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 maths problems.
This teaching resource collection was created by the teachers on the Teach Starter team for primary teachers like you. Each Australian curriculum-aligned resource has been carefully reviewed and curated by our expert teachers to ensure 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 maths operation that's easy for them to understand!
Addition is a maths 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
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 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.
For example, in the equation 2 + 3 = 5, 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 maths 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 maths 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 for 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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Dominate the Dragon – Mental Maths Worksheets
Capture your students' interest in maths drills for all four operations with these fun dragon-themed differentiated maths worksheets.
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Multi-Step Addition and Subtraction Word Problem Cards – Middle Primary
Solve multi-step addition and subtraction word problems with a set of printable maths task cards.
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Addition and Subtraction Minute Maths Booklet
A maths warm-up booklet with ten pages of addition and subtraction questions.
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Number and Place Value Worksheets - Year 2
14 number worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Year 5 Mental Maths Drills Workbook
Get the mental strategies flowing with this ten-page mental maths booklet covering the four operations.
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Double-Digit Addition Strategies Posters
Remind your students to use different addition strategies with a set of printable two-digit addition strategies.
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Addition Strategies Cheat Sheet
Help students understand the different addition strategies with this helpful cheat sheet.
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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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Split Strategy Addition Worksheet Pack
Practise using the split strategy with this worksheet set.
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Word Problem Worksheets - Year 5 and Year 6
4 mixed operations word problem worksheets with answers.
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Roll, Add and Colour - Easter Basket
A fun roll, add and colour sheet featuring an Easter basket.
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2-Digit Number of the Day Warm-Up PowerPoint
Review various 2-digit maths concepts with a Number of the Day slide deck and recording sheet.
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Roll, Add and Colour - Easter Bilby
A fun roll, add and colour sheet featuring an Easter bilby.
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Linking Addition and Subtraction Worksheet
Explore the relationship between addition and subtraction with a fact family worksheet.
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Number Line Addition Worksheet
Practise adding two-digit numbers with regrouping using a number line and the jump strategy with a printable number line worksheet.
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Addition on a Number Line - Jump Strategy Slide Deck
Model adding two-digit numbers with regrouping using a number line and the jump strategy with a handy instructional slide deck.
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Fact Family Maths Blast Off - Addition and Subtraction
Demonstrate an understanding of addition and subtraction fact families with a fun cut and sort activity.
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Addition and Subtraction Word Problem Task Cards (Numbers 10-50)
Use a range of addition and subtraction strategies to solve twenty word problems that contain numbers 10–50.
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Year 6 Mental Maths Drills Workbook
Incorporate this mental maths drills booklet into your maths lesson warm-up routine.
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Number Patterns - Worksheet
A place value worksheet to use when completing number patterns.
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The Mathematical Easter Egg Hunt – Whole Class Game
A differentiated whole class Easter egg hunt.
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Simple Addition and Subtraction Questions
Use this versatile worksheet with your students when exploring early addition and subtraction number sentences.
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Tens Frame - Addition and Subtraction Match-Up Activity
Build addition and subtraction skills with two tens frame matching games.
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Jump Strategy Addition Worksheet Pack
Practise using the jump strategy with this worksheet set.
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Addition Strategies Posters
Create an addition strategies display"for your students with this set of classroom posters.
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Split Strategy Teaching PowerPoint
Learn all about the split strategy with this teaching PowerPoint.
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Adding 2-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practise 2-digit addition with regrouping with this drill and practice worksheet.
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Compensation Strategy Teaching PowerPoint
Teach your students to use the compensation strategy for addition with an interactive teaching slide deck.
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Part-Part-Whole Addition and Subtraction Worksheets
Reinforce your students' understanding of how a bar model is used to solve 1-digit addition and subtraction number facts using the part-part-whole strategy.
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Addition Strategies Worksheet
A worksheet to use when consolidating multiple addition strategies.
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Addition and Subtraction Fact Families Teaching Presentation
A 19-page editable teaching presentation to use in the classroom when introducing addition and subtraction fact families.
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Addition and Subtraction Word Problems - Match Game
Practise reading, modelling, and solving addition and subtraction word problems with a matching activity.