Fact Families

Learning Target/Objectives:
Students will be able to efficiently generate fact families using related numbers on a Fact Triangle. Students will use
addition and subtraction strategies within 20 to determine what the facts will be.
Common Core Standards:
o 2.OA.2: Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies. By end of Grade 2, know from
memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.
o 2.NBT.5: Fluently add and subtract within 100 using strategies based on place value, properties of
operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction.
Description/overview of lesson:
The lesson will begin with students at the front carpet as a whole group. The teacher will portray an Addition/Subtraction
facts table up on the projector so all students can see. Students will then have the opportunity to discuss with partners
what they notice. This will then turn into a whole-group discussion about the chart and using it to discover strategies.
After the warm-up, students will learn more about fact families. The teacher will model a fact family on the board using a
triangle and three numbers (i.e. 3, 4, 7). Students will discuss how the group of numbers creates a family and make
connections to previously learned addition/subtraction strategies. Next, students will be able to create their own fact
families individually (or in partners) at their seats on sheets of paper or using white boards. Finally, students will be able
to practice more with fact family worksheet called Find the Imposter. This will be turned in at the end as an exit slip.
TASK

Create a fact family of three numbers (one being the sum of two numbers) using a triangle. Write out all facts
(addition and subtraction) associated with the family.
How can the task be solved?
o What are three solutions or strategies you think students will use?
1. Some students could use the making 10 strategy to create their fact family
2. Some students could use a doubles fact and sum to create a fact family. (i.e. 2, 2, 4)
3. Students could use the turn-around strategy to explain how they wrote out their addition facts.
o What misconceptions/errors might occur?
- Students might think that the big number in the group of three is not the sum, therefore creating facts in
a different order (i.e. 3, 5, and 8. Fact: 3 + 8 = 5, etc.)
- Students might forget that there are 2 addition facts that can be created and 2 subtraction facts (unless
using doubles)
- Some students may think that an outside number can be a part of the facts when writing them out. (I.e.
They might think that 9 + 3 = 12 is a member of the 3, 6, 9 fact family.)

What particular challenges might the task present to students who are struggling or students who
are English Language Learners?
o How will you address these challenges?
- Students who lack knowledge of basic addition or subtraction facts may struggle with creating fact
families. In order to address this, students will have access to the addition facts table that is used at
beginning of class. Students will also be able to look back at addition/subtraction strategies we
have written about in our math journals.
- English language learners may struggle with any mathematical vocabulary or language that is
unfamiliar to them. In order to address this, the teacher will ensure that directions and information
presented is spoken in a clear, concise voice. Teacher will also be sure to repeat new vocabulary
words and explain them throughout the lesson.
- A model fact triangle/family will be presented on the board. Students may use it for reference, but may
not copy it exactly.
- Students will be able to ask partners for help or raise their hands with any questions throughout the
lesson.

What resources (including smartnesses) or tools will students have to use in their work that will
give them entry into, and help them reason through, the task?
- Students will be able to use the addition facts table discussed at beginning of class.
- Students will be able to ask questions or talk to a tablemate at any point during the lesson to help them
reason through the task.
- Students will have access to previous notes about addition/subtraction strategies and may use them

for reference.
- Students will be able to see the teacher model of a fact triangle throughout lesson.
BEFORE/LAUNCH 7-10 minutes
-Students will begin lesson up at front of the room, on carpet in a whole-group setting, with math journals in hand.

How will you introduce the activity so as to provide access to all students while maintaining the cognitive
demand of the task?
- Teacher will portray both addition and subtraction facts tables up on projector and ask students to turn
to pg. 50 in their math journals.

- Next, teacher will ask students to turn to a partner and share what they notice about both charts.
!Ask questions such as what do you notice in the rows, columns and diagonal numbers? What
kinds of patterns do you see?
!Re-direct students attention and discuss what they noticed; make sure to note patterns/strategies
they use
!Use both tables to model and show sample facts and how you figure out where the answer is; i.e.
1 + 9 = 10
!Allow students to provide facts/show what they found (they may follow along in math journals)
!Encourage students to follow along by tracing their fingers on facts as others talk about them
- Go on to explain that the lesson will be about using their knowledge of addition facts/related
subtraction facts to create fact families.
- Teacher will then dismiss students to get whiteboards, erasers and markers for next part of lesson
What expectations will you communicate so they understand how you want them to work on the task?
- Tell students that they will begin the lesson as a whole-group and will get turns to talk/share
strategies/ask questions
- Then, let them know that after learning more about fact families/triangles they will get to work
independently at their seats to create their own
- Remind them to think about how they are using strategies and to think about how they will want to
create a fact family (once it is explained)

How will you check to make sure students understand what they need to do?
- Observe students while teaching and call on students to check for understanding
- Ask students to repeat directions if necessary
- Ask for in cues, like putting hands on heads if they understand or thumbs down if they do not
DURING/EXPLORE 15-25 minutes
-Begin by reminding students that they have learned how to use addition facts to write related subtraction facts in the
previous lesson (3-2). Explain that they will apply that knowledge to create fact families.

