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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Bump! Subtraction to 10 Math Game
Practice subtraction facts to 10 with a fun printable subtraction board game.
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Valentine Bingo - 2-Digit Addition and Subtraction Game
Add and subtract two-digit numbers to win this fun Valentine’s Bingo Game!
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Mixed Operations Minute Math Booklet (Lower-Level Version)
Jump into your math lessons with this ten-page mental math booklet covering the four operations and number patterns.
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Mixed Operations Minute Math Booklet (Higher-Level Version)
Incorporate this mental math drills booklet into your math lesson warm-up (or assessment) routine.
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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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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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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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Pizza Math Fact Fluency Tracker
Motivate and inspire students to learn their math facts with printable math fact fluency trackers.
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Number Talks - Double Digit Subtraction Task Cards
Encourage the use of mental math strategies with 2-digit subtraction number talks task cards.
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3 Digit Subtraction -Mathzee Math Game
Practice subtracting 3-digit numbers with and without regrouping with a fun game of Subtraction Mathzee!
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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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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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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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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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Number Talks - Making Ten Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 20 task cards.
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Subtraction Game - 2-Digit Subtraction Dominoes
Use this printable set of double-digit subtraction dominoes to practice a variety of subtraction strategies.
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3-Digit Subtraction Using Place Value Disks — Interactive Slides
Practice subtracting multiples of 100 using place value disks with an interactive drag-and-drop activity.
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2nd Grade Subtraction Strategies — Task Cards
Practice using various strategies to solve 2-digit subtraction problems with a set of task cards.
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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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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 Work Mat
Practice addition and subtraction concepts daily with a printable work mat for students.
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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 Picture Models Worksheet
Practice subtracting numbers to 12 using picture models with a printable subtraction worksheet.
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Subtraction Strategy Work Mats
Practice using a variety of subtraction strategies to solve problems with a set of printable subtraction work mats.
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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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Adding and Subtracting Integers - Codebreaker Worksheets
Crack the positive and negative number code with four adding and subtracting integers worksheets.
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Adding and Subtracting Integers on Number Lines - Worksheet
Help your students learn to add and subtract integers on a number line with a printable adding and subtracting integers worksheet.
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Add and Subtract Integers on a Number Line - Interactive Picture Reveal
Practice solving addition and subtraction equations with positive and negative numbers using an interactive mystery picture reveal.
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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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Mental Math Subtraction Printable Posters
Use this set of subtraction posters in your classroom when teaching different mental math strategies.
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Number Talks - Making Numbers Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 20 task cards.