Step 1 in Active Teaching and Learning: Classroom Layout

The first step to any active learning environment is to make sure the seating arrangement matches the activity. This may mean that the seating arrangement in your classroom changes daily or during the course of your period. If you choose to have a seating chart in your classroom you may consider numbering or writing students names on the desk so as they enter the classroom they can find their seat quickly. One creative way I have seen this done is using numbered cards or simply a deck of cards. As the students enter the classroom they are given a card and are to find the seat with the matching card in the classroom.
The following arrangements are presented in order of the Adrian Instructional Model, obviously arrangements are not limited to the ones shown here.

Connect to Prior Knowledge, I do/Model, We Do: Visual and Verbal. Metacognitive Demonstration

Students are arranged for direct instruction. The teacher is explicitly modeling or presenting new information.

Note that students can still easily pair for think-pair-share.

You Do with Support: Guided Practice

Collaborative seating is important in this step of the lesson. Seating should be arranged so they can quickly turn and talk/work with a partner or multiple partners, but also allow the teacher easy access to each student for one-on-one opportunity. Options #1, 3, and 4 would also work during this step.

You Do Independently/Collaboratively: Demonstrate Learning  

The following arrangements are ideal for collaborative learning, student discussion, teams/debate, or Socratic style. The You Do with Support arrangements would also apply during this time.

Use these arrangements in large common areas for collaborative learning.

Adrian High School-B100

Adrian High School - Global Learning Centre

Adrian High School-Global Learning Centre

Resource: Silberman, Melvin L. Active Learning: 101 Strategies to Teach Any Subject. Print