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!
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Mental Math Subtraction Printable Posters
Use this set of subtraction posters in your classroom when teaching different mental math strategies.
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Christmas Math Worksheets - Addition and Subtraction Mazes
Navigate these Christmas math mazes with addition and subtraction facts to keep those minds active!
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Addition and Subtraction with Decimals – Task Cards
Practice adding and subtracting multi-digit decimals with this set of 16 task cards.
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Multi-Step Problem Solving Worksheet
Solve a multi-step problem and explain the mathematical reasoning behind the process with this simple assessment worksheet.
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Strategies for Subtraction - Anchor Charts
Remind your students of the many subtraction strategies with a printable subtraction anchor chart display.
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Pizza Math Fact Fluency Tracker
Motivate and inspire students to learn their math facts with printable math fact fluency trackers.
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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.
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Spooky Subtraction - 3rd Grade Halloween Math Game
Practice triple-digit subtraction with regrouping with an exciting 3rd Grade Halloween Math Game.
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Spooky Halloween Math Centers for Kindergarten
Save time writing your October Math Lesson plans with a Digital Halloween math activity for kindergarten.
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Multi-Digit Subtraction - Interactive Claw Machine
Review knowledge of 3-and-4-digit subtraction with an exciting interactive claw machine game!
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Missing Addends Addition Worksheet
Build addition strategies with this worksheet where students need to identify the missing addend and matching subtraction equations.
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4 Digit Subtraction - Flip It Card Game
Practice subtracting 4-digit numbers with and without regrouping with a fun game of Subtraction Flip It!
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Number Talks - Double Digit Subtraction Task Cards
Encourage the use of mental math strategies with 2-digit subtraction number talks task cards.
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Subtraction Tarsia Worksheets- Math Puzzles
Print a set of 7 Tarsia puzzles to practice solving single-to-multi-digit subtraction problems.
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Decomposing Numbers - Subtraction Teaching Slides
Challenge students to decompose numbers to mentally solve two-digit subtraction problems with a teaching presentation.
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Making Monsters Subtraction - Halloween Math Worksheet
Have some spooky subtraction fun with three differentiated Halloween subtraction worksheets.
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Subtraction Stew - Halloween Math Worksheet
Have some spooky subtraction fun with a Halloween picture-model subtraction worksheet.
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Split Strategy for Subtraction – Interactive Teaching Slides
Demonstrate using the split strategy for subtraction with an instructional slide presentation.
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Compensation Strategy for Subtraction – Teaching Slides
Teach your students to use the compensation strategy for subtraction with an interactive teaching slide deck.
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Subtraction Using the Bar Model - Worksheet
Review and assess your students’ subtraction skills with a 3-digit subtraction worksheet focusing on the bar model strategy.
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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.
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Bar Model Subtraction - Math Color By Number Worksheet
Bring a bit of spooky math fun into the classroom with a Halloween color by number worksheet focused on subtraction using a bar model.
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Number Bonds Worksheet - Cut and Paste
Practice subtraction up to twenty with a cut-and-paste number bond worksheet.
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Number Bond Subtraction - Task Cards
Boost subtraction skills with printable subtraction number bonds task cards.
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Math Symbols Posters with Vocabulary
Students can often identify the mathematical symbol, but what about all of the different names for it?
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3 Digit Subtraction Worksheets - Subtraction Strategy Practice
Review and assess your students’ subtraction skills with a pack of printable worksheets covering various strategies for 3-digit subtraction.
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Subtracting 2-Digit Numbers Task Cards
Practice 2-digit subtraction with this set of 18 task cards.
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Counting Backwards to Subtract - Number Fact Board Game
Practice subtracting by counting backwards with a pair of printable subtraction games.
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Subtraction Bingo (Single and Double-Digit Numbers)
Practice subtracting single and double digit numbers with a fun Subtraction Bingo Game.
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Compatible Numbers for Subtraction – Slide Deck
Teach your students to use compatible numbers as a subtraction strategy with an interactive slide deck.
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3-Digit Subtraction Using Place Value Disks — Interactive Slides
Practice subtracting multiples of 100 using place value disks with an interactive drag-and-drop activity.
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Subtraction Methods - Printable Mini-Book
Review and practice various subtraction strategies with a printable 3-digit subtraction mini book.