Random Group Maker
Split your class into fair groups in a second, with the rules you need. Then show them big on the board.
Keyboard shortcuts
- Space
- Make groups, or shuffle again
- Enter
- Choose a name to swap or move
- F
- Full screen on or off
- Esc
- Cancel the choice, or skip the animation
- ?
- Keyboard shortcuts
Add tags to names (Name | tag) to balance by them.
Drag a name onto another to swap them. With a keyboard, choose a name, then another.
Rules
No rules yet. Add a pair to keep apart or together.
Your class
Your class lists stay in this browser. They are never sent to Brainlag or anyone else.
This browser is not letting the page save, so your list lasts until you close the tab. Download it to keep it.
About this tool
This random group generator splits a class list into groups for you: a number of groups, or groups of a set size. Add rules for the things only you know, like two students who must not work together, or a pair who should, and balance the groups by a tag such as a reading level or a role. Lock a group you are happy with and shuffle the rest, drag names to swap them, then copy the groups, print them or show them full screen. Your lists stay in this browser and are never sent anywhere.
Tips
- If a rule cannot be kept (three students who must all be apart, with only two groups), the page says so instead of quietly ignoring it.
- Themed team names (The Quadratics, Team Photon) are a quick way to settle who is in which group. Switch to Numbered for formal work.
- Print or save as PDF gives a clean sheet with just the groups, ready to pin up.
FAQ
- How are the groups made fair?
- Names are shuffled with your browser's cryptographic random numbers (crypto.getRandomValues) and a Fisher-Yates shuffle. The groups are then filled as evenly as possible: with 30 names in 4 groups you get 8, 8, 7 and 7.
- Can I stop two students being in the same group?
- Yes. Under Rules, choose Keep apart and the two names. You can also Keep together a pair who need each other, such as a student and their helper. Rules are saved with that class list.
- What does balance by tag do?
- Give names a tag, like "Amir | high" or "Lena | scribe", and turn on Balance by tag. Each tag is then shared out evenly, so no group ends up with all the confident readers or all the scribes.
- Is my class list stored online?
- No. Lists, rules and groups are kept only in this browser on this device and are never sent to Brainlag or anyone else. Download a CSV or JSON file to back them up or move them.
- Can I save the groups as a PDF?
- Yes. Press Print or save as PDF, then choose Save as PDF in your browser's print window. The sheet shows only the groups and their names.