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Domino addition sort: a 20-minute 1st grade math game
What it is: a 1st grade addition game where students add the dots on the two halves of a domino and sort the dominoes under sum cards. Students see that many different pairs make the same total.
Time: about 20 minutes. Grade: 1st grade.
Materials: a set of dominoes per group (or paper domino cards), and sum cards from 0 to 12 laid out in a row.
- Hold up a domino with 4 and 2. Ask: "How many in all? How did you find it?" Write 4 + 2 = 6.
- Groups place all their dominoes face down and take turns drawing one.
- The student says the addition sentence and places the domino under the right sum card.
- When all are sorted, ask: "Which sum has the most dominoes? Why?"
- Students choose one sum and write every addition sentence under it.
Differentiation: students who need support use dominoes up to 6 dots per side and count on from the bigger side. Students who are ready write the turn-around fact for each one. English learners can use the frame "___ plus ___ equals ___."
Quick check: show a domino with 5 and 3 and ask a student to count on from 5 to find the sum.
For more ideas at this grade, browse the other free activities on the Hub.
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About this resource
- Shared by
- @UpOnlyLearning · Curriculum team
- Posted
- Oct 30, 2026
- Type
- Lesson plan
- Grade
- Grades K–2
- Subject
- Math
- Language
- English
- License
- Free for classroom, co-op and tutoring use. Please don't resell.