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If you’re teaching 2-digit addition with regrouping, the break apart to add strategy – also called the partial sums strategy – can be very helpful for students who are ready to move past base ten blocks.
But there’s one key to success: students must know their basic facts well.
Once your students have mastered strategies that don’t require regrouping and can confidently use base ten blocks to add, they’re ready for this next step.
The break apart to add strategy helps students visualize place value in a more abstract way, and it’s one they’ll see again and again – especially on standardized tests.
When you’re introducing this strategy, having the right tools in front of your students makes all the difference.
That’s why I’ve created a done-for-you resource that helps students break apart numbers with confidence and accuracy.
I’ll show you exactly how the strategy works below – and how you can use these print-and-go practice pages to save prep time while reinforcing key skills.
What Does It Mean to Break Apart to Add?
Here’s a simple example:
With the break apart to add strategy, your students will split each number into its tens and ones – just like expanded form.
36 becomes 30 and 6.
27 becomes 20 and 7.
Students can write these values in boxes below the problem to help organize their thinking.
In my resource, the box setup is already done for them, making it easy to focus on understanding the strategy instead of figuring out where to write.
Tip: Watch out for students writing 3 instead of 30 or 2 instead of 20. Catching that early helps avoid confusion later on.
Step-by-Step: Break Apart to Add with Regrouping
Now that the numbers are broken apart, students can begin adding.
Add the ones
6 + 7 = 13Add the tens
30 + 20 = 50Add the partial sums
50 + 13 = 63
Some students may need to break down that last step even further:
50 + 10 = 60
60 + 3 = 63
That’s totally okay.
What matters is that students are confidently using place value to break apart and add.
To wrap it up, I always have my students write their final answer in a circle so it’s easy to spot and confirms they’ve completed every step.
Why This Strategy Matters
The break apart to add strategy does more than just solve addition problems – it builds place value understanding and prepares students for more advanced math.
It’s also an efficient way to teach regrouping without relying on base ten blocks every time.
And because this strategy can be called either break apart or partial sums, it’s important to introduce both names.
That way, students won’t be caught off guard when they see one of these terms on a test – they’ll already know what to do.
Ready-to-Use Practice Pages
If you’re looking for an easy way to reinforce the addition break apart strategy in your classroom, I’ve got you covered.
My 2-digit addition with regrouping resource includes:
✅ Step-by-step visual scaffolds for the break apart method
✅ Practice problems that build confidence and consistency
✅ A clear layout so students stay organized and focused
You’ll be able to support all levels of learners without needing to create a thing from scratch.
Want to try this strategy with your students before committing to the full resource?
Download the free sample worksheets and see how it works in your classroom.
Need help or have questions?
If you need help or have questions, the easiest way to reach me is to DM me on Instagram @techieturtleteacher.
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