While basic addition is introduced in Kindergarten, first, second and third graders often need intervention for addition facts. Having a toolbox full of addition facts strategies will help make the students more comfortable adding which can lead to fact fluency.
Addition Facts Strategy: Put Together
The very first thing for kids to understand is that the addition symbol means they should put things together. Manipulatives are great for this strategy. Put some in one hand. Then, some in the other hand. Put them together. This can easily be done with rekenreks, cups, and more.
While introducing “put together” I like to have students practice writing the equation. This can be done on white boards or these write and wipe cards. I know sometimes teachers want students to be quiet at centers but I encourage the students to read the cards to each other. The more they use math vocabulary the easier math becomes to understand.
Addition Facts Strategy: Part Part Whole
Part Part Whole is basically the same as the put together strategy with a specific graphic organizer. This strategy will come in handy when working on subtraction. This strategy can start out with manipulatives and then move to numbers.
Addition Facts Strategy: Number Line
Number lines can be provided with numbers or blank (open number line). When I first started teaching in the late 90s, we always provided the numbers. As open number lines became part of our curriculum, I’ve really fallen in love with the flexible thinking I see with kids, especially with two digit addition and up.
If you are teaching kindergarten or first graders who write slowly, a number line with numbers provided can be practical. If your kids are a little older and comfortable writing numbers quickly, I recommend moving to open number lines.
The beauty of number lines is that students can start to see how taking a number and counting on can be a time saver. If you’ve ever sat with a kid who counts every number, you know how slow and tedious it can be. “3+6 1,2,3…4,5,6,7,8,9” With a number line, the child can point to 3 and count on six more.
Addition Facts Strategy: Take the Bigger Number and Count On
If we take that same problem, and get the kid to circle the bigger number, we can help them speed up the process. Now they can point to the bigger number on the number line and only hop three spaces.
This can be done while counting on fingers. It helps with some kids to add a gesture to saying the largest number. That gesture can be making a fist like a Rock Paper Scissors movement. It can also be “put the bigger number in your head” by tapping their temple. The key is to say the bigger number and then count on.
This strategy becomes especially important when the sun is more than ten. Many kids get stuck because they relied on counting both numbers on their fingers and then run out of fingers they feel like they don’t know how to add anymore. The sooner we teach students to count on the better.
Addition Facts Strategy: Turn Around Facts
I always introduce this activity with kids holding white boards or number cards that show an addition fact. We talk about who can trade places and have the answer still be true. This is their first introduction to algebraic concepts but they don’t really need to know that.
Once kids realize that 2+7 has the same answer as 7+2, they feel like they’ve learned a secret. They love how quickly they can find sums and their confidence grows.
This is a great time to introduce flexibility with the equal sign. 7+2=9 is the same as 9=7+2. The earlier this concept is introduced, the better.
Addition Facts Strategy: Make Ten
Understanding the numbers that make ten will make adding larger numbers and flexible thinking so much easier.
For kids who use their fingers, there is a simple trick.
3+_=10
Show 3 fingers. How many fingers are down? That is the missing number because you have ten fingers.
Kids love to draw that Friends of Ten rainbow. If you draw it, have them look for patterns.
Another great way to practice this strategy is with a ten frame and red yellow counters. Drop ten counters, write the addition problem that makes 10.
Addition Facts Strategy: Make Ten to Add Nine
Once students are good at the making ten strategy they can apply it in many ways. One way to use the making ten strategy is to use it to add 9. If you were to try to teach the strategy by explaining it with words, it could be very confusing for kids. But using a ten frame to demonstrate the strategy can help kids find their own words.
Addition Facts Strategy: Doubles
Doubles are having two groups of equal size. It starts introducing the concept of equal groups and prepares kids for multiplying by twos.
Are your students fluent in addition facts? Students will add within 5, add within 10, make ten, and add within 20 using several strategies in Google Slides. Animated directions allow students to work independently on Part Part Whole, Number Lines, Turn Around Facts, Ten Frames, Twenty Frames and more. Adding Animals focuses on addition within 20 with a focus on the facts between 11-18. These facts have one digit addends and two digit sums. Students who rely on ten fingers to add to 10 often struggle with these facts. This packet contains a leveled time test motivation system. Magical Memorization Add to 10 Flash Cards, Quizes, Games, and More I designed this packet for a group of first graders that were struggling to memorize Addition Facts to 10. I wanted to break the goal down into small manageable chunks. To memorize addition facts to 10, there are 35 facts (and their Introduce adding one digit numbers on open number lines with this animated PowerPoint. First, how to add on a number line is introduced. Then, students will play Beat the Clock. The students will try to draw on their number line to find the answer These write and wipe sets make great first grade math centers to help your students become fluent in addition. Simply laminate and cut. One set provides pictures and the students write the equation and sum. The other set provides the equation and students draw the pictures and write the sum. These write and wipe sets make great first grade math centers for addition fact fluency. Simply laminate and cut. One set provides pictures and the students write the equation and sum so they can add within 20. The other set provides the equation and students draw the pictures and write the sum. These write and wipe sets make great kindergarten and first grade math centers for addition fluency practice. Simply laminate and cut. One set provides pictures and the students write the equation and sum and add within 10. The other set provides the equation and students draw the pictures and write the sum. These 7 write and wipe sets make great kindergarten math centers for addition fluency. Simply laminate and cut. Three sets provide pictures and the students write the equation and sum to add within 5. Four sets provide the equation and students draw the pictures and write the sum. These write and wipe sets make great first grade math centers. Simply laminate and cut. The first addend is provided in pictures. Students draw until the reach the sum. This helps give students hands on practice at counting on to find the unknown addend. Fact Family Addition and Subtraction to 18 Monster Theme Focusing on Fact Families is a helpful strategy for learning the relationship between addition and subtraction. Some of my student seem to have an aversion to subtraction. When I show them that knowing how to add can help them subtract they see it as a short cut. Addition Bump and Addition Cover Up Games Bring play into your classroom while teaching essential standards. Teach your students how to play Bump and Cover Up once and they will be ready to play all these games independently. The set lends to differentiation. Addition Bump and Addition Cover Up Games Bring play into your classroom while teaching essential standards. Teach your students how to play Bump and Cover Up once and they will be ready to play all these games independently. The set lends to differentiation. Addition Bump Games and Addition Cover Up Games Valentine's Day Themed Addition within 20 Bring play into your classroom while teaching essential standards. Teach your students how to play Bump and Cover Up once and they will be ready to play all these games independently. Spring Addition Games Spring Bump Games and Cover Up Games Addition within 20 Bring play into your classroom while teaching essential standards. Teach your students how to play Bump and Cover Up once and they will be ready to play all these games independently. Add and Subtract within 10 This includes: 24 task cardsAddition Resources
1 recording sheet
1 answer key Check out Subtract within 5 Task Cards and Subtract within 20.
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