This 1st grade math unit is jam-packed with first grade math worksheets, games, and activities for grade 1 students! You can use this as a supplement to your curriculum or use it solely as your skill practice for addition and subtraction word problems within 20.
$7.00
Bring story problems to life with this 1st Grade Addition and Subtraction Word Problems within 20 Math Unit! This hands-on resource is filled with addition and subtraction word problems within 20 worksheets, games, and engaging activities that help students make sense of real-world math situations.
Students will learn how to read, visualize, and solve story problems by identifying keywords, choosing operations, and writing matching equations. With multiple representations—drawings, manipulatives, and equations—this unit makes problem solving accessible and fun for all learners. Whether you use it for whole-group instruction, math centers, or small-group intervention, this unit provides everything you need to strengthen your students’ math reasoning skills.
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This addition and subtraction word problem resource is packed with creative, ready-to-use activities that make math come alive:
10 Word Problem Worksheets: Students practice a variety of word problem types including adding to, taking from, comparing, and putting together situations. Activities include matching pictures to problems, writing equations, choosing the correct operation, and coloring answer sheets.
Cut and Glue Pumpkin Sort: Students cut and glue each pumpkin answer to the correct word problem—great for centers or independent work.
Camping Matching Game: Students match camping kids to their tents based on solving the word problem on each mile marker.
Emoji Math Sort: Students decide if an answer is correct or incorrect and place a smile or frown emoji on the card—perfect for quick checks or centers.
Game #1: Line Them Up! A fun team race where students arrange cards in order by solving each problem in sequence.
Game #2: Build a Grocery Cart! Each correct answer earns students grocery items for their cart. Chance cards add surprises and excitement to every round.
Game #3: Whole-Class “Bucket Filler!” Students move around the classroom solving word problem task cards. Correct answers go into a bucket for a class prize drawing.
Game #4: Traffic Race! Students solve task cards and move cars across town based on traffic signal cards—green to go, yellow for slow, and red for stop!
Game #5: Animal Gameboard! Students solve animal-themed word problems and move across a gameboard based on dice rolls.
Game #6: Let’s Play Football! A competitive class favorite where students solve football-themed task cards to move their football toward the end zone.
Every activity includes recording sheets, answer keys, color and black-and-white versions, and easy teacher directions for flexible use.
This addition and subtraction word problems within 20 worksheets unit can be used in countless ways to fit your classroom needs:
Math centers or guided math for focused practice on solving word problems
Morning work or small-group rotations for fluency reinforcement
Whole-class review games that keep students moving and collaborating
Homework packets or independent practice for home reinforcement
RTI or intervention lessons targeting comprehension of story problems
Students gain confidence interpreting problems, choosing operations, and justifying their answers with visual support.
This 1st grade math unit aligns with Common Core 1.OA.1, which focuses on:
Using addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems
Representing problems with drawings, objects, and equations
Understanding problem types (add to, take from, put together, compare)
Solving for unknowns in all positions
This unit gives students the strategies and confidence to break down problems and think critically about what each situation represents.
Teachers love that this addition and subtraction word problems math unit provides both structure and creativity. The worksheets build essential problem-solving skills, while the games bring learning to life. Each activity is thoughtfully designed for first graders, using familiar, real-world contexts that help students connect to the math they’re doing.
Students enjoy the themed games like Traffic Race and Football Field Fun, while teachers love the easy prep and consistent format across all 1st Grade Math Units. The balance between practice, play, and visual support makes this resource both practical and engaging.
This 1st Grade Math Unit is part of a complete, year-long series that covers every essential 1st grade math skill through hands-on practice. Each unit includes printable worksheets, math games, and interactive activities designed to make skill mastery enjoyable and stress-free.
• See All 1st Grade Math Units
• 1st Grade Math Classroom Transformations (Themed Learning Days Perfect for Review!)
• 1st Grade Hands-On Math and Reading Activities
• 1st Grade Math Mysteries
• 1st Grade Math Task Cards
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