How to teach fact families

To teach fact families, show children that three numbers can make four related facts, then let them build families with objects, triangles and houses before writing the equations. This guide gives you a 30 minute lesson plan, a slide outline, common misconceptions and ways to assess understanding.

Learning goals

• Children can say which three numbers belong to a fact family.
• Children can write all the facts in the family.
• Children can use a fact they know to find a missing number.

Before the lesson

• Two colors of counters or linking cubes for each pair of children.
• Printed blank fact family triangles or houses.
• A fact family anchor chart for the wall.

A 30 minute lesson plan

1. Hook (5 minutes). Show 3 red cubes and 4 blue cubes. Ask how many in all, then hide the red ones and ask how many are left under the cloth. Children see that 3 + 4 = 7 and 7 − 3 = 4 in one picture.
2. Model (8 minutes). Draw a triangle with 7 at the top and 3 and 4 at the bottom. Write the four facts together. Explain that the three numbers make a family.
3. Guided practice (7 minutes). Give pairs a triangle with one number missing. They find the number with counters, then write the facts aloud to each other.
4. Independent practice (7 minutes). Print a fact family worksheet at the right level. Children complete the triangles and write the four facts.
5. Close (3 minutes). Ask: “If you know 8 + 5 = 13, what else do you know?” Collect the three other facts.

Slide outline for a fact families presentation

If you would like a short slide deck for the lesson, these six slides are enough to copy into PowerPoint or Google Slides:

1. Title: What is a fact family?
2. The picture: a triangle with three numbers and four facts (see the fact family explanation).
3. Addition and subtraction example with counters.
4. Multiplication and division example with an array.
5. Try it: three triangles with a missing number.
6. Exit question: write the fact family for 6, 9 and 15.

How to explain fact families to first graders

• Say “these three numbers live in the same house” and draw the house.
• Use real objects before symbols.
• Always read the facts aloud. Speaking them helps children remember.
• Keep to numbers within 10 until children are confident.

Common misconceptions

• “Subtraction facts can start with any number.” They start with the whole.
• “The order of subtraction does not matter.” It does. 7 − 3 is not the same as 3 − 7.
• “Any three numbers are a family.” They must fit together. 3, 4 and 8 do not.

Differentiation

• Support. Keep to sums within 10, use counters, and give the triangle with only one missing number.
• Challenge. Move to sums within 20 or 100, include zero families, or ask children to write a word problem for a family.
• Extension. Link to multiplication and division with arrays and the multiplication families page.

Assessment ideas

• Give three numbers and ask for all the facts.
• Give one fact and ask for the other three.
• Give two numbers and ask children to find the third.
• Ask children to explain why 5, 5 and 10 has only two facts.

More teaching resources

Use the free fact family calculator to check any family during the lesson, and the practice game as a warm up or exit ticket.