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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Addition Strategies Cheat Sheet
Help students understand the different addition strategies with this helpful cheat sheet.
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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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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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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 and Subtraction Within 20 Teaching Presentation
Introduce early addition and subtraction strategies to your students with this teaching presentation.
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Addition and Subtraction Strategy Worksheets
Reinforce addition and subtraction strategies through this worksheet pack one‑ and two‑digit calculations.
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Addition Fact Practice: Numbers to 20 Escape Room
Engage students in addition fact practice with an interactive escape room and companion student notebook that make learning fun, hands-on, and meaningful.
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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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Near Doubles Game: Wizard's Walk
Break out our near doubles game “Wizard’s Walk” for an engaging way to practice the near doubles strategy.
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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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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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Addition Strategy: Counting On – Worksheet
Practice the “counting on” addition strategy to solve addition problems to 20.
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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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Find 20 Addition Strategy Task Cards
Practice finding 20 with this set of linking cube task cards.
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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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Missing Addends Addition Worksheet
Build addition strategies with this worksheet where students need to identify the missing addend and matching subtraction equations.
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Addition within 20 Interactive Resource
Practice solving one-digit and two-digit addition problems using a variety of addition strategies with this interactive activity.
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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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Part-Part-Whole Addition and Subtraction Worksheets
Reinforce your students' understanding of how a strip diagram is used to solve 1-digit addition and subtraction number facts using the part-part-whole strategy.
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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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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 with Number Bonds – Worksheet
Begin from the larger number and count on to find the total with this worksheet.
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Addition Strategies: Using Doubles Worksheet
Practice the doubles addition strategy to solve addition problems to 20.
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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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Making 10 Number Bonds - Worksheet
A worksheet to practice the addition strategy of making 10.
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Addition Strategy - Counting On Worksheet
Solve addition problems in this 2-page Counting On Addition Worksheet.
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Doubles Leap Frog - Doubling Numbers Game
A fun game for students to play when learning to double two-digit numbers.
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Doubles Plus 1 - Game Boards
30 game boards to use when practicing the doubles plus one strategy with single and double-digit numbers.
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Addition Facts to 20 Teaching Slides
Build confidence with addition facts to 20 using this structured and engaging teaching slide deck.
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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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Count on Facts Board Game: Counting On 1
Provide your early learners with this count on facts board game to engage them as they learn to add by counting on one.
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Counting On Game
Engage your students with this fun and colorful counting on game that gives your students practice with the “counting on” addition strategy.