups as an opportunity for some quick content review.

How?

Well, here’s what I did just this past week in my 8th grade social studies classes…

We have been learning about how the United States acquired various territories to complete its’ Manifest Destiny . In one particular lesson I needed the students to be broken into 8 different groups. I arranged the desks in 8 groups of 4 and labeled each group as a different U.S. Territory. Then, when it was time to divide students I simply handed each student an index card with a state name written on each. Students then had to use their notes, the textbook, or wall maps to determine which states came out of which territiores. The students then were to go sit in their appropriate “territory”.

This may sound like it would take a long time, but it really does not…I set the timer (like I always do)…and all of my classes finished in less than 3 minutes.

Personally, I think it is worth the time…not only were students quickly mixed into new groups, but it gave them an opportunity to review the content we had been learning that week.

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