In this section of our worksheets, we focus on finding the sum of two single-digit addends. We have a series of lessons that will help students progress from performing this operation in vertical format on to a horizontal format. These worksheets follow a wonderful pace of helping students feel comfortable with their abilities. We begin with simple lessons and progress to using mixed ordered single digit addition problems. We also offer tons of free fixed single digit sum flashcards that you can find on our addition page, just scroll down to find all those bad boys. They print nice and all you need to do is laminate them for an activity that will last for many years to come.
Print Single Digit Addition Worksheets
Click the buttons to print each worksheet and associated answer key.
Addition 0 to 9 Lesson
We use visual stars to help kids understand the concept better. We focus on the vertical sums of two integers.
Single Digit Addition Worksheet 1
Ten problems with a small to moderate font size. The vertical sums are mostly with 0s, 1s, and 2s.
Horizontal Single Digit Addition Worksheet 2
The sums are spread our left to right and the integers used are really mixed up here.
Single Digit Addition Review
Add the numbers together. You need to know one more, two more, three more. A practice problem is available so you can truly get a review out of this sheet.
Single Digit Addition Quiz
5 problems are setup vertical. 5 problems are setup horizontal. This way we are not letting orientation get the better of us.
Do Now
A great way to start off with this topic. Do it as a class! Two vertical problems and a horizontal problem to help you mix it up.
Adding 0-9 - Introduction
Count up to add. Start from 3 and count up to 2. 3 plus 2 is 5. Write the answer in the space provided.
One Digit Sums - Try the Skill
The problems are blown up in font size and really do not let your vision get in the way.
Vertical Practice Worksheet 1
Wedge the answer between the lines of these ten problems and see where it all settles out.
Vertical Practice Worksheet 2
Find those sums to take some away from some one else. This is set in a horizontal format.
Vertical Single Digit Addition Practice
More vertical addition practice problems. See how fast you can complete this series of problems.
Tips for Learning Single Digit Addition
Addition may be one of the first math skills students learn, but it's also one of the most complex concepts to master. While older kids and adults can process sums in their heads or with pencil and paper, younger kids will often need to use flashcards and other tools to help them master single-digit addition facts. While this can be time-consuming and frustrating, there are ways to make it easier!
This is the natural next step after a student has mastered counting to twenty or so. Some teachers like to get counting to twelve and then jumping into simple adding, but in my experience getting to round numbers really help students advance as we follow the spiral curriculum of math. I would suggest focusing on fixed numbers like adding by threes or fours. This helps students get a quick rhythm that they can build off of. A great technique to use here is to have kids draw objects to help them count. This is a commonly overlooked strategy that we would highly recommend that you use. Using flashcards for students to really grab those math facts is really helpful here. Once they have a solid foundation with their facts, it's a great idea to work it forward. A simple game that helps kids grab this skill quickly is dominoes. A statistician recently published a paper, that is still undergoing peer-review, which correlates strong youth math scores to cultures where Dominoes playing is a very popular game.
This may be one of the first math skills students learn, but it's also one of the most complex concepts to master. While older kids and adults can add values mentally or with pencil and paper, younger kids will often need to use flashcards and other tools to help them master single-digit addition facts. While this can be time-consuming and frustrating, there are ways to make it easier!
1. Using 10 Frames
Ten frames are a visual way to represent numbers up to 10. They can be helpful for learning single-digit addition, as they provide a clear representation of how the numbers are related.
For example, if the number 5 is represented by five dots in a row on a ten frame, then it is easy to see that the number 6 would be represented by five dots in a row, plus one dot in the next row. This understanding can be transferred to problems such as 6 + 5 = 11, as the problem can be visualized as five dots in a row plus five dots in the next row.
By using ten frames, children can develop a strong understanding of single-digit addition and abstract math concepts.
2. Use Counter Manipulatives
Adding single digits can be a challenge for young students. But using counters and manipulatives can help make the process more concrete and understandable.
Counters are small objects that can be used to represent numbers. They can be chips, coins, buttons, or anything else that can be easily counted. Manipulatives are objects that can be moved around and manipulated.
Using counters and manipulatives to learn single-digit addition helps students visualize the concept of addition and understand how it works. For example, if you were adding 7 + 5, you would put seven counters in one row and five counters in another row. Then you would count up all the counters to get the answer: 12.
Counters and manipulatives are powerful tools for helping students learn this skill with single-digit values.
3. Use Tally Marks
Tally marks are a simple yet effective way of representing numbers. They are handy for learning single-digit addition, as they provide a concrete representation of the concepts being learned. To create tally marks, simply put a vertical line for each number being counted.
For example, if you're counting five objects, you would put five vertical lines next to each other. Once you reach five tally marks, you can start a new row by putting a diagonal line through the center of the first mark. This makes it easy to keep track of how many groups of five objects you have counted.
Tally marks are a great way to visualize single-digit addition problems and be used to solve more complex problems. So next time you come across problems like these, don't forget to give tally marks a try!
4. Using Zero Facts
In mathematics, the term "zero fact" refers to a mathematical statement that is trivially true, such as "0 + 0 = 0". These types of statements are usually taught to younger students to introduce them to the concept of addition. However, zero facts can also be used to teach this skill to older students.
Students can more easily understand the underlying concepts by breaking down the addition operation into smaller steps. For example, the zero fact "3 + 0 = 3" can be used to demonstrate that adding zero to any number simply results in the same number. Similarly, the zero fact "5 + 4 = 9" can be used to show that when two numbers are added together, the result is always equal to the sum of their digits. By using zero facts this way, students can develop a deeper understanding of single-digit addition.
Ending Thoughts
The great thing about single-digit addition is that it's an easy concept to grasp—but that doesn't mean it can't trip you up. By keeping these tips in mind, you can master this skill and become a better mathematician in general. With practice, confidence will follow!