Subtraction Strategy Posters for the Classroom

Do your students need additional practice with their subtraction facts? Many times, students revert to one mental math strategy, regardless of the fact that they are working on. There are, in fact, many different strategies that students can choose from depending on what subtraction problem they encounter. Teach Starter has created a set of subtraction posters that you can use in your classroom to help students increase their math fluency!

With this download, you will receive 1 title poster and 8 strategy posters covering the following:

• Counting Back
• Using a Known Fact
• Counting On
• Using Doubles
• Subtracting the Parts
• Make a Ten
• Use Place Value
• Round and Adjust

Each poster has a brief explanation of the strategy and an example problem that shows the strategy in action.

How to Make the Most of Your Mental Math Subtraction Posters

Use these subtraction strategy posters in a variety of ways to support student learning.

• Create anchor charts: Build out a classroom anchor chart together with your students using the posters as your cutout pieces.
• Classroom display: Print and display them on your math wall for students to reference during independent work.
• Guided groups: Print, slip into clear sleeves, and use as a quick reminder during small-group instruction.
• Learning centers: Place sleeved posters on a ring for students to flip through and use as a reference tool.
• At-home practice: Print four to a page and send home so families can review and practice strategies together.

And that’s not all! We’ve also come up with FIVE bonus interactive games that turn these posters into engaging review activities to get your students moving, thinking, and talking about subtraction strategies. Here are some fun ideas:

Poster Walk (Scoot-Style Game)

• Hang the subtraction strategy posters around the room. Beneath each poster, place a subtraction problem that best fits that strategy.
• Students rotate around the room in pairs or small groups, solving the problems at each poster using that strategy.
• When they finish the round, discuss as a class which strategies felt easiest for different problems.

Strategy Match-Up

• Give students a set of subtraction problems on cards.
• Around the room, display the posters.
• Students must decide which poster (strategy) is the best fit for each problem by placing the card under that poster.
• Follow-up: Have groups explain why they matched a problem to a certain strategy.

Roll & Solve

• Choose 6 strategies to focus on and assign each strategy poster a number (1–6).
• Students roll a die and then solve the given subtraction problem using the strategy that matches their roll.
• Example: If they roll a 3, and Poster #3 is “Round and Adjust,” they must solve using that method—even if it’s not their first choice!

Mystery Strategy Challenge

• You or a student solves a subtraction problem secretly using one of the strategies from the posters.
• They show their work on the board.
• The class has to guess which strategy was used, pointing to the poster that matches.
• Extension: Students then solve the same problem with a different poster strategy.

Four Corners (Strategy Edition)

• Choose 4 strategies to focus on, and place one poster in each corner of the room.
• Display a subtraction problem.
• Students move to the corner that shows the strategy they would use to solve it.
• Students in each corner explain their reasoning before the class checks answers together.

Before You Download

This resource prints as a PDF. Please use the Download button to access the full color version of this resource.

More Subtraction Fun!

✨ The fun (and learning!) doesn’t stop here. Check out these three bonus resources to keep subtraction fresh and engaging in your classroom.

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