Pairings

Teachers will often tell students to pick a partner to carry out a task. But that can take up more time than expected. Listed below are fair, fast ways for teachers to pair students up.

• Face Partner- Face partners is a simple way for teachers to pair their students up. However, it only works when students desks are in groups. Face partners requires that students partner up with the person they face.
• Old Maid cards- An old maid card deck has 2 of every character. The teacher can instruct each student to take a card and return to their seats. Once all the students have taken a card, the teacher will instruct all the children to find their matching character.
• Sticks- A fair and quick way for a teacher to pair up their students is by using sticks. Most teachers have all their students names written on individual popsicle sticks to use for moments like this. The teacher simply picks two random sticks out of the bunch and those two people will be partners.
• Speed Dial Partners- For this pairing teacher will have to download a cell phone template (https://www.scholastic.com/content/dam/teachers/blogs/genia-connell/migrated-files/iphone_template_for_partners2_0.pdf) and print one off for every student in the class. In order for students to set up their speed dial partners the students will need to walk around and find mutually agreeing partners for six different speed dial lines. Once all the students have a partner for each line the students will cut the template out and paste it on construction paper to create their flip phone. The students will keep these and take them out when the teacher instructs students to pair up with their number 4 speed dial partner.
• Random Spin

Students stand in a big circle. One at a time one student will stand in the middle and close their eyes tight, the student will stick one arm straight out and point. The student will spin at the most four times and which ever student they land on, that is their partner. This will continue until all students are in partners.

• You+I= Partners

One partner has an equation on a card (can be addition, subtraction, multiplication etc). The other partner has the answer to the equation. Try not to repeat answers.

• Synonym Rolls

Pass out cards to students that have a pair of synonyms. Students then find the partner that has the synonym of their word.

• Post Card pairs

Collect a set of postcards, all with unique pictures on them. Cut the post cards in half and pass the pieces out to the students. Instruct the students to find the person with the other half of their post card. If there are an odd number of students in the class, you may give one child the opportunity to join in any group they want, or you can pick for them.

• Mix 'n' Match

Each student will receive a card with a word, picture or symbol on it. Students will then try to find the student with their matching/complementing card. Example: a card with a snow flake on it and another card that says winter.

• Sole Mates

Have students pair up with one other student who has similar sized feet. Shoes should remain on during this partner pairing exercise.

• Name- Letter Partners

Have students find another person in the class who share the same first letter of their first name. For example, Adam could partner up with Anna.

• Famous Book

Students will take a flash card and will be given a name of a famous character. They are trying to pair main characters together. For example, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Clifford the Big Red Dog and Emily Elizabeth, these would both be pairs.

• Book Cover Puzzles

The teacher prints and laminates book covers, and then cuts them into four piece puzzles. Each student gets a puzzle piece and finds the partners that turn the pieces into a full puzzle. This keeps the kids thinking and works well for getting into small groups, rather than just one on one partnering.