Anyone have a fun way to teach fact families?
Thanks

[istoleahalo]

Lets see if I can get this out right..lol...

In a house...no "strangers" (other numbers) are allowed in the house.

"Big Daddy" = big number (5)
Mommy = middle number (3)
baby = small number (2)

Big Daddy is always first or last, because he is protecting his family.

Sometimes Daddy goes to work leaving Mommy and baby home together. 2+3=5

Baby is the most important person in Mommy life so she always puts him first, except on Mommy's Birthday 3+2=5

Sometimes Mommy goes to get her nails done and leaves baby with Daddy. 5-2=3

Sometimes Mommy and Daddy go to see a movie and leave baby with a sitter 5-3=2


A teacher at my school did this and I thought it was really cute. She drew a house and all and had the "family" move in and out.

I'm not sure how much fun it is, but I find it's easiest to use dominoes. Make a large set for yourself and let the kiddos use the dollar store variety. When they hold it one way, one addition fact, flip it and get the "cousin". Hide one side for one subtraction fact, hide the other side....you know what I mean. We record these and I work on one fact family for a several days in a row, so they learn about how number families work with a set that has become very familiar. We also discuss how the largest number is at the end for addition, and at the beginning for subtraction. I have also used those double doggie dishes, and small dog treats as counters to do the same thing, as they can easily turn the dog dish around and "read" the related fact.

When they really understand it, they can do the "4 stories" for any fact you give them. Then every day in our review, we willl make the "4 stories" for a couple of basic facts together. You can display the "fact families" on posters shaped like houses. Also you can use triangular shaped flash cards with a number in each corner. When you hold it up, you cover one corner with your hand. The challenge is to figure out which number is covered by the teachers hand. If you see 2 and 4 the hidden number is 6, if you see the 6 and 2, the hidden number is 4, etc.

Also the "Tub Game" is good for reviewing; give each pair 6 counters (or whatever number you're working on) and a margerine tub. One hides some of the counters under the tub and puts the rest on top. The other partner figures out how many are hidden. they keep on going for several turns. This doesn't sound like "fact families" but it is familiarizing the children with the "partners" for 6 without being addition or subtraction, and it is still reviewing both.

Try some of the games and activities at www.theschoolbell.com. This site has a great program for learning facts. The students practice facts for one sum at a time and the related subtraction facts.

I send these home with the kids and ask that they practice with their family.

http://www.pedagonet.com/quickies/mathworksheets.htm