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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The Mathematical Easter Egg Hunt
Solve number sentences and determine the codewords with this differentiated Easter egg hunt activity.
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Dominate the Dragon – Mental Math Worksheets
Capture your students' interest in math drills for all four operations with these fun dragon-themed differentiated math worksheets.
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Addition and Subtraction Problem Solving Task Cards
Practice solving 1- and 2-step word problems by adding and subtracting 2-digit numbers with this set of 16 task cards.
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Roll It! Operations Game
Use this fun game to practice all four operations and/or order of operations.
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Math Mazes - Two-digit Addition
Practice adding two-digit numbers with this set of differentiated math mazes.
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Roll, Add, and Color - Easter Bunny
A fun roll, add, and color sheet featuring an Easter bunny.
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Addition Strategies Cheat Sheet
Help students understand the different addition strategies with this helpful cheat sheet.
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Kindergarten Math Review - Easter Worksheets
Practice various Kindergarten math concepts with a pack of Easter worksheets.
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Addition and Subtraction Minute Math Booklet
Warm-up (or assess) with this 10-page booklet of addition and subtraction drills.
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Multi-Step Addition and Subtraction Word Problem Task Cards
Solve multi-step addition and subtraction word problems with a set of printable math task cards.
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Addition and Subtraction Mat - Apple Tree
Solve addition and subtraction problems up to 10 with a hands-on apple math center.
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"March Mathness" Basketball Math Craft - Addition
Practice 2-3 digit addition (with and without regrouping) with a fun "March Mathness" craft activity.
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Roll, Add, and Color - Easter Basket
A fun roll, add, and color sheet featuring an Easter basket.
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Adding 2-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practice 2-digit addition with regrouping with this drill and practice worksheet.
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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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Double Dinos - Using Doubles Facts to Add Near Doubles Worksheet
Practice the “near doubles” addition strategy to solve addition problems to 20.
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Strip Diagram (Bar Model) Poster Pack
Help your students solve problems using the four operations with a pack of printable strip diagram anchor charts.
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Ten Frame - Printable Templates
Print a set of 10 blank ten frames to use in various math lessons.
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Bunny Number Lines - Addition and Subtraction Task Cards
Hop down the number line with the Easter Bunny to practice addition and subtraction on a number line.
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Printable Number Line 0–30
Make counting a visual experience with this set of 4 multi-purpose 0–30 printable number lines.
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Easter Literacy and Math Centers - Digital Learning Activity
Lost the lesson-planning stress this Easter season with an exciting no-prep digital Easter Literacy and Math center.
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The Escape From Millbrook Manor – Halloween Escape Room
Practice computation skills by solving puzzles with this differentiated Halloween escape room game.
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Mixed Operations Minute Math Booklet (Higher-Level Version)
Incorporate this mental math drills booklet into your math lesson warm-up (or assessment) routine.
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Multi-Step Problem Solving Worksheet
Solve a multi-step problem and explain the mathematical reasoning behind the process with this simple assessment 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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Find 20 Addition Strategy Task Cards
Practice finding 20 with this set of linking cube task cards.
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Addition Strategies Exit Tickets
Assess student knowledge of different addition strategies with these printable exit tickets.
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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.
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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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Missing Part Path - Find the Missing Number Worksheet
Practice using various subtraction strategies with a fun dice-roll math maze.
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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.
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"Egg-cellent" Easter Addition Activity
Practice simple addition with this Easter math center.