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Represent subtraction using objects and drawings

Students will use objects, fingers, and drawings to show taking away or separating a quantity from a group. They will connect the action of removing to the concept of subtraction, including writing or interpreting simple subtraction expressions.

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Represent subtraction using objects and drawings

Kindergarten · Understanding Addition and Subtraction · question 1 of 3

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12 rungs. A star at the top.

Count the triangles left.

How it is taught

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Subtraction means taking some away.

What is left is the answer.

Read it: Cross out, count what is left

There are 10 apples. 3 are crossed out: they are taken away. Count back: 10, 9, 8. 7 are left.

  1. Start with 10.
  2. Cross out the 3 that go.
  3. Count back: 10, 9, 8. Now 7.

Crossing out shows the ones taken away, so you can still see them.

Taking away makes the number smaller, so you count back, not on.

3 crossed out of 10 leaves 7 apples.

Cross out what goes. Count what is left.

Counting the crossed-out ones too, and saying 10.

Count only the ones not crossed out: 7.

5 − 1 = ___ — 4. Count back 1 from 5: 4.

5 − 2 = 3

Today we'll learn about subtraction. Subtraction means taking some away.

Look! We have five yummy cookies on the plate.

Let's count them together: one, two, three, four, five.

Uh oh — your friend is hungry and asks for two cookies.

So we take two cookies away. Cross them out!

How many cookies are left? Let's count: one, two, three.

We can write this with numbers. We started with five.

Then we took two away. We use a minus sign for take away.

And three cookies are left. Five minus two equals three.

Five take away two is three. That's subtraction! Great job!

Subtraction means taking away5 cookies on the plate12345Friend wants 2 cookies!1233 cookies left!5−2=3ANSWER3cookies left
Kindergarten · Taking away cookies

What you see

While they climb, your page writes one true line to ask about tonight, and a short note each Sunday.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics
Did you know?

A chessboard has 64 squares — share them out between the 8 rows and each row holds exactly 8.

Today’s goal
1 star — one skill mastered, every rung of its ladder climbed
Climbing now
Divide within 100

An example student.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics

Maya earned 2 stars this week — Interpret multiplication as equal groups, which took 6 answers over 3 days before its star landed 3 days ago and Multiply by 6, 7, 8 and 9. Next up: Divide within 100.

An example week.

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