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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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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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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Number Talks - Making Ten Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 20 task cards.
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Modeling Addition Word Problem Worksheets
Encourage modeling with these addition word problem worksheets that provide practice with real-world addition scenarios.
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Addition Strategies to 20 Work Mat
Practice using a variety of addition strategies to add numbers up to 20.
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Adding Numbers Game Board: Making Ten Board Game
Introduce this Adding Numbers Game Board: Making Ten board game to your students to give them the practice using the “make a ten” addition strategy.
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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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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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Arrays and Repeated Addition Interactive Task Cards
Use our arrays and repeated addition interactive task cards to introduce multiplication in a way your learners will more easily understand.
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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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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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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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Addition Strategy Spin Game
Have some fun all while practicing different addition strategies with this fun classroom game.
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Break Apart Strategy Addition Worksheet Pack
Practice using the break apart strategy with this worksheet set.
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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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Ten Frame Printable Templates
Use these printable ten frames in various math lessons to reinforce number sense and other essential skills.
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Hide-a-Turkey Kindergarten Math Worksheet
Hide the turkeys and practice sums to ten with a fun Thanksgiving math worksheet for Kindergarten.
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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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Addition to 1,000 Sunflower Interactive Activity
Practice solving addition problems using a variety of addition strategies with this interactive activity.
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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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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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Tens Frame - Addition and Subtraction Match-Up Activity
Build addition and subtraction skills with two tens frame matching games.
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Doubles Plus One - Worksheet
Practice the doubles plus one addition strategy with this one-page worksheet.
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Change It! – Addition to 20 Hands-On Activity
Practice addition to 20 by rearranging the parts of whole numbers into different combinations with this hands-on math activity.
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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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Addition by Regrouping Classroom Poster
Learn the steps to addition with regrouping with this simple classroom poster.
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Addition Strategies Task Cards
Practice using the jump strategy, break apart strategy, compensation strategy and 100s chart strategy with this set of task cards.
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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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Addition Strategy Mats
Practice using a variety of addition strategies to add 2-digit numbers.