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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Part-Part-Whole - Addition and Subtraction Teaching Slides
Teach your students how to effectively use a bar model to solve 1-digit addition and subtraction number facts using the part-part-whole strategy.
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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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Bunny Number Lines - Addition and Subtraction Task Cards
Hop down the number line with the Easter Bunny to practice addition and subtraction on a number line.
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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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Mental Math Subtraction Printable Posters
Use this set of subtraction posters in your classroom when teaching different mental math strategies.
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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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Tens Frame - Addition and Subtraction Match-Up Activity
Build addition and subtraction skills with two tens frame matching games.
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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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Strategies for Subtraction - Anchor Charts
Remind your students of the many subtraction strategies with a printable subtraction anchor chart display.
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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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Number Facts Board Games
A collection of board games to reinforce your students' knowledge of addition and subtraction fact strategies.