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Adding: Putting Groups Together

Kindergartners discover addition — putting two groups together to find how many in all — by joining objects and counting the total, the very first step into math operations.

KindergartenAddition30 minutes1 class periodPlay-BasedExplicit teaching4 StandardsCommon Core
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Understand adding as putting together.
  • ✓Find how many in all.
  • ✓Add groups within 10.
  • ✓Use the + sign.
Essential Question

If you have 3 red apples and 2 green apples, how many apples do you have all together? When we put groups together, we ADD!

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Put Together · Interactive

Put the Groups Together

Project this and change the two groups of dots. Watch them join into one bigger group — that’s adding!

➕ Put the groups together — how many in all?Try it
+
Red group: 3
Blue group: 2

The Lesson · Play-Based Learning (Gather · Explore · Play · Reflect)

30 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Gather — More Apples!

5 min

3 red apples and 2 green apples — how many all together?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show two groups.
  • Ask how many in all.
  • Set the goal: adding.

🎒 Student Actions

  • See the groups.
  • Guess the total.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — Put Them Together

10 min

Children explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Put the Groups Together.
  • Join the groups.
  • Count the total.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Join the groups.
  • Count all.
  • Say the total.
3

Play — Adding Games

12 min

Play together.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Add groups of toys.
  • Count how many in all.
  • Say the plus sign.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Add toys.
  • Count all.
  • Say plus.
4

Create — Make an Add

8 min

Children create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Draw two groups.
  • Circle them together.
  • Count the total.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Draw groups.
  • Circle them.
  • Count all.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Share an add.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show two groups.
  • Count how many in all.
  • Celebrate adding!

🎒 Student Actions

  • Count the groups.
  • Say the total.
  • Cheer!
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (Kindergarten).

CCSS
K.OA.1

Represent addition with objects, fingers, drawings, or sounds.

CCSS
K.OA.2

Solve addition word problems within 10.

CCSS
K.OA.5

Fluently add within 5.

CCSS
K.CC.4

Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Add with picture groups.
  • Sentence frame: “___ and ___ make ___.”
  • Join real objects.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Add within 5.
  • Count the joined group together.
  • Use physical objects.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add to make 10.
  • Write an addition sentence.
  • Find different ways to make a number.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / tablet
  • 🍎Counters
  • 🧸Toys to add
  • ✏️Crayons
  • 📄Drawing paper
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

addto put togetherplusthe + signin allthe total amounttotalhow many all togethergroupa set of thingsjointo bring togethersumthe answer to addingaltogetherall together
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What does it mean to add?
To put groups together to find how many in all.
QUESTION 2
You have 2 blocks and 3 more. How many in all?
5.
QUESTION 3
What sign do we use for adding?
The plus sign (+).

Growing at home? Add your snacks!

Have families put groups of snacks or toys together and count “how many in all” — like 2 grapes and 3 grapes make 5. A printable adding mat is in the Early Learning library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Adding: Putting TogetherFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Adding: Putting TogetherQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Adding: Putting TogetherPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: add, altogether, group, in all, join, plus, sum, total
  1. all together
  2. to put together
  3. the total amount
  4. the answer to adding
  5. how many all together
  6. to bring together
  7. a set of things
  8. the + sign

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does it mean to add?
  2. You have 2 blocks and 3 more. How many in all?
  3. What sign do we use for adding?
Answer key — Part A: 1) altogether · 2) add · 3) in all · 4) sum · 5) total · 6) join · 7) group · 8) plus
Part B: 1) To put groups together to find how many in all. 2) 5. 3) The plus sign (+).