Illuminations: Let's Learn Those Facts

Let's Learn Those Facts


Finding Sums to Six

In this lesson, students discover the role of the additive identity and explore sums to six. They continue to complete their personal addition charts.

Learning Objectives

 
Students will:
  • explore the results of adding zero
  • find pairs of addends that have a sum of six
  • practice the addition facts with sums to six

Materials

 
Paper
Crayons
Number cubes
Facts I Know Activity Sheet  

Instructional Plan

Call the students together and ask for a volunteer. Have that student roll a single number cube and record the number that came up. Now ask what number must be rolled for a total of six. [If a six was rolled the first time, the student should report that no further rolls are necessary.] Then have the student record the number sentence on the board [6 + 0 = 6.] Repeat with other volunteers.

Ask what addition fact would represent a roll of one and a roll of five. [1 + 5 = 6.] Then ask what addition fact would represent a roll of six and no further rolls. [6 + 0 = 6.] You may want to mention that zero is known as the additive identity, and you may want to ask students why they think that zero has this name. [The sum when any number is added to zero is itself, so it is "identical."]

Now ask the students to take out their Facts I Know activity sheets they began completing in the previous lesson, Finding Addition Patterns. Ask what addition facts they can be sure of, if they know that any number plus zero is the number that they started with. Have the students fill in those facts on their personal addition charts. Then ask them what happens when they add one to a number. [They may suggest it is like counting on to the next number.] If they can answer correctly, have them enter these facts on their charts as well. This will significantly reduce the number of facts that need to be learned separately. Note that as a student begins to identify patterns, they will be able to complete large portions of their addition charts. A partially completed chart is shown below.

 

+

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

2

2

3

 

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

3

3

4

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

 

4

4

5

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

5

6

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

 

6

6

7

 

 

 

 

12

 

 

 

7

7

8

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

16

8

8

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

9

10

 

 

 

 

 

16

 

 

 

To give students a chance to practice the sums to six, assign them to pairs and give each pair two number cubes. Tell them that the goal of the game they will play is to make sums of six. Ask them to take turns rolling the number cubes and giving themselves a tally mark each time the sum is six. Allow them time to play the game, then call them together and tell them that you will name a number less than six and they should raise their fingers to show how many more are needed to make six. Play this game several times, then ask volunteers to list on the board all the ways they can get six when they roll a pair of number cubes. [0 + 6, 1 + 5, 2 + 4, 3 + 3.] Invite the students to add as many of these facts as they know by heart to their personal addition charts.

To conclude this lesson, have students record, on paper, a picture of two number cubes showing a sum of six.

Questions for Students

 

If you rolled a five, what would you need to roll to make a sum of six? What addition fact would show that?

[1; 5 + 1 = 6.]

If you rolled a one, what would you need to roll to make a sum of six? What addition fact would show that? What is alike between this addition sentence and the one you wrote for the other example? What is different? How can this help you learn your addition tables by heart?

[5; 1 + 5 = 6; the addition sentences have the same addends and sum; the addends are in reverse order]

How many ways can you roll a sum of six with two number cubes? How many ways can you have a sum of five? Of four? Of one?

[3 different ways: 1+5, 2+4, 3+3; 2 different ways: 1+4, 2+3; 2 different ways: 1+3, 2+2; A sum of one cannot be obtained from a roll of two number cubes.]

Assessment Options

 
  1. You may wish to add your observations on the students' current level of mastery of the addition facts to the Class Notes recording sheet. You may find the information useful when providing input for planning remedial and enrichment learning experiences.

Teacher Reflection

 
  • Which students are able to identify with accuracy the facts they know by heart? How can the other students be helped to do this?
  • Which students were able to stay on task while they played the game? Should some pairs be changed in the next lesson?
  • What extension activities are appropriate for the students who have learned all their addition facts?
  • What adjustments will I make the next time that I teach this lesson?

NCTM Standards and Expectations

 
Number & Operations Pre-K-2
  1. Understand the effects of adding and subtracting whole numbers.
  2. Develop fluency with basic number combinations for addition and subtraction.
  3. Develop and use strategies for whole-number computations, with a focus on addition and subtraction.
This lesson prepared by Grace M. Burton.
  
1 period   

NCTM Resources

Principles and Standards for School Mathematics


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