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Kindergarten Math: Addition as Joining

Kindergarten math: addition as joining is the first meaning of the plus sign: two groups are pushed together and the whole is counted. Three red buttons and two blue buttons in one pile make five buttons, written 3 + 2 = 5. 174 printable worksheets, first three free.

Practice pages support a program; they are not the lesson. These sheets reinforce Building Number Sense Kindergarten, the sequenced K–5 math series from Faith Thinkers. See every program →

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Includes 8 activity types: Apply, Connect, Discover, Fluency, Model, Prove, Spiral, Strategy.

Adding Objects (Practice Set 8) Free Sheet 1 of 174
Addition As Joining (Practice 1) Free Sheet 2 of 174
Adding Using Pictures (Practice Set 1) Free Sheet 3 of 174
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Teaching Addition as Joining

What it is

Addition as joining is the first meaning of the plus sign: two groups are pushed together and the whole is counted. Three red buttons and two blue buttons in one pile make five buttons, written 3 + 2 = 5.

When a child is ready

Begin once the child counts a group of objects accurately and can say how many are in each of two separate groups.

If they struggle

Recounting both groups from one is normal at first; keep the objects out and have the child say the story ('three, and two more, is five') before writing anything. If the total changes on a recount, slow the counting down and have the child slide each object across the table as it is counted.