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.
- Plus Plan
Adding within 1,000 Mystery Image Reveal Worksheet
Practice using the strip diagram to add within 1,000 with this fun mystery picture reveal activity.
- Plus Plan
Break Apart Strategy Addition Worksheet Pack
Practice using the break apart strategy with this worksheet set.
- Plus Plan
Pizza-Themed Near Doubles Task Cards
Practice quick recall of near doubles facts with this cute pizza-themed task cards activity.
- Plus Plan
Adding within 1000 Addition Strategy Task Cards
Practice using a number of addition strategies to add numbers within 1000 with this set of task cards.
- Plus Plan
Part-Part-Whole - Addition and Subtraction Teaching Slides
Teach your students how to effectively use a bar model to solve 1-digit addition and subtraction number facts using the part-part-whole strategy.
- Plus Plan
Jump Strategy - Number Line Addition Game
Practice using the jump strategy for multi-digit addition with a fun math game.
- Free Plan
Printable Number Line 0–30
Make counting a visual experience with this set of 4 multi-purpose 0–30 printable number lines.
- Free Plan
Printable Blank Number Line - 0-120
Create personal number lines for use in math lessons with a printable blank number line template for numbers from 1-120.
- Plus Plan
Adding and Subtracting Integers - Codebreaker Worksheets
Crack the positive and negative number code with four adding and subtracting integers worksheets.
- Plus Plan
"March Mathness" Basketball Math Craft - Addition
Practice 2-3 digit addition (with and without regrouping) with a fun "March Mathness" craft activity.
- Plus Plan
Rearranging Parts – Worksheet
Rearrange the parts of an addition problem to form new number sentences with this worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Parts of a Number Sentence (Addition and Subtraction) - Posters
Display these posters when learning about parts of addition and subtraction problems.
- Plus Plan
Rearranging Parts – Instructional Slide Deck
Learn how to decompose numbers less than or equal to 10 into pairs in more than one way with this instructional slide deck.
- Plus Plan
Counting On – Instructional Slide Deck
Introduce the early addition concept of “counting on” to your students with this set of teaching slides.
- Plus Plan
Mystery Pattern Grids (Addition)
Solve addition facts, interpret coordinate planes, and draw shapes to reveal a mystery picture.
- Plus Plan
Addition Strategies: Make a Ten Worksheet
A 2-page worksheet that uses ten frames to model the “making ten” addition strategy.
- Plus Plan
Addition Strategies: Base-Ten Blocks Worksheet
Practice using the strategy of using base-10 blocks and regrouping to find the sum.
- Free Plan
Adding 2-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practice 2-digit addition with regrouping with this drill and practice worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Making Ten Teaching Slide Deck
A 14-slide PowerPoint that uses engaging animations to walk students through the 'making ten' addition strategy.
- Plus Plan
Linking Addition and Subtraction Worksheet
Explore the relationship between addition and subtraction with a fact family worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Number Talks - Fluency to 20 Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.
- Plus Plan
Number Talks - Balancing Equations Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 40 task cards.
- Plus Plan
Word Problem Task Cards: Addition and Subtraction Within 10
Practice addition and subtraction within 10 with this set of 18 word problem task cards.
- Plus Plan
Math Mazes - Addition and Subtraction
A set of puzzling mazes that require addition and subtraction skills to solve.
- Plus Plan
Polygon Puzzles - Addition
A set of 7 polygon puzzles to practice solving addition sentences.
- Plus Plan
Friends of... 1 to 10 Addition Poster
A set of 10 posters showing how different combinations of numbers connect to make the same number.
- Plus Plan
Marine Animal Addition Worksheet
An addition worksheet to use when adding two single-digit numbers.
- Plus Plan
Bobby's Board Games – Math Game Challenge
Challenge students to design and create a math board game.
- Plus Plan
Picture Addition Worksheet
A worksheet to practice the addition strategy of counting on.
- Plus Plan
Dinosaur Math - Addition and Subtraction (Version 2)
Solve the addition and subtraction number sentences to color the dinosaur.
- Plus Plan
Near Doubles - Number Facts Board Game
Practice the "Near Doubles" addition strategy with this board game.
- Plus Plan
Doubles - Number Facts Board Game
Practice the doubles addition strategy with this board game.