It's important for students to count by ones when they first start learning to add and subtract. Using a visual can be especially helpful, as it can help students count on and back to find the answer.

This learning center uses stairs to help students fill in the missing addend or subtrahend in a math problem. Each card shows stairs that are numbered from 1 to 5. A block is displayed on the starting stair. Footsteps are displayed up to the missing number. The matching equation is displayed below the stairs. Students have to figure out what the missing number is and write it on the student page.

One example shows the block on stair number 1. Four footprints are shown on stairs 2 through 5. The accompanying math problem is 1 + ___ = 5. Students count the stairs and write the number 4 in the blank of the correct math problem on the student page.

With directions affixed directly to the learning center folder, students can take the activity to their desk or a table and complete it independently.