Equal Sign Worksheets

About this resource

The equal sign means "the same as," and this is the pack that teaches it. A child looks at a balance scale, counts the dots on each side, decides if an equation is true or false, makes both sides the same, fixes a mistake, and cuts and glues. Every student page has a big "My name" line, one short instruction with a picture, and boxes made for a child's handwriting. Untimed: no clock, no score on the page.

EVERYTHING INSIDE (33 pages: 17 student pages, a wall poster, 15 more for you and your families)

• 84 different practice items, sums and differences to 20, every one a different fact (3 + 4 = 7, 4 + 3 = 7 and 7 = 3 + 4 count as one), all computed in code
• Does It Balance?: a drawn balance scale with dots on each tray, at most 10 dots a tray, solid dots for the first number and ring dots for the second; the beam is level when both sides match and tips toward the heavier tray when they do not; write how many on each side, circle same or not the same (8 scales, 2 pages)
• True or False?: read an equation, circle True or False, with a "My work" box on every row; the single number is on the left in some rows and on the right in others, and later pages put a sum on both sides (18 equations, 3 pages, 3, 2 and 4 of them true)
• Make Both Sides the Same: one box turns a true equation into a fill-in, with a "My work" box on every row (18 equations, 3 pages)
• Fix the Number: a false equation with its last number shaded; write the new number that makes it true, with a "My work" box (10 equations, 2 pages)
• Cut and Glue: True or False: six equation pieces a page in a 3 by 2 block, three straight cuts; glue each under True or False (18 pieces, 3 pages, 4, 2 and 4 of them true)
• Cut and Glue: Same As: six pieces a page in a 3 by 2 block, three straight cuts; glue each piece into the box beside the side it equals (12 pieces, 2 pages)
• Make Your Own: a target number, a box to draw in, and four boxes to write both sides (3 panels, 1 page)
• A Look page (four drawn scales: the same, either way, not the same, check both sides) and a wall poster for the equal sign
• 2 answer keys (44 rows and 40 rows), a tracker (15 rows, 84 items), a class grid (15 student rows), a team note, a home page with a left side and right side mat and three True or False equations, a filled example (an invented student), a phrase bank (17 starters), a binder cover and 6 divider tabs with a spine label
• Start Here, a how-it-works page and a "What's next" back page

Built For The Child, Not The Office

Every student page has a big "My name" line, one short instruction with a picture (a pencil, a book, a circle or scissors), rounded boxes at least 0.6 inch tall, and plenty of room. True or False, Make Both Sides the Same and Fix the Number have a "My work" box on every row, and Make Your Own has a drawing box on every panel. Everything for you (directions, answer keys, scoring) is on separate teacher pages.

Three Levels, Marked By Dots

One dot: starting (the scale shows the answer, one number and one sum, small numbers). Two dots: building. Three dots: ready for more (a sum or a difference on both sides, numbers up to 20 on some pages, drawing your own). The dots are the only level code, so children at one table are not comparing papers.

Every Equation Is Computed

Every answer, every dot on every scale, every true or false, and every row of both answer keys is read from the same numbers that draw the page. There is no second, hand-typed key. Fix the Number and Make Both Sides the Same are built from a true equation and checked in code to have exactly one answer.

Type In, Or Print

The name and date lines, every number box, the tracker, class grid, team note and home page are type-in fields in any PDF reader; the scales, the True and False circles, the cut pieces and the drawing boxes are for pencil. Every page also prints clean in black and white. This is a fillable PDF; it is not a Google Slides, Google Docs or PowerPoint file.

Who This Is For

First grade teachers, special education and resource room teachers, interventionists, and anyone who needs equal sign practice at more than one level in one file, with the tracking and family pages already made.

What This Is, And What It Is Not

An untimed practice set for the meaning of the equal sign, with the record-keeping around it. It is not a timed fluency probe or a goal page, not a full math curriculum, and not a claim about any student's age, grade level or rate of progress.

Also From Bright Path Sped

Addition to 20 Cut and Paste, 3 Levels (the sums), Subtraction Within 10 Cut and Paste, 3 Levels (the differences), Number Bonds to 10 Cut and Paste, 3 Levels (parts of a number), and Addition and Subtraction Within 20 Progress Monitoring Probes (the data side).