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 students on the path to a more procedural model? Here are a few that can be used side by side:
Counting On — Kindergarten and 1st graders can start with the larger number and count on from there to begin mastering addition. For 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. For 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 — The doubles strategy for addition is based on the fact that adding a number to itself is the same as doubling that number. For 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. For 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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Christmas Math Worksheets - Sums to 12 Activity
Practice finding number bonds and sums to 12 using printable Christmas Math worksheets for first grade.
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Kindergarten Math Activity - Christmas Addition Facts Up to 10 Puzzle
Review addition facts up to 10 with a printable Christmas math activity for Kindergarten.
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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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Adding within 1,000 Expanded Form Worksheet
Practice using the break apart strategy by working through this addition worksheet.
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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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Compensation Strategy for Addition Interactive Slide Deck
Teach your students to use the compensation strategy for addition with an interactive teaching slide deck.
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Printable Blank Number Line - 0-120
Create personal number lines for use in math lessons with a printable blank number line template for numbers from 1-120.
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Break Apart Strategy Worksheet
Practice using the break apart strategy when adding two-digit numbers with this worksheet.
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Addition Strategies Worksheet
A worksheet to use when reviewing different addition strategies.
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Addition Strategies Posters
Create an "addition strategies display" for your students with this set of 7 posters.
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Doubles Plus One - Worksheet
Practice the doubles plus one addition strategy with this one-page worksheet.
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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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Making Ten Activity
Practice making 10 using objects, pictorial models, and number sentences with this activity mat.
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Adding with Strip Diagram Cut and Paste Worksheet
Practice adding two digit numbers using the strip diagram with this cut and paste worksheet.
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Adding within 1,000 Strip Diagram Match Up Activity
Practice using the strip diagram to add numbers within 1,000 with this match up activity.
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Compensation Strategy Addition Interactive Activity
Practice using the addition compensation strategy with this fun interactive activity.
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Addition and Subtraction Word Problems - Match Game
Practice reading, modeling, and solving addition and subtraction word problems with a matching activity.
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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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Doubles Plus One - Grid Game
Practice the doubles plus one addition strategy with this dice game.
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Break Apart Strategy Interactive PowerPoint
Learn all about the break apart strategy with this teaching PowerPoint.
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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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Missing Addend to 10 Flashcards
Practice all the ways to make ten with this set of flashcards.
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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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Break Apart Strategy Addition Worksheet Pack
Practice using the break apart strategy with this worksheet set.
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Compensation Strategy Addition Mini Book
Use this mini-book to help your students learn how to use the compensation strategy to solve addition sums.
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Hundreds Chart Strategy Addition Mini Book
Use this mini-book to help your students learn how to use the hundreds chart as a strategy to solve addition sums.
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Break Apart Strategy Addition Dominoes
Practice using the break apart strategy with this set of two-digit addition dominoes.
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Number Talks - Making Ten Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 20 task cards.
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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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Secret Code Number Line - Worksheet
Crack the number line code with five number line codebreaker worksheets to practice number identification, addition, and subtraction.