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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Adding within 100 Strip Diagram Task Cards
Practice using the strip diagram to add numbers within 100 with this set of task cards.
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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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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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Adding Within 100 - Strip Diagram Match-Up Activity
Practice using the tape diagram to add numbers within 100 with this match-up activity.
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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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Addition on a Number Line - Jump Strategy Slide Deck
Teach your students to add two-digit numbers using the jump strategy with an instructional teaching presentation.
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Bunny Number Lines - Addition and Subtraction Task Cards
Hop down the number line with the Easter Bunny to practice addition and subtraction on a number line.
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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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Jump Strategy - Number Line Addition Worksheet
Practice adding two-digit numbers with regrouping using a number line and the jump strategy with a printable number line worksheet.
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Rainbow Number Bonds - Math Game
Practice number bonds with this fun rainbow-themed hands-on activity.
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Counting On – Word Problem Worksheet
Practice adding within 20 by using the counting on strategy to solve word problems.
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Counting On Bingo
Engage your students with a whole class bingo game while using the counting-on strategy to add within 20.
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Making Ten Memory Game
Practice making ten using ten frames with this fun memory game.
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Friends of 10 - Addition Match-up Activity
A set of 22 matching cards to explore the number combinations of 10.
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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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Making 10 – Worksheet
Practice the addition strategy of making ten with this math worksheet.
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Rearranging Parts – Instructional Slide Deck
Learn how to decompose numbers less than or equal to 10 into pairs in more than one way with this instructional slide deck.
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Counting On – Instructional Slide Deck
Introduce the early addition concept of “counting on” to your students with this set of teaching slides.
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Mental Math Addition Posters
Use this set of addition posters in your classroom when teaching different mental math strategies.
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Addition Detectives - Interactive Math Game
An engaging 43-slide PowerPoint themed as a detective story in which students are tasked with using different addition strategies to reveal suspects.
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Addition Strategies: Make a Ten Worksheet
A 2-page worksheet that uses ten frames to model the “making ten” addition strategy.
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Math Mazes – Making Ten
A set of mazes where students find missing addends to solve the maze.
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Making Ten Teaching Slide Deck
A 14-slide PowerPoint that uses engaging animations to walk students through the 'making ten' addition strategy.
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Addition Strategies Worksheet
A worksheet to use when reviewing different addition strategies.
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Addition Strategy - Decompose, Then Make 10 Worksheet
Build addition strategies using digits 1-10 with this two-page decomposing numbers worksheet.
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Ten is a Match! - Memory-Style Game
Practice matching two numbers that add up to 10 with this set of 24 number cards.
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Making Ten Cut and Paste Worksheet
A cut and paste worksheet to practice finding the missing addend when making ten.
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Friends of 20 – Addition Match-up Activity
A set of 40 matching cards to explore the number combinations of 20.
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Friends of... 1 to 10 - Black and White Version
A set of 10 posters showing the different combinations to make the numbers 1 to 10.
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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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Making 10 - Number Facts Board Game
A fun, hands-on game students can play to practice the Making 10 addition strategy.