Pods of Four
Four is big enough for roles (reader, writer, checker, reporter) and small enough that nobody can hide. The empty row and column between pods matter: if the clusters touch, you have a crowd, not groups.
Use it when
- Labs, stations, and role-based group work
- Projects that last more than one activity
- Classes you will visit table by table
Pick something else when
- A single whole-class discussion is the whole lesson
- You cannot tolerate sideways sightlines during instruction
- The task is individual and graded