Subtraction Strategies Teaching Resources
If you're teaching subtraction strategies and need printable worksheets, math center activities and more, you are in the right place.
Our expert teacher team has created hundreds of engaging subtraction resources that have been aligned to the curriculum. That means these resources will help you to help your students meet Common Core and state-level standards. What's more, each printable and digital teaching resource has undergone a rigorous review by the teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure they're student-ready.
What Is a Subtraction Strategy and Why Do We Teach Them?
There's no doubt that subtraction is a fundamental math skill that students must learn in order to progress to more advanced math concepts. That's where subtraction strategies come in handy — they help students to understand how to take away one number from another, and to visualize the results of subtraction problems.
Using strategies in math teaches students to think flexibly about numbers and will help them develop automaticity. These strategies are important for students to learn early in elementary school in order to be successful in math as they progress into middle school and later high school or even college.
What Are Some Different Subtraction Strategies?
If you're teaching subtraction for the first time in a long time, you might need to quickly revisit the strategies most often used for solving these problems! There are a few different strategies that can be used when subtracting numbers.
The Traditional Subtraction Strategy:
The most common strategy is to start at the number on the right and work your way left.
The New or Inverse Subtraction Strategy:
Another strategy for subtraction is to start with the number on the left and work your way right. This is often called the "new" or "inverse" method.
The Counting Up Strategy
The "counting up" strategy involves starting at the number you are subtracting from and counting up to the number you are subtracting.
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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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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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Subtraction Strategies – Worksheet
Assess your students’ knowledge of subtraction strategies with a subtraction assessment.
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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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Addition and Subtraction Mat - Apple Tree
Solve addition and subtraction problems up to 10 with a hands-on apple math center.
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Subtraction on a Number Line – Worksheets
Practice subtracting two-digit numbers with regrouping using a number line and the jump strategy with a pack of differentiated worksheets.
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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.
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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.
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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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3 Digit Subtraction With Regrouping Game Cards
Practice 3-Digit subtraction with regrouping strategies with a printable set of subtraction strategy task cards.
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Number Bonds Math Center Activity
Use this hands-on number bonds (addition and subtraction) strategy activity in your next guided math group lesson!
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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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2-Digit Subtraction Within 100 - Puzzles
Practice a variety of subtraction strategies with a set of printable math puzzles.
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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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Making Tens Subtraction Worksheet
Find friendly numbers to subtract with a printable subtraction worksheet.
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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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Subtraction Stew - Halloween Math Worksheet
Have some spooky subtraction fun with a Halloween picture-model subtraction worksheet.
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2-Digit Subtraction Using Bar Models- Differentiated Worksheets
Review and assess your students’ subtraction skills with differentiated 2-digit subtraction worksheets focusing on the bar model strategy.
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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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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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Subtraction using Place Value Disks - Worksheet
Subtract 3-digit numbers using place value disks with a printable 3rd-grade subtraction worksheet.
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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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Number Talks - Making Ten Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 20 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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Counting Backwards to Subtract - Number Fact Board Game
Practice subtracting by counting backwards with a pair of printable subtraction games.
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Teaching the Subtraction Algorithm - Instructional Slides
Engage your students in mathematical problem solving with. a subtraction algorithm teaching presentation.
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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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Think Addition - Fact Family Worksheets
Use addition to solve subtraction problems with this worksheet.