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.
- Plus Plan
Fact Family Find and Flip - Addition and Subtraction (Lower)
Addition and subtraction game cards demonstrating the relationship between fact families.
- Free Plan
Missing Addends to 10 – Flashcards
Practise all the ways to make ten with this set of flashcards.
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Jump Strategy Addition Interactive Activity
Practise using the addition jump strategy with this fun interactive activity.
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Counting On: Addition Strategy Worksheet
Practise the “counting on” addition strategy to solve addition problems to 20.
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Place Value to the Thousands Place - Maths Mats
Practise place value concepts, addition and subtraction with a printable set of place value charts.
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Doubles to Twenty
A set of 20 posters to help students remember double numbers to ten.
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Fact Family Find and Flip - Addition and Subtraction (Middle)
Addition and subtraction game cards demonstrating the relationship between fact families.
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Maths Action Words – Keyword Sign Free Printables
Help your students decipher maths word problems with a set of printable maths keyword sign free printables.
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Adding within 1000 Expanded Form Worksheet
Practise using the split strategy by working through this expanded form addition worksheet.
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Mathematics Vocabulary Posters
A teaching resource to help students identify the symbols and associated vocabulary for mathematical operations.
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Dinosaur Maths - Addition & Subtraction - V2
Solve the addition and subtraction sums to colour in the dinosaur.
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Emoji Equation Riddles - Determine the Unknown
Determine the value of an unknown variable in an equation with printable Emoji Maths Riddle task cards.
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Addition within 20 Interactive Resource
Practise solving one-digit and two-digit addition problems using a variety of addition strategies with this interactive activity.
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Split Strategy Addition Dominoes
A set of addition dominoes to use in the classroom when applying the split strategy.
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Counting On – Word Problems
Extend students with this counting on word problem worksheet.
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Addition and Subtraction Word Problem Task Cards (Numbers 1-9)
Use a range of addition and subtraction strategies to solve twenty single-digit word problems.
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Number Talks - Three-Digit Addition Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.
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Picture Addition Worksheet
A worksheet consolidating students' understanding of combining groups of items.
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Rainbow Numbers Poster
A poster showing rainbow numbers, or fact families to ten.
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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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Addition Worm – Worksheet
Build your students' addition skills with this fun set of differentiated worksheets.
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Hundreds Board Mystery Picture Addition Task Cards
A set of 32 activity task cards that require students to complete addition problems and colour in a hundreds chart to reveal a mystery picture.
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Fact Family Find and Flip - Addition and Subtraction (Upper)
Addition and subtraction game cards demonstrating the relationship between fact families.
- Plus Plan
Addition Bingo – Numbers 0–50
32 different bingo cards using addition and numbers from 0-50.
- Plus Plan
4-Digit Place Value Card Game - Race to 10 000
A fun game for students to play in small groups to consolidate their understanding of adding and subtracting in groups of 10, 100 and 1000.
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Addition by Regrouping Classroom Poster
Learn the steps to addition with regrouping with this simple classroom poster.
- Free Plan
Making Ten Activity Mat
A template that encourages students to demonstrate multiple ways to make 10.
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Adding and Subtracting Within 10 - Word Problem Task Cards
Solve word problems practicing addition and subtraction to ten with a set of printable task cards.
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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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Making Ten Memory Game
Practise making ten using ten frames with this fun memory game.
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Partitioning Teaching Presentation
Introduce the partitioning strategy to your students with this teaching presentation.
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Missing Addend Addition Picture Puzzle – Level 2
Consolidate students’ addition skills with this missing addends worksheet.