Download the free printable
Download PDF (2 pages) Download PNG preview
US Letter, 8.5 x 11 inches. Print at 100% for craft pieces; use Fit to page if your printer clips the margins. An adult should help with scissors and fitting wearable crafts.
Combine a short set of addition and subtraction problems with a Thanksgiving color key. Students calculate an answer, find its matching color and complete the problem area. The activity is designed for practicing operations within 20, with repeated answers that invite children to compare different expressions. It can be completed with crayons after the mathematical work is checked.
How to use this printable
- Read the key and find the five possible answers: 5, 8, 10, 12 and 15. Set out a different color for each result.
- Solve the problems in pencil. Use counters, a number line or a drawing when a fact is not yet secure.
- Look for two expressions that have the same answer. Explain why they receive the same color even though the numbers in the expressions differ.
- Color the appropriate areas, then check the answers using the separate key. Discuss one useful strategy before putting the sheet away.
Make the activity your own
This page fits a short independent practice period after a class has learned the operations. A child who needs fewer problems can complete the first six and explain them aloud. A child ready for more can write a new addition and subtraction expression for each color. Keep the focus on a reliable strategy rather than rushing to produce a finished picture.
Printing and questions
Print the PDF on US Letter paper in portrait orientation. Start with one copy and check the preview before making a classroom set. Use ordinary paper for a worksheet, or cardstock when the finished piece needs to stand up to handling.
Is this multiplication practice?
No. This version uses addition and subtraction within 20. Choose the separate multiplication activity for multiplication facts.
What can students use instead of coloring?
Circle each answer with its key color or write the color name beside the problem. That keeps the matching task accessible when coloring is tiring.