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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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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Word Problems Addition and Subtraction Escape Room
Search for a lost treasure in our word problems addition and subtraction escape room that will give your students varied practice adding and subtracting one and two-digit numbers.
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Subtraction with Regrouping - Printable Math Mat
Explore subtraction with regrouping using a printable subtraction math mat.
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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.
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Candy Cane Activity - Double Digit Subtraction Tarsia Puzzle
Practice double-digit subtraction with regrouping with a Christmas candy cane activity.
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Subtraction within 20 – Number Bond Worksheet
Practice subtraction strategies, including number bonds and picture models, with a printable subtraction worksheet.
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Subtraction Using Base 10 Blocks - Worksheet
Subtract two-digit numbers using base-10 blocks with a printable subtraction worksheet.
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Addition and Subtraction Within 20 – Worksheet
Use this worksheet with your students when exploring addition and subtraction within 20.
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Roll It! Operations Game
Use this fun game to practice all four operations and/or order of operations.
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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.
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Addition and Subtraction Word Problem Task Cards - (Numbers 1-9)
Use a range of addition and subtraction strategies to solve twenty single-digit word problems.
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Adding and Subtracting Word Problems Interactive Task Cards
Engage your students with this interactive adding and subtracting word problems activity that features a variety of problem types.
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Money Word Problems Addition and Subtraction Worksheet Set
Use our money word problems addition and subtraction worksheet set to give your students differentiated practice modeling a variety of one and two-digit word problems.
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Strip Diagrams (Bar Model) Poster Pack
Help your students solve problems using the four operations with a pack of printable strip diagrams anchor charts.
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Number Talks - Making Ten Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 20 task cards.
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Think Addition - Fact Family Worksheets
Use addition to solve subtraction problems with this worksheet.
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2-Digit Subtraction with Place Value Disks - Match Up
Practice using place value disks to solve 2-digit subtraction problems with a matching activity.
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Bump! Subtraction to 10 Math Game
Practice subtraction facts to 10 with a fun printable subtraction board game.
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Subtracting 2-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practice 2-digit subtraction with regrouping with this drill and practice worksheet.
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Addition and Subtraction Minute Math Booklet
Warm-up (or assess) with this 10-page booklet of addition and subtraction drills.
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Linking Addition and Subtraction Worksheet
Explore the relationship between addition and subtraction with a fact family worksheet.
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Number Talks - Fluency to 20 Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 24 task cards.
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Addition and Subtraction Word Problem Task Cards (Numbers 1-50)
Use a range of addition and subtraction strategies to solve twenty word problems that contain numbers 1–50.
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Color by Number Addition and Subtraction Worksheets
Combine math and art with our color by number addition and subtraction worksheets that feature problems with solutions up to 20.
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20 Polygon Puzzles - Addition and Subtraction Pack
Explore addition and subtraction with this fun polygon puzzle pack.
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2 Digit Subtraction - Flip It Card Game
Practice subtracting two-digit numbers with and without regrouping with a fun game of Subtraction Flip It!
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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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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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Addition and Subtraction Word Problems - Match Game
Practice reading, modeling, and solving addition and subtraction word problems with a matching activity.
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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 Across Zero - Color By Number Worksheet
Practice subtraction across zeros with a fun color by number worksheet.
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2-Digit Subtraction Model Match-Up
Use a rigorous subtraction matching game to match subtraction word problems with number sentences, bar models, and solutions.