What are Fact Families?
What are fact families? Are you looking at your math curriculum and asking yourself that question? Are you looking at your child’s homework and wondering? Look no further! Let’s look at what they are and how to help your students (or child) understand them.
Fact families (also known as related facts) help students develop math fluency and automaticity with addition and subtraction. Before children memorize math facts, they must learn to identify patterns and relationships with numbers.
A fact family includes three numbers that makeup addition and subtraction sentences. Numbers get rearranged to make two addition equations and two subtraction equations. Basically, two numbers are part of a whole or larger number. For instance, the numbers 3, 7, and 10. These numbers relate to each other in the following ways:
Look at how these number sentences are related:
- 3 + 7 = 10
- 7 + 3 = 10
- 10 – 7 = 3
- 10 – 3 = 7
Fact Family Houses
An engaging way to teach related facts is to explain that each number sentence is a member of a family that lives together in a house. Sometimes it’s easier to “see” the relationships with a fact family house. Children begin to comprehend that 7 + 3 = 10 AND that 3 + 7 = 10. Take a look at this visual of a fact family on a house.
Once students understand the relationship between addition and subtraction math facts, they use mental math strategies to solve math equations. Additionally, as students become familiar with the concept of related facts with addition and subtraction, they are much more likely to be able to apply the same understanding to multiplication and division.
Fact Family Activities
There are many ways to engage students while teaching related facts.
- Use mini manipulatives, linking cubes, candy corn, jelly beans, counting bears. Holding something links the abstract concept of addition and subtraction with the concrete application.
- Play a dice game to choose numbers to fill fact family printables.
- Combine a matching game with a scavenger hunt. Hide related numbers around the room. Assign numbers to small groups or individuals. Students search the room and write them on their recording sheet.
- Use Boom Cards to reinforce skills.
Using Math Boom Cards
Grab this deck of Boom Cards to help students develop an understanding of related facts! Grab it by clicking here. This activity is part of the bundle: Addition Strategies | Boom Cards | Math Boom Cards. Kids will have a blast reinforcing these basic skills. Watch their confidence grow as they begin to master math facts.
This simple addition strategy is an easy and fun unit in your classroom. Using tangible objects to study abstract concepts will keep them engaged and help strengthen comprehension. Add in some Boom Cards to practice, and you are sure to see automaticity with fact fluency, an increase in student confidence, and many smiles to go with it!
Until next,
Learn more about Boom Cards here!