Subtraction Teaching Resources
Browse subtraction worksheets, games and more teacher-created activities for your lesson plans!
Aligned with the Australian maths curriculum, including version 9.0, 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 year 1 class to add and subtract within 20 or your year 3 students how to fluently subtract within 1,000, or you're explaining to a year 6 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 maths vocabulary that will help you plan your lessons.
What Is Subtraction? A Kid-Friendly Definition
If you're teaching early years students 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 maths 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 imagine 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 maths symbols and signs that help us understand the relationships between numbers in our maths 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 maths in primary school involves teaching a significant amount of maths 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 it can be helpful to keep the names of the numbers in a subtraction problem in your back pocket 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 maths teachers, but we didn't stop there.
Here are some tips that may help you teach kids how to subtract and build their 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 or MAB blocks.
3. Use Subtraction Rhymes
Using fun rhymes as mnemonics in subtraction can help your student remember the rules. Here's one of our favourites 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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3-Digit Subtraction - 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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Bunny Number Lines - Addition and Subtraction Task Cards
Hop like a bunny to practise addition and subtraction on a number line.
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Addition and Subtraction Fact Families Teaching Presentation
A 19-page editable teaching presentation to use in the classroom when introducing addition and subtraction fact families.
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Multiplication and Division Word Problems Task Cards (Facts of 1-12)
Use a range of strategies to solve multiplication and division problems for times tables facts 1-12.
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Fact Family Find and Flip - Addition and Subtraction (Middle)
Addition and subtraction game cards demonstrating the relationship between fact families.
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Operation Domination Game
A fun game using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
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Jump Strategy Subtraction Game
Learn how to use the jump strategy to solve subtraction problems with a fun subtraction game.
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Subtraction Fact Fluency Assessments
Assess and track subtraction fact fluency with a printable Number Facts Fluency program for subtraction.
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10 More, 10 Less Differentiated Mazes
Delight your students with this maze challenge, to practise calculating 10 more or 10 less than a value within 120.
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Subtraction Across Zero - Colour By Number Worksheet
Practise subtraction across zeros with a fun colour-by-number worksheet.
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Tens Frame - Addition and Subtraction Match-Up Activity
Build addition and subtraction skills with two tens frame matching games.
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Fact Family Find and Flip - Addition and Subtraction (Upper)
Addition and subtraction game cards demonstrating the relationship between fact families.
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Fact Family Find and Flip - Addition and Subtraction (Lower)
Addition and subtraction game cards demonstrating the relationship between fact families.
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Lady Beetle Adding Activity
A fun and simple adding activity to consolidate simple addition.
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Subtract From 10 Board Game
Have a ‘blast’ with this space-themed ‘Subtract From 10’ board game that gives your students the practice they need with tens subtraction facts.
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Division as Repeated Subtraction Worksheet Set
Share this division as repeated subtraction worksheet set with your students to teach division by building on subtraction concepts they are already familiar with.
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2 Digit Subtraction - Flip It Card Game
Practise subtracting two-digit numbers with and without regrouping with a fun game of Subtraction Flip It!
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Part Part Whole — Hands-On Activity Mat
Use this hands-on addition and subtraction part part whole activity mat in your next guided maths group lesson!
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3 Digit Subtraction Game- Mathzee!
Practise subtracting 3-digit numbers with and without regrouping with a fun game of Subtraction Mathzee!
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3 Digit Subtraction Worksheets - Subtraction Strategy Practise
Review and assess your students’ subtraction skills with a pack of printable worksheets covering various strategies for 3-digit subtraction.
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Subtraction Strategies - Anchor Charts
Remind your students of the many subtraction strategies with a printable subtraction anchor chart display.
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Subtraction within 20 - Colour-by-Number Worksheet
Reveal the mystery picture by solving the subtraction problems with a colour-by-number worksheet.
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Subtraction Strategy Work Mats
Practise using a variety of subtraction strategies to solve problems with a set of printable subtraction work mats.
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Partitioning Teaching Presentation
Introduce the partitioning strategy to your students with this teaching presentation.
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Mental Maths Subtraction Posters
Use this set of subtraction posters in your classroom when teaching different mental maths strategies.
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2-Digit Subtraction by Regrouping Poster
Break down the steps to use regrouping to find a solution to a subtraction problem with a printable subtraction anchor chart.
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3 Digit Subtraction With Regrouping Game Cards
Practise 3-Digit subtraction with regrouping strategies with a printable set of subtraction strategy task cards.
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Rainbow Number Facts Board Game
A fun, hands-on board game to consolidate students' understanding of the 'Friends of 10'.
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Number Bonds Worksheet- Cut and Paste
Practise subtraction up to twenty with a cut-and-paste number bond worksheet.
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Bump! – Subtraction to 10 Maths Game
Practise subtraction facts to 10 with a fun maths game.
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Subtraction using Picture Models - Worksheet
Practise subtracting numbers to 12 using picture models with a printable subtraction worksheet.
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Easter Maths Digital Activities
Have some Easter fun + practise maths topics.