Table of Contents
Regrouping with Open Number Line Addition: A Strategy That Finally Clicks
If you’ve ever had students struggle with 2-digit addition, especially when regrouping is involved, you’re not alone.
Regrouping with open number line addition is a strategy that helps students visualize the steps, build number sense, and feel more confident tackling challenging problems.
But coming up with your own examples and visuals?
That takes time – time you don’t always have.
That’s why I created a low-prep resource that gives your students the practice they need and gives you your planning time back.
Why Use Open Number Lines for Regrouping?
Regrouping with open number line addition allows students to break numbers apart in ways that make sense to them.
This kind of flexibility leads to deeper understanding – and often, less frustration.
Students can:
Start with either addend
Jump by tens and ones in any order
See how regrouping works as they build their total
In my classroom, this was the moment when many students finally got it.
They weren’t just memorizing steps – they were thinking through what made sense.
But getting there took time and repetition.
That’s exactly what my regrouping with open number line addition resource provides – clear visuals, structured support, and lots of meaningful practice.
How the Strategy Works (and How the Resource Helps)
Let’s say you’re solving 24 + 29.
Students can choose to start with 29 (a friendly number close to 30).
Many students will want to start drawing tick marks to keep track of numbers, but that ends up being a waste of time.
Once you have your starting number, you look at the other addend to see what jumps of tens and ones you can make.
In this example, I am adding 24 to 29.
You can make jumps of tens and ones in any order.
I like to work with friendly numbers, so I’m going to make a jump of one to get me to 30 as my starting point.
Note: It is very important that your students write the sum after their jumps as they go. It is easy to make a mistake if you make all the jumps and fill in the sums after.
Now that I’m working with a friendly number, I’m ready to make jumps of ten. Since the problem is adding 24 to 29, I need to make two jumps of ten.
Once you finish adding all the tens, you are ready to add the rest of the ones. I already added 1, so I need to add 3 more.
Make one more jump of 1 to add 24 to 29.
You have now made two jumps of ten and four jumps of one.
24 + 29 = 53
To help students remember to write the sum after each jump, I use the “airplane” analogy: your number is landing at a new airport after every jump, and you have to know where it landed before taking off again.
This method builds accuracy and confidence in students who previously struggled with 2-digit addition and regrouping.
And best of all – my regrouping with open number line addition resource walks them through this step by step.
The Power of Differentiation
Regrouping with open number line addition isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy – and that’s what makes it powerful.
Some students might:
Start with 24 instead of 29
Make a single jump of 20 instead of two jumps of 10
Break apart 29 into 25 + 4 or 20 + 9 depending on their comfort level
This strategy allows for natural differentiation while staying focused on one method.
Inside the resource, you’ll find multiple examples to support all these approaches – so every student can engage at their own level while practicing the same concept.
What’s Included in the Resource?
Ready to save time and help your students feel confident with 2-digit addition?
This 2-digit addition with regrouping resource includes:
✅ Step-by-step examples to model the strategy
✅ Scaffolded practice pages to build confidence
✅ Open number line templates for student use
You can print and go for quick review, centers, small groups, or independent work.
Your students will stay on task.
You’ll be able to support the ones who need extra help.
And best of all – you won’t need to create anything from scratch.
This resource has everything you need to help your students succeed with regrouping using open number lines – without spending hours prepping.
Want to Try It Out First?
Not sure if it’s the right fit?
You can download a free sample of the regrouping with open number line addition practice pages to try with your students first.
Once you see how well your students respond to this strategy, you’ll be ready to jump into the full version.
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.
Pin this to Pinterest for later
