Addition Teaching Resources
Introduce addition this school year with printable worksheets, digital activities, adding games, addition word problems, flashcards and more to help students understand how to add numbers and apply addition strategies to math problems.
This teaching resource collection was created by the teachers on the Teach Starter team for elementary teachers. Each of the curriculum-aligned resources has been carefully reviewed and curated by our expert teachers to make sure it's ready to use with your students! Browse printables and digital activities for teaching students how to make 10, how to add integers and more, plus find differentiated resources to help you meet each student's needs!
New to teaching addition, or just looking for new ways to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a kid-friendly definition and some common vocabulary!
What Is Addition? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Let's start with a definition of this math operation that's easy for them to understand!
Addition is a math operation that involves combining two or more numbers to find a total. The symbol (+) is used to indicate addition, and this is called a plus sign.
Here's an example of addition at work!
In the equation 2 + 3 = 5, the numbers 2 and 3 are added together to get a sum of 5.
Addition Terms for Kids to Learn
There are plenty of new vocabulary words for your students to learn when introducing addition. Here are some of the terms you will want to start off with.
Sum
The sum is the result of adding two or more numbers. It's the solution or answer to an addition problem!
In the equation 2 + 3 = 5, 5 is the sum.
Addend
The numbers being added in an addition equation are called addends.
In the equation 2 + 3 = 5, for example, both 2 and 3 are addends.
Commutative Property
The commutative property states that changing the order of the addends in your addition problem does not change the sum.
For example, 2 + 3 is the same as 3 + 2.
Associative Property
The associative property states that changing the grouping of the addends in your math problem will not change the sum.
For example, (2 + 3) + 4 is the same as 2 + (3 + 4).
Repeated Addition
Sometimes a math problem involves adding the same number multiple times. We call this repeated addition, and it's a way to find the product of two numbers where one of the numbers is repeated a certain number of times.
Repeated addition is handy for helping students understand multiplication. After all, multiplication can be thought of as repeated addition.
Cartoon plus sign
What Is Partial Sums Addition?
If you know what a sum is, you're halfway to understanding partial sums addition! This math vocabulary term refers to adding two or more numbers by breaking apart the addends and adding the value of the digits in each place value position from right to left.
This handy strategy is great to use with students when they are first learning to add two or more numbers. Partial sums addition breaks down the process of addition into smaller, more manageable steps.
Let's look at an example.
If you have the 36 + 27 and want to use partial sums addition, you start by determining the value of the digits in the ones place, adding them together, and writing down the sum (6 + 7 = 13).
Next, add the value of the tens place digits together (30 + 20 = 50), and write down the answer under the previous sum. Add together the two partial sums to get your answer, 63.
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Picture Addition Worksheet
A worksheet to practice the addition strategy of counting on.
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Dinosaur Math - Addition and Subtraction (Version 2)
Solve the addition and subtraction number sentences to color the dinosaur.
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Doubles - Number Facts Board Game
Practice the doubles addition strategy with this board game.
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Addition Bingo (Single and Double-Digit Numbers)
32 different bingo cards to practice adding single and double digit numbers mentally.
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Combinations of 10 and 20 Posters
Easily recognize combinations of 10 and combinations of 20 with this visual poster set.
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Kindergarten Math Activity - Christmas Addition Facts Up to 10 Puzzle
Review addition facts up to 10 with a printable Christmas math activity for Kindergarten.
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Addition to 20 Activity - Winter Math Puzzle for 1st Grade
Practice addition facts up to 20 with a printable winter math puzzle for kindergarten and first-grade students.
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Thanksgiving Escape Room - The Stolen Feast
Play a Thanksgiving Escape Room game and practice two-and-three digit addition for holiday fun!
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Hide-a-Turkey Kindergarten Math Worksheet
Hide the turkeys and practice sums to ten with a fun Thanksgiving math worksheet for Kindergarten.
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Thanksgiving Math Tales - Kindergarten Math Problems
Solve story problems using models with a Thanksgiving Story Problem interactive activity for kindergarten.
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Christmas Math Worksheets - Roll, Add and Color Addition
Roll, add, and color your way to Christmas with a pack of fun Kindergarten math worksheets.
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1st Grade Halloween Addition Game - Roll-a-Potion
Roll and add to create a magic potion, then draw it in the cauldron with a printable Halloween game.
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Halloween Addition Worksheet
Count on to solve spooky addition problems in this 2-page Halloween Addition Worksheet.
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Spooky Sums Tarsia Puzzle - 3 Digit Addition
Practice three-digit addition skills with a Halloween pumpkin tarsia puzzle.
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Spooky Halloween Math Centers for Kindergarten
Save time writing your October Math Lesson plans with a Digital Halloween math activity for kindergarten.
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Number Bonds Math Center Activity
Use this hands-on number bonds (addition and subtraction) strategy activity in your next guided math group lesson!
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Addition by Regrouping Classroom Poster
Learn the steps to addition with regrouping with this simple classroom poster.
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Compensation Strategy for Addition Interactive Slide Deck
Teach your students to use the compensation strategy for addition with an interactive teaching slide deck.
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Addition Strategies Task Cards
Practice using the jump strategy, break apart strategy, compensation strategy and 100s chart strategy with this set of task cards.
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Part Part Whole Word Problem Task Cards and Worksheet
Explore these animal-themed part-part-whole word problems that will open discussions with your young mathematicians.
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Bridge to Ten Addition Strategy Task Cards
Help students quickly bridge to ten to assist with their addition strategies using linking cubes.
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Addition Strategies Exit Tickets
Assess student knowledge of different addition strategies with these printable exit tickets.
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Addition Strategy Mats
Practice using a variety of addition strategies to add 2-digit numbers.
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Rainbow Number Facts (Making 10) - Board Game
Practice the addition strategy of making ten with this board game.
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Missing Addend to 10 Flashcards
Practice all the ways to make ten with this set of flashcards.
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Adding with Strip Diagram Cut and Paste Worksheet
Practice adding two digit numbers using the strip diagram with this cut and paste worksheet.
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Addition Strategy Spin Game
Have some fun all while practicing different addition strategies with this fun classroom game.
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Addition to 1,000 Sunflower Interactive Activity
Practice solving addition problems using a variety of addition strategies with this interactive activity.
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Number Talks - Double Digit Addition Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.
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Addition Strategies to 20 Workmat
Practice using a variety of addition strategies to add numbers up to 20.
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Missing Addends Addition Worksheet
Build addition strategies with this worksheet where students need to identify the missing addend and matching subtraction equations.
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Jump Strategy Addition Worksheet Pack
Practice using the jump strategy with this worksheet set.