Subtraction Teaching Resources
Browse subtraction worksheets, games and more teacher-created activities for your lesson plans!
Aligned with both the TEKS and Common Core curriculums, each resource in this subtraction collection has been carefully reviewed and curated by our expert teachers to ensure it's ready to use with your students. Browse printables and digital activities for teaching students how to take away, use subtraction to compare quantities, subtract two-digit numbers with regrouping, solve word problems and so much more!
Whether you're teaching your 1st grade class to add and subtract within 20 or your 3rd graders how to fluently subtract within 1,000, or you're explaining to a 6th grade group how to add or subtract integers on a number line, there are plenty of options for your planning.
New to teaching subtraction, or just looking for new ways to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a kid-friendly definition to explain what it means to subtract, plus a look at the subtraction sign and more math vocabulary for teaching kids this whole number operation.
What Is Subtraction? A Kid-Friendly Definition
If you're teaching in the early grades and introducing subtraction for the very first time, you may need a definition that can help you explain what it means to subtract numbers.
Subtraction is a math operation we can use when we have a number and we want to find out what's left when we take away another number.
For example, let's say you have 5 toys, and your friend takes 2 of them home. How can you determine how many toys are left? You can use subtraction!
If you subtract 2 from the number 5, you are left with 3.
What Is the Subtraction Sign Called?
There are several math symbols and signs that help us understand the relationships between numbers in our math problems. Students should learn early on to identify the subtraction symbol, which is called the minus sign.
The minus sign (-) looks like a short line.
When it is placed between two numbers, it lets us know that we should subtract the number on the right from the number on the left.
For example, look at the subtraction problem below:
- 6-3
In this problem, the minus sign tells us that you will need to subtract — or take away — 3 from the number 6.
What Is the Answer to a Subtraction Problem Called?
Teaching math in elementary or middle school involves teaching a significant amount of math vocabulary!
When it comes to subtraction, one word kids need to learn early on is "difference" — this is the word we use for the answer to a subtraction problem.
What Are the Numbers Called in Subtraction?
Words like subtraction, difference and minus are commonly used in the classroom, but what about the numbers in a subtraction problem?
These are not typically taught to students, but keeping the names of the numbers in a subtraction problem in your back pocket can be helpful anyway!
- Minuend — This is the number on the left in a subtraction problem. It is the number that you are "taking away" from.
- Subtrahend — This is the number on the right in a subtraction problem. It is the number that you are "taking away."
Teaching Kids How to Subtract — 3 Fun Ideas From Our Teacher Team
Looking for some tips on teaching subtraction? This collection of resources is full of ideas from our expert math teachers, but we didn't stop there.
Here are some tips that may help you teach kids how to subtract and build fluency!
1. Focus on Missing Addends
Missing addend addition is sometimes easier for kids to grasp when tackling subtraction problems.
For example, rather than 17 - 8, gear your students to think, "8 plus what equals 17?"
2. Teach Regrouping With Base-10 Blocks
Students need to understand they aren't changing the value of the minuend in the subtraction problem, just what it looks like. For example, 42 is still 42, even if it's represented as 30 + 12 instead of 40 + 2.
This is where it helps to teach the concept of regrouping using Base-10 blocks.
3. Use Subtraction Rhymes
Using fun rhymes as mnemonics in subtraction can help your student remember the rules. Here's one of our favorites for teaching students subtraction with regrouping:
More on top?
No need to stop!
More on the floor?
Go next door.
Add 10 more.
If the numbers are the same, then 0 is the name!
- Free Plan
Roll It! Operations Game
Use this fun game to practice all four operations and/or order of operations.
- Free Plan
Addition and Subtraction Problem Solving Task Cards
Practice solving 1- and 2-step word problems by adding and subtracting 2-digit numbers with this set of 16 task cards.
- Free Plan
Bump! Subtraction to 10 Math Game
Practice subtraction facts to 10 with a fun printable subtraction board game.
- Free Plan
Printable Number Line 0–30
Make counting a visual experience with this set of 4 multi-purpose 0–30 printable number lines.
