Your students can practise their addition problem solving skills using partitioning with these engaging code creator worksheets.

Designed to be both collaborative and hands-on, this resource encourages students to apply their understanding of three-digit addition and partitioning in a fun and creative way. Students must create and solve problems that lead to a coded picture - an emoji! They’ll use their working knowledge of place value and addition strategies to generate meaningful problems and decode a mystery emoji drawn by a peer.

This activity can be completed individually or in pairs and offers a brilliant opportunity to combine mathematical thinking with creative interpretation. It encourages students to not only apply strategies like partitioning but also to communicate mathematical ideas clearly for others to understand and solve.

Key Learning Outcomes

• ✅ Apply partitioning strategies to solve three-digit addition problems
• ✅ Generate original problems using place value knowledge
• ✅ Collaborate with peers to decode visual clues through numbers
• ✅ Strengthen understanding of number structure and regrouping

What’s Included

• 3 differentiated worksheet versions:
• - Version 1: create and solve three-digit addition problems only
• - Version 2: includes word problems alongside equations
• - Version 3: includes larger numbers to encourage regrouping
• Code key for translating maths solutions into emoji drawing prompts

Materials Needed

• Printed worksheet (one per student)
• Pencils or pens
• Coloured markers or pencils for emoji illustrations

How to Use

1. Select the most suitable worksheet version for each student or group.
2. Students generate three-digit addition problems using partitioning.
3. Highlighted or circled numbers from each problem are used as part of an emoji code.
4. Students swap worksheets and solve the problems to reveal the code.
5. Using the code, students draw the matching emoji based on the instructions provided.

Ideas for Classroom Use

• 💡 Use during a problem solving maths rotation or collaborative station
• 💡 Ideal as a fun end-of-unit task for addition or partitioning topics
• 💡 Use as a buddy class activity - have older and younger students pair up!
• 💡 Integrate into a creative maths display by showcasing student-designed emojis

Top Teacher Tips

• 💛 Laminate a few blank templates for early finishers to use again and again
• 💛 Encourage students to create codes for different emoji faces to add variety
• 💛 Print in grayscale and have students colour code their emoji using pencil or crayon

Whether you're reinforcing partitioning or just want a maths activity that gets students thinking creatively, this resource is sure to be a class favourite!