Adding with 5 Practice Build fluency with adding 5 to any number and develop benchmark number strategies.

Student Tips:

• Adding 5 is like counting by 5s (3 + 5 = 8, think “3, 8”).
• Use your hand – 5 fingers makes adding 5 easier to visualize.
• Look for patterns: 5 + 5 = 10, so 6 + 5 = 11 (one more than 10).

Teaching Instruction: Use nickels, hands, or five-frames to represent 5. Emphasize 5 as a “benchmark number” that helps with mental math. Show how adding 5 to any number creates predictable patterns (especially with teen numbers). Connect to money concepts and counting by 5s. Practice making 10 when adding 5 to numbers 5 and above.