- Plus Plan
Multi-Step Addition and Subtraction Word Problem Task Cards
Solve multi-step addition and subtraction word problems with a set of printable math task cards.
- Free Plan
Subtraction Strategies – Worksheet
Assess your students’ knowledge of subtraction strategies with a subtraction assessment.
- Free Plan
Printable Blank Number Line - 0-120
Create personal number lines for use in math lessons with a printable blank number line template for numbers from 1-120.
- Plus Plan
5 Little Turkeys - Thanksgiving Subtraction Book
Learn about subtraction with a printable 5 Little Turkeys Thanksgiving Book!
- Plus Plan
Math Bowl - Mixed Operations Word Problem Game
Score a mathematical touchdown with by solving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division word problems with an exciting football math game.
- Plus Plan
Subtracting 2-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practice 2-digit subtraction with regrouping with this drill and practice worksheet.
- Free Plan
Subtraction using Place Value Disks - Worksheet
Subtract 3-digit numbers using place value disks with a printable 3rd-grade subtraction worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Math Symbols Posters with Vocabulary
Students can often identify the mathematical symbol, but what about all of the different names for it?
- Plus Plan
Mixed Operations Minute Math Booklet (Higher-Level Version)
Incorporate this mental math drills booklet into your math lesson warm-up (or assessment) routine.
- Plus Plan
Dominate the Dragon – Mental Math Worksheets
Capture your students' interest in math drills for all four operations with these fun dragon-themed differentiated math worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Spooky 3-Digit Subtraction - Maze Game
Practice three-digit subtraction with regrouping skills with printable Halloween Subtraction Maze worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Addition and Subtraction Word Problems - Match Game
Practice reading, modeling, and solving addition and subtraction word problems with a matching activity.
- Plus Plan
2nd Grade Subtraction Strategies — Task Cards
Practice using various strategies to solve 2-digit subtraction problems with a set of task cards.
- Plus Plan
Linking Addition and Subtraction Worksheet
Explore the relationship between addition and subtraction with a fact family worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Subtraction Dog – Worksheet
Practice subtraction facts with this set of differentiated worksheets.
- Free Plan
Taking From 10 - Number Facts Board Game
Practice the "Taking from 10" subtraction strategy with this board game.
- Plus Plan
Subtraction Fact Fluency Assessments
Assess and track subtraction fact fluency with a printable Math Fact Fluency program for subtraction facts.
- Plus Plan
Pizza Math Fact Fluency Tracker
Motivate and inspire students to learn their math facts with printable math fact fluency trackers.
- Plus Plan
Multi-Digit Subtraction - Interactive Claw Machine
Review knowledge of 3-and-4-digit subtraction with an exciting interactive claw machine game!
- Plus Plan
Making Monsters Subtraction - Halloween Math Worksheet
Have some spooky subtraction fun with three differentiated Halloween subtraction worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Subtraction Across Zero - Color By Number Worksheet
Practice subtraction across zeros with a fun color by number worksheet.
- Plus Plan
2-Digit Subtraction Using Bar Models- Task Cards
Review and assess your students’ subtraction skills with a set of 2-digit subtraction task cards focusing on the bar model strategy.
- Plus Plan
Adding and Subtracting Within 10 - Word Problem Task Cards
Solve word problems practicing addition and subtraction to ten with a set of printable task cards.
- Plus Plan
Think Addition - Fact Family Worksheets
Use addition to solve subtraction problems with this worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Hundreds Chart Color By Number - Subtraction
Practice subtracting single and double-digit numbers with a set of subtraction color by number task cards.
- Plus Plan
Subtraction Methods - Printable Mini-Book
Review and practice various subtraction strategies with a printable 3-digit subtraction mini book.
- Plus Plan
Strip Diagram (Bar Model) Poster Pack
Help your students solve problems using the four operations with a pack of printable strip diagram anchor charts.
- Plus Plan
3 Digit Subtraction with Regrouping - Strategy Task Cards
Practice 3-digit subtraction strategies with a set of 24 subtraction task cards.