Addition and Subraction
This collection of resources supports the teaching of Number and Place Value in primary mathematics. These activities are linked to the year groups containing the corresponding content in the National Curriculum.
Here are some favourite activities selected by the NRICH team.
- Two Dice (Y1) Find all the numbers that can be made by adding the dots on two dice.
- Strike it Out (Y2) Use your addition and subtraction skills, combined with some strategic thinking, to beat your partner at this game.
- Sealed Solution (Y4) Ten cards are put into five envelopes so that there are two cards in each envelope. The sum of the numbers inside it is written on each envelope. What numbers could be inside the envelopes?
- Maze 100 (Y5) Can you go through this maze so that the numbers you pass add to exactly 100?
These are just a few of the activities on Addition and Subtraction that you can find on the NRICH curriculum pages.
The activities below, taken from the STEM Learning website, complement the NRICH activities above.
Starting Number Skills
This is a great book to use across the mathematics curriculum to practise number skills. Aimed at children working between the old National Curriculum levels of one to three it provides 40 activities. Some examples are:
Sheets 7 and 8 practise number bonds to 10.
Sheet 11 practises addition and subtraction facts.
Sheet 13 looks at simple addition involving money and sheet 18 looks at solving money problems involving addition and subtraction.
There are a lot of good short activities which could be used in a whole class context or with smaller groups to supplement lessons.
Calculation Games for Students Aged 5-7
A selection of 19 games which may be laminated and used when required to practise many aspects of addition and subtraction.
Addition
Three resource packs contains work cards including games, activities and calculations based around simple counting, number bonds to ten, addition using money and adding two and three digit numbers. Some activities use base ten to support column addition, others practise addition through games and investigation. They start with simple addition and extend to more difficult tasks.
Calculation Activities for Students Aged 7-9
A collection of worksheets which can be used to reinforce calculation skills. They are useful for homework or as a reinforcement of key ideas. They may be laminated and used by children to practise calculation with many games on addition and subtraction. Use as a starter, activity with small groups, to extend or support or even for homework.
Numeracy: Reckonings - Lesson Starters and Enders
The activities in this pack are designed for use as lesson starters or plenaries, but some could also be extended into a longer activity. The activity on page 8 is a ready-made chain game which could be used with the whole class to practise mental addition and subtraction. Classes could set themselves a time limit in which to complete it and improve on this each time. Blank cards are provided for teachers to write in extra questions to help differentiate the activity. The cards are at the end of the file.
Go Further with Games
This older book provides a wealth of games which practise many aspects of mathematics.
Stopper (sheet 23) practises adding several single-digit numbers.
Snowman (sheet 25) practises addition and subtraction
of three-digit numbers.
Add and Match (sheet 32) practises adding sets of three single-digit numbers, aiming to make equal totals.
Go further with Number Skills provides 40 more activity sheets which are a great addition to many lessons.
Subtraction
This resource contains one pack of games, investigations, worksheets and practical activities supporting the teaching and learning of subtraction.
The six work cards provide activities covering subtracting two digit numbers using physical apparatus, and using the column method.