How will students be working (groups, individuals, pairs)? How will they be grouped (if applicable)?

-Students will start off the lesson as whole-group up at front on carpet (with white-boards, markers, erasers)
- Teacher will draw a large triangle on the board and then proceed to write a 9 in top corner, and 3 and 6 in
bottom corners:

- The teacher will give students a chance to write out number sentences on their white boards (2 addition and 2
subtraction) and then ask for student volunteers to share answers and strategies
- Teacher will fill in blanks with student answers and discuss how this group of related facts are called a fact
family
-Teacher can then help students make connections by discussing family and its specific meaning in the
mathematical context
-Teacher can extend the lesson by asking a student to give an example of a group of three numbers that are
related by addition and subtraction (and then go through the modeling process again)
-Explain to students that next, they will get to go sit at their seats and individually create their own fact families
(using either a white board, or sheet of paper).
-Ask them to think about strategies and how they decide which fact to use.

What assistance will you give or what questions will you ask a student or group who becomes frustrated and
requests more direction and guidance?
- Ask students to turn to a partner or someone at their table and question their strategy
- Ask students to think about the subtraction/addition fact tables we looked at during the beginning of
class (page 50 of math journal)
- If numerous children are having trouble, group them up at the front and help extend their thinking by
repeating directions, going through facts again, etc.
What will you do if a student or group finishes early? How will you extend the task to provide additional
challenge?
- Students who finish early will be asked to create another fact family using a different strategy or bigger
number (i.e. if they used doubles, ask them to think of making tens)
- Students may also compare with partners or discuss with a table mate
What will you do if a student or group focuses on non-mathematical aspects of the task, or something other than
the task?
- Re-direct students to the task at hand
- Ask them to discuss with a partner
- Ask them to rationalize their thoughts to teacher; ask for strategies, connections, how/why they chose
the numbers they did

AFTER/SUMMARIZE 10-15 minutes

-Ask students to bring their white boards or sheets of paper (with task drawn/written out) up to the front of the room for a
whole-group discussion. Allow students to portray their answers/fact family drawings up on projector if they wish while
discussing.

Referring to your monitoring chart (in the last section), in what order do you want student strategies to be
shared?
- Address the turn-around facts strategy first. By beginning with this, it will make it clear to students that
addition facts are created using the fact family numbers by turning them around. Be sure to discuss
how the subtraction rule is different, however.
- Next, address any misconceptions; this way students who figured out another strategy can help to
communicate those to others. Be sure to ask for volunteers when correcting student strategies
- Next, address the doubles-fact strategy. During discussion, make sure to ask the question do you
think you need to have all four facts for every fact family? and make note that DOUBLES facts are
the only exception. Be sure to question student thinking about this and ask why this is the case
- Finally, address making-tens strategies. Ask students about this strategy and why they decided to use
it.

How will students strategies be shared? (e.g. student work on the document camera, teacher representations of
student work, etc.)
-Students will share their strategies verbally by explaining their drawings/written facts.
-Students may choose to show their work up on the projector so that everyone can see
-If student work is messy, teacher can re-write their ideas up on board
What are three questions you can use to connect across the three strategies/solutions?
-Do you think that all facts will have four facts in their fact family? Why or why not?
-Does the turn-around rule apply to all facts? Which ones does it work for? Which ones does it not work for?
How do you know?
-Why cant we use more than 3 numbers in a fact family?
How will you close the lesson?
-Close the lesson by asking students to erase their white boards and place markers, erasers and boards back
where they belong.
-Ask students to work on the Find the Imposter worksheet for more practice with fact families.

-Tell the class that they only need to choose 4 houses to complete (of the 12). For students who need more of
an extension, allow them to complete the entire worksheet.
-Ask students to turn in sheet when complete and it will be used as an exit slip.

Materials Needed:
-Projector
-White boards
-Erasers
-Markers
-Sheets of paper
-Work books
-Exit slip