teaching resource

The Addition Quest – Whole Class Activity

  • Updated

    Updated:  09 Jun 2022

Find the hidden gems and place their numbers into the correct positions on the worksheet to solve each addition problem.

  • Editable

    Editable:  Google Slides

  • Non-Editable

    Non-Editable:  PDF

  • Pages

    Pages:  8 Pages

  • Curriculum
  • Grades

    Grades:  1 - 3

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teaching resource

The Addition Quest – Whole Class Activity

  • Updated

    Updated:  09 Jun 2022

Find the hidden gems and place their numbers into the correct positions on the worksheet to solve each addition problem.

  • Editable

    Editable:  Google Slides

  • Non-Editable

    Non-Editable:  PDF

  • Pages

    Pages:  8 Pages

  • Curriculum
  • Grades

    Grades:  1 - 3

Find the hidden gems and place their numbers into the correct positions on the worksheet to solve each addition problem.

💎 We’re Going on a Math Scavenger Hunt!

Your download includes three differentiated worksheets and 24 cut-out gems for students to find. 

Introduce this exciting addition activity by saying, “I just got a special message from an explorer friend who needs our help finding their missing gems!” 

For this activity, print, cut, and hide the gems throughout your classroom.

Students can work independently, or you can divide them into pairs or teams. Provide students with the worksheet for their ability level and set them loose to find the gems on their sheet. When they find the matching gem they need, they write the number in the box on their worksheet. Once they find all their gems, students solve the addition problems

However you incorporate Addition Quest, you can be sure students will use teamwork and problem-solving skills while developing a love of addition! 

Scaffolding + Extension Tips 

A team of dedicated, experienced educators created this resource for students to work on independently in your math centers

We’ve designed this activity with differentiated versions of addition worksheets to accommodate individual students’ abilities. Shapes in the top right corner of the worksheet identify the three versions as follows:

  • Circle – one line, up to 2-digit plus single-digit
  • Triangle – like above, up to 3-digit plus 2-digit in vertical format
  • Square – 2-digit addition and 3-digit plus 2-digit in vertical format

Plus, check out these suggestions for using this activity in other ways! 

🧠 Independent Practice

Take out the math scavenger hunt aspect and turn this activity into an independent exercise for fast finishers. Print the gem pages double-sided to use as a key. Students refer to the gem sheets to solve the sums on their worksheets

💻 Remote Teaching

With a Google Slides version of this resource, no student has to miss out on the fun! Simply use Google Classroom to share the appropriately leveled activity version with your students so they can find the gems and complete their equations from the comfort of their home learning area! (Users must be in Edit mode to fill in the worksheets digitally.) Please note that the Google Slides version does not include an answer sheet to ensure students are doing the work. 

Easily Prepare This Resource for Your Students

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or Google Slides version of this resource. The PDF option includes answer keys for each worksheet. 

Print gems on cardstock for durability. 

To edit this activity, please select the Google Slides version. 

Sustainability Tip: Print worksheets on cardstock and slip them into dry-erase sleeves. Students can record their answers with a whiteboard marker and erase them to reuse worksheets later. 

*When presenting Google Slides to students, display in Edit mode to fill in the worksheet. 


There is no need to go on your own scavenger hunt to find supplemental addition activities for your students! Try these out:

[resource:4819457]   [resource:45968]   [resource:4611462]

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