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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Math Graphic Organizers - Printable Work Mats
Practice working on specific math concepts with our set of 5 printable math graphic organizers.
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Subtraction Strategies – Worksheet
Assess your students’ knowledge of subtraction strategies with a subtraction assessment.
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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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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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Printable Number Line 0–30
Make counting a visual experience with this set of 4 multi-purpose 0–30 printable number lines.
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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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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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Making Tens Subtraction Worksheet
Find friendly numbers to subtract with a printable subtraction worksheet.
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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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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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Think Addition - Fact Family Worksheets
Use addition to solve subtraction problems with this worksheet.
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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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Ten Frame - Printable Templates
Print a set of 10 blank ten frames to use in various math lessons.
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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
Practice 3-Digit subtraction with regrouping strategies with a printable set of subtraction strategy task cards.
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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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Number Bonds Worksheet - Cut and Paste
Practice subtraction up to twenty with a cut-and-paste number bond worksheet.
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Subtraction Methods - Printable Mini-Book
Review and practice various subtraction strategies with a printable 3-digit subtraction mini book.
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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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3 Digit Subtraction with Regrouping - Strategy Task Cards
Practice 3-digit subtraction strategies with a set of 24 subtraction task cards.
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Addition and Subtraction with Regrouping - Posters
Break down the steps to use regrouping to find a solution with an addition and a subtraction poster.
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Subtraction with Regrouping - Printable Math Mat
Explore subtraction with regrouping using a printable subtraction math mat.
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Subtraction with Ten Frames - Worksheet
Model and subtract numbers to twenty using ten frames with a handy ten-frame 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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Number Bonds Subtraction - Worksheet
Practice subtraction using number bonds with differentiated number bond worksheets.
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Addition and Subtraction on a Number Line - Superhero Math Activity
Fly through addition and subtraction on a number line with an exciting Number Line Hero task card activity.
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Double-Digit Subtraction Strategies Posters
Remind your students to use different subtraction strategies with a set of printable subtraction anchor charts.
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Secret Code Number Line - Worksheet
Crack the number line code with five number line codebreaker worksheets to practice number identification, addition, and subtraction.
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Making Ten Memory Game
Practice making ten using ten frames with this fun memory game.
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Parts of a Number Sentence (Addition and Subtraction) - Posters
Display these posters when learning about parts of addition and subtraction problems.
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Mental Math Subtraction Printable Posters
Use this set of subtraction posters in your classroom when teaching different mental math strategies.