Addition and Subtraction Hands-On Part Part Whole Activity

Help your students build a strong foundation in early maths by making abstract concepts concrete! This Part-Part-Whole Hands-On Activity Mat is designed to deepen students’ understanding of the relationship between addition and subtraction through interactive, tactile learning. Perfect for maths rotations, small group instruction, or independent practise, this resource encourages students to visualise and physically manipulate numbers as they explore how parts come together to form a whole—and how wholes can be broken into parts.

What’s Included:

• Separate addition and subtraction mats to support targeted skill development.
• Differentiated mats for flexible instruction.
• Facts within 10 for Foundation and 20 for Year 1, aligned with year level standards.

How to Use the Part Part Whole Activity Mat

This resource is ideal for reinforcing number sense and operational fluency in a hands-on way. To get started, simply laminate the mats and cards for durability, gather your favourite maths manipulatives (like counters, cubes, or buttons), and set up your maths rotation or small group table.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Choose a Card: Students select a number sentence card—either addition or subtraction.
2. Build the Number Sentence: Using manipulatives, students build each piece of the number sentence.
   • For addition: Each part represents a group of objects that will be combined. Students place manipulatives in the two ‘part’ sections, then move all items into the ‘whole’ circle to find the total (sum).
   • For subtraction: The whole (minuend) is built first in the ‘whole’ circle. Students then move a group of manipulatives (the subtrahend) into one of the ‘part’ sections, then pull the remaining manipulatives in the second ‘part’ section. This remaining group represents the difference.
3. Record the Answer: Students write their number sentence and solution on the recording sheet.

Teaching Tip:

When using the part-part-whole model, it’s essential that students use the same manipulatives they used to build the parts to create the whole. This reinforces the conceptual action of joining for addition and separating for subtraction. If students build a new set of manipulatives for the whole or difference, they miss the opportunity to internalise the concrete meaning of these operations.

Encourage students to physically move the manipulatives to show the transformation from parts to whole (or whole to parts). This simple shift in practise can make a big difference in helping young learners grasp the logic behind addition and subtraction.

Easily Prepare This Resource for Your Students

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between this resource’s easy-to-print PDF and editable Google Slides version.

Sustainability Tip: Print a few recording sheets on cardboard and slip them into write-and-wipe sleeves. Students can record their answers with a whiteboard marker, then erase and reuse them.

This resource was created by Kendall Britnell, a Teach Starter Collaborator. 

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