Addition Teaching Resources
Introduce addition this school year with printable worksheets, digital activities, adding games, addition word problems, flashcards and more to help students understand how to add numbers and apply addition strategies to math problems.
This teaching resource collection was created by the teachers on the Teach Starter team for elementary teachers. Each of the curriculum-aligned resources has been carefully reviewed and curated by our expert teachers to make sure it's ready to use with your students! Browse printables and digital activities for teaching students how to make 10, how to add integers and more, plus find differentiated resources to help you meet each student's needs!
New to teaching addition, or just looking for new ways to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a kid-friendly definition and some common vocabulary!
What Is Addition? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Let's start with a definition of this math operation that's easy for them to understand!
Addition is a math operation that involves combining two or more numbers to find a total. The symbol (+) is used to indicate addition, and this is called a plus sign.
Here's an example of addition at work!
In the equation 2 + 3 = 5, the numbers 2 and 3 are added together to get a sum of 5.
Addition Terms for Kids to Learn
There are plenty of new vocabulary words for your students to learn when introducing addition. Here are some of the terms you will want to start off with.
Sum
The sum is the result of adding two or more numbers. It's the solution or answer to an addition problem!
In the equation 2 + 3 = 5, 5 is the sum.
Addend
The numbers being added in an addition equation are called addends.
In the equation 2 + 3 = 5, for example, both 2 and 3 are addends.
Commutative Property
The commutative property states that changing the order of the addends in your addition problem does not change the sum.
For example, 2 + 3 is the same as 3 + 2.
Associative Property
The associative property states that changing the grouping of the addends in your math problem will not change the sum.
For example, (2 + 3) + 4 is the same as 2 + (3 + 4).
Repeated Addition
Sometimes a math problem involves adding the same number multiple times. We call this repeated addition, and it's a way to find the product of two numbers where one of the numbers is repeated a certain number of times.
Repeated addition is handy for helping students understand multiplication. After all, multiplication can be thought of as repeated addition.
Cartoon plus sign
What Is Partial Sums Addition?
If you know what a sum is, you're halfway to understanding partial sums addition! This math vocabulary term refers to adding two or more numbers by breaking apart the addends and adding the value of the digits in each place value position from right to left.
This handy strategy is great to use with students when they are first learning to add two or more numbers. Partial sums addition breaks down the process of addition into smaller, more manageable steps.
Let's look at an example.
If you have the 36 + 27 and want to use partial sums addition, you start by determining the value of the digits in the ones place, adding them together, and writing down the sum (6 + 7 = 13).
Next, add the value of the tens place digits together (30 + 20 = 50), and write down the answer under the previous sum. Add together the two partial sums to get your answer, 63.
- Free Plan
Roll It! Operations Game
Use this fun game to practice all four operations and/or order of operations.
- Plus Plan
Food Truck Frenzy! End-of-Year Project Based STEM Learning Activity
Introduce your students to the world of Food Trucks as they master math, STEM, and art to design and run their own food truck.
- Free Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Dominate the Dragon – Mental Math Worksheets
Capture your students' interest in math drills for all four operations with these fun dragon-themed differentiated math worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Money Word Problems Addition and Subtraction Worksheet Set
Use our money word problems addition and subtraction worksheet set to give your students differentiated practice modeling a variety of one and two-digit word problems.
- Plus Plan
Adding and Subtracting Word Problems Interactive Task Cards
Engage your students with this interactive adding and subtracting word problems activity that features a variety of problem types.
- Plus Plan
Addition Strategy: Counting On – Worksheet
Practice the “counting on” addition strategy to solve addition problems to 20.
- Plus Plan
Double Dinos - Using Doubles Facts to Add Near Doubles Worksheet
Practice the “near doubles” addition strategy to solve addition problems to 20.
- Free Plan
Addition and Subtraction Mat - Apple Tree
Solve addition and subtraction problems up to 10 with a hands-on apple math center.
- Free Plan
Missing Part Path - Find the Missing Number Worksheet
Practice using various subtraction strategies with a fun dice-roll math maze.
- Free Plan
Math Mazes - Two-digit Addition
Practice adding two-digit numbers with this set of differentiated math mazes.
- Plus Plan
Multiplication as Repeated Addition PowerPoint
Teach multiplication as repeated addition with this easy-to-use PowerPoint presentation.
- Plus Plan
Word Problems Addition and Subtraction Escape Room
Search for a lost treasure in our word problems addition and subtraction escape room that will give your students varied practice adding and subtracting one and two-digit numbers.
- Plus Plan
Modeling Addition Word Problem Worksheets
Encourage modeling with these addition word problem worksheets that provide practice with real-world addition scenarios.
- Plus Plan
Addition Fact Timed Tests & Trackers
Assess and track addition fact fluency with a printable Math Drill Worksheet pack for addition facts.
- Free Plan
Find 20 Addition Strategy Task Cards
Practice finding 20 with this set of linking cube task cards.
- Free Plan
Making Ten Activity
Practice making 10 using objects, pictorial models, and number sentences with this activity mat.
- Free Plan
Addition Strategies Cheat Sheet
Help students understand the different addition strategies with this helpful cheat sheet.
- Plus Plan
Multi-Step Addition and Subtraction Word Problem Task Cards
Solve multi-step addition and subtraction word problems with a set of printable math task cards.
- Plus Plan
Math Graphic Organizers - Printable Work Mats
Practice working on specific math concepts with our set of 5 printable math graphic organizers.
- Free Plan
Addition and Subtraction Problem Solving Task Cards
Practice solving 1- and 2-step word problems by adding and subtracting 2-digit numbers with this set of 16 task cards.
- Free Plan
Adding 2-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practice 2-digit addition with regrouping with this drill and practice worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Addition and Subtraction Minute Math Booklet
Warm-up (or assess) with this 10-page booklet of addition and subtraction drills.
- Plus Plan
Linking Addition and Subtraction Worksheet
Explore the relationship between addition and subtraction with a fact family worksheet.
- Free Plan
Addition Strategy - Counting On Worksheet
Solve addition problems in this 2-page Counting On Addition Worksheet.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
20 Polygon Puzzles - Addition and Subtraction Pack
Explore addition and subtraction with this fun polygon puzzle pack.
- Free Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Simple Addition Riddle Worksheet
Download this simple addition worksheet to provide your students with practice adding one- and two-digit numbers.
- Plus Plan
Addition Algorithm PowerPoint Presentation
Use this editable interactive teaching presentation with your students when explaining how to use the addition algorithm with regrouping.
- Plus Plan
Compensation Strategy for Addition Interactive Slide Deck
Teach your students to use the compensation strategy for addition with an interactive teaching slide deck.
- Plus Plan
Missing Addends Addition Worksheet
Build addition strategies with this worksheet where students need to identify the missing addend and matching subtraction equations.