Addition Strategies Teaching Resources
Make teaching addition strategies easier this school year with worksheets, printables, math games, and more created by elementary teachers for elementary teachers like you.
Aligned with both TEKS and the Common Core Math curriculum standards, the digital and printable teacher resources in this collection cover a range of grade levels, so you can find just what you need for your lesson plans. Whether you're teaching kindergartners how to count on, explaining the commutative property to your 3rd grade class or working on your students' front-end estimation skills, we've got you covered!
Has it been a while since you taught math, or at least this particular part of the curriculum? Our teacher team knows a quarter of American teachers switch grades every year, and sometimes you could use a quick refresher.
What Are Addition Strategies?
Using strategies in math teaches students to think flexibly about numbers and will help them develop automaticity. So, what does it mean in the context of addition?
The term addition strategies refers to the different methods and techniques that can be used by our students to solve addition problems.
These strategies are an important part of developing fluency and building a deeper conceptual understanding — not to mention more efficient than counting as students flex their math muscles!
6 Addition Strategy Examples That Can Help Elementary Students Build Fluency
Looking for examples of some of the addition strategies that can help put your students on the path to a more procedural model? Here are a few that can be used side by side:
Counting On Strategy
Kindergarten and 1st graders can start with the larger number and count on from there to begin mastering addition.
Counting On Strategy Example — If students want to find the sum of 7 + 3, they would start with 7 and count on 3 more (8, 9, 10).
Making 10
Finding ways to make one of the numbers a multiple of 10 and then adding the remaining number is a simple but effective strategy to help first and second graders build fluency.
Making 10 Strategy Example — If your student is looking to find the sum of 7 + 4, they could make 7 into 10 by adding 3 and have 1 left to add on.
Doubles Strategy
The doubles strategy for addition is based on the fact that adding a number to itself is the same as doubling that number.
Double Strategy Example — To add 8 + 7, one can think of it as 7 + 7 (which equals 14) and then add one more to get 8 + 7 = 15.
Number Bonds
Number bonds involve breaking the problem down into smaller parts that can be added together.
Number Bonds Strategy Example — To find the sum of 7 + 3, you could think of the problem as (5 + 2) + 3.
Place Value
This strategy involves breaking down numbers into their individual digits and adding them one column at a time, starting with the ones place, then the tens place, etc.
Mental Math
Using mental math as an addition strategy involves rounding, front-end estimation and compensation.
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Addition Within 100 Bar Model Worksheet
Explore using the bar model to add numbers within 100 with this simple worksheet for your Year 2 students.
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Rainbow Number Facts (Making 10) - Board Game
Practice the addition strategy of making ten with this board game.
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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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Addition Strategies Cheat Sheet
Help students understand the different addition strategies with this helpful cheat sheet.
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Making 10 Number Bonds - Worksheet
A worksheet to practice the addition strategy of making 10.
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Counting On Game
Engage your students with this fun and colorful counting on game that gives your students practice with the “counting on” addition strategy.
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Addition Strategy Mats
Practice using a variety of addition strategies to add 2-digit numbers.
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Part-Part-Whole Addition and Subtraction Worksheets
Reinforce your students' understanding of how a strip diagram is used to solve 1-digit addition and subtraction number facts using the part-part-whole strategy.
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Counting On Cover Up Game
Practice the counting-on strategy with this engaging cover-the-board game.
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Doubles Plus One - Grid Game
Practice the doubles plus one addition strategy with this dice game.
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Double Facts Math Charts - Addition Rhyme Posters
Help your students remember their doubles facts to twenty with a set of printable double facts addition rhyme posters.
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Addition Strategy: Counting On – Worksheet
Practice the “counting on” addition strategy to solve addition problems to 20.
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Two-Digit Addition Using the Split Strategy – Poster and Worksheets
Teach your students how to use partitioning for two-digit addition with this ice cream-themed poster and worksheets.
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Standard Algorithm Addition – Teaching Slides
Use these editable, interactive teaching slides to guide your students through standard algorithm addition with regrouping.
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Addition by Regrouping Classroom Poster
Learn the steps to addition with regrouping with this simple classroom poster.
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Bridge to Ten Addition Strategy Task Cards
Help students quickly bridge to ten to assist with their addition strategies using linking cubes.
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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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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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Number Talks - Double Digit Addition Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.
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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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Addition within 20 Interactive Resource
Practice solving one-digit and two-digit addition problems using a variety of addition strategies with this interactive activity.
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Blast Off Addition Strategy Interactive Activity
Practice four different addition strategies in this fun space-themed interactive activity.
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Addition Within 100 Strip Diagram - Interactive Mystery Picture
Take a deep dive into using the strip diagram for addition within 100 with this fun mystery reveal interactive activity.
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Rainbow Number Fact Cards
Practice rainbow facts with these fun fact families to ten posters for your classroom!
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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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Jump Strategy - Number Line Addition Game
Practice using the jump strategy for multi-digit addition with a fun math game.
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Addition and Subtraction on a Number Line - Superhero Math Activity
Fly through addition and subtraction on a number line with an exciting Number Line Hero task card activity.
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Secret Code Number Line - Worksheet
Crack the number line code with five number line codebreaker worksheets to practice number identification, addition, and subtraction.
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Rainbow Number Bonds - Math Game
Practice number bonds with this fun rainbow-themed hands-on activity.
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Making 10 – Worksheet
Practice the addition strategy of making ten with this math worksheet.
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Addition Strategies: Base-Ten Blocks Worksheet
Practice using the strategy of using base-10 blocks and regrouping to find the sum.