Subtraction Games for 1st Graders

Importance of Subtraction

Children have many daily experiences with addition and subtraction which they often do not realize. They should be provided with experiences of fun mathematics activities, learning games and strategies to understand how to add and subtract. There are so many such opportunities throughout the day, when adding and subtracting strategies involving math word problems can be solved and taught. These learning opportunities need not be initiated only at the school in the classroom rather these experiences can be initiated as and when they arise in our day to day situations. For example, while reading a story, or setting the table, cooking a meal, climbing the stairs, putting away the toys, cleaning the room, coloring a picture and so on.

It is always recommended to begin with addition to teach children these strategies and fun activities. Once children develop strong conceptual understanding of addition only then should one introduce how to subtract. Many activities used for teaching addition and be used to teach subtraction too. But some learning activities must be conducted to explicitly teach children the inverse relationship of addition and subtraction.

Math aids and manipulatives and mathematical tools help children to visualize and solve problems in hands-on ways.  These fun mathematical activities and strategies provide children with ample experience to remember and apply these to solve addition and subtraction worksheets. These strategies will also help in real-life problem solving.

Complexities of Learning about Subtraction

Children spend maximum time being home or with their parents. Hence it is important to understand the complexities involved in learning subtraction so that they can be taken care of. To begin with, the simple mathematical equation or statement 5-3=2 has a multiplicity of meanings. For example, the number 5 could mean so many different things. 5 may denote 5 objects, 5 groups of objects, the position of number 5 on a number line or just the abstract number 5. Same is the case with numbers 3 and 2 in the equation. Thus, the statement is a generalization of many different types of 5s, 3s and 2s in different contexts. So, asking a child what is 5-3 equal to is a very bizarre statement if no context is given.

In addition to this, the complete statement 5-3=2 is also a generalized statement which can represent many different situations. For example

• Jack had 5 candies but Jill took away 3 of those, 2 remaining with Jack
• One plant is 5 cm tall and the other is 3 cm, so the difference in their heights is 2cm
• John had $5 and he spent $3 for buying a toy, so he ended up saving $2

Thus, to preschoolers or 1st graders the mathematical statement 5-3= 2 often has little meaning when no context is given. As a result, all addition and subtraction word problems in the early years must be done through kids learning games and activities that involve the children themselves. The activities for kids should be engaging and such that the context is entirely apparent. Also, pictorial representation in math worksheets should be encouraged to develop conceptual clarity and grasp over subtraction definition.

Subtraction Activities for Grade 1

First grade kids are taught the concept of ‘taking away’ or subtraction through a number line. Kids learn how to count back to subtract.

In this learning method, a number line is used. Kids move back on the number line one at a time as much as the number that is to be subtracted. The number on which the kid ends up is the answer of the subtraction problem.

For example: Solve 5 – 2

In the number line method, children start at 5 and take away 2. Hence, they land up on 3 which is the required difference.

To generalize this procedure, always start from the minuend (the number from which something is taken or the number you subtract from) and move back as many steps as the value of subtrahend (the number which is subtracted or is to be taken away). The final position one ends up on gives the difference of the two numbers. Thus, we can define subtraction as the difference between two numbers.

There are many interesting activities and educational games for kids around the number line theme to teach them subtraction.

• Subtraction worksheets with a context provide children the motivation to solve subtraction problems. In this case the context of bugs is given. For example: Mark caught eight ladybugs in the backyard and he let go four of them. How many are left?

Kids can answer this on the number line created and then write an equation for the same.

• Lego blocks are perfect math aids that can be used to teach subtraction on number line. They are one of the best fun games for kids that are super easy to understand. Combine the blocks together and number them using a pen. Take any counter and you are ready to go. Give instructions to your kids and see him happily following the same without getting bored.

• If giving instructions is a task and you do not have all that time then try doing this math activity.

Write all the set of instructions in strips of paper. Punch them and compile them together with a key chain. Now either make a number line on the floor using tape and let kids follow the instructions being the counter themselves, or use the lego block number line or simply a drawn number line on a sheet of paper and a cute counter to move with.

• Subtraction flash cards with written set of instructions is another cool way to get kids involved into practicing number line method for doing subtraction problems.

• For kids who enjoy doing more than following a set of instructions try the squish number line activity. In this activity, instead of moving their counter forward and backward kids get to squish the number line balls made from clay- dough.  Grade one students are expected to perform subtraction within 10 using  their counting skills. This activity can work wonders for that!

1st Grade children are also expected to understand the relationship between addition and subtraction.

First and foremost, shall be to introduce subtraction as inverse of addition. This can be achieved through a simple and effective math subtraction worksheet as follows:

At the top are five jars in a cupboard whose doors are open: three at left and two on the right. This picture illustrates the equation: 3 + 2 = 5. ‖

In the next picture, the left-hand cupboard door is closed, hiding the three jars. Only two of the five jars can be seen. This picture illustrates the equation: 5 − 3 = 2. ‖

The bottom picture shows the left door open and the right door closed, hiding two jars and illustrating: 5 − 2 = 3. ‖

The quantity of five jars and the arrangement of the jars is the same in all three pictures. The only change in the pictures is the closing of different doors. The equation, however, changes from an addition equation to two subtraction equations. The changes in the three pictures and their accompanying equations reveal for children the relationship between addition and subtraction. Addition is to find the sum of two known addends and subtraction is to find an unknown addend when the sum and one addend are known.

When seeing a subtraction, and not knowing the solution, one only needs to think- ‘What number when added to the subtrahend yields the difference?’‖Very clearly, if one knows addition that is let’s say: 3 + 2 = 5, then one can extrapolate: 5 – 3 certainly must be 2 and 5 – 2 certainly must be 3

Some addition and subtraction games and activities to help kids understand their relation better are as follows.

• Kids must understand that addition is commutative but not subtraction. Pairing the right pairs together is a very cute way to understand the commutative property of addition.

• Another engaging and interesting mathematics activity is to find the relation between the three numbers. You can give various combinations of three numbers and let them complete the worksheet to develop a strong understanding of the relation between addition and subtraction.

• This simple activity allows kids to explore subtraction as inverse of addition. In addition, