Subtraction as taking away or separating
Understand subtraction as taking away or separating from a group to find how many remain
What a learner can do afterwards
- Model 'taking away' with physical objects and say how many remain
- Act out a 'take from' situation (e.g. 5 biscuits, eat 2, how many left?)
- Explain that subtraction means finding how many are left
The lesson
Subtraction means taking some away. You start with a group. You take some out. Then you count what is left.
Try it together
Leo has 5 apples. He gives 2 away. He counts what is left: 1, 2, 3. Three apples remain.
Good to know
Say the group size first. Then say how many you take away. Last, count what remains.
Subtraction means taking some away and counting what is left.
Watch it
Where it sits
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
Then practise
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.