Addition Strip Board

The addition strip board provides concrete, visual practice of all addition facts, leading to memorization through repeated, meaningful experience.

• Framework: Montessori
• Unit: Mathematics
• Learning area: Operations
• Level: Ages 4-6

Objectives

• Practice addition facts to 18
• Develop addition fluency
• Record equations systematically
• Discover addition patterns

Materials

• Addition strip board (ruled 1-18)
• Red strips (addends 1-9)
• Blue strips (addends 1-9)
• Addition tables booklet
• Pencil

Instructions

1. Place red strip for first addend. 2. Place blue strip end-to-end for second addend. 3. Read answer where blue strip ends. 4. Record equation: 3+5=8. 5. Work through all combinations systematically. 6. Discover patterns: commutative property. 7. Record in addition tables booklet.

Educator tip

Work through one 'table' at a time (e.g., all +1 facts, then all +2). Children discover patterns like commutativity naturally.

Assessment

Child completes addition tables and recalls basic facts with increasing fluency.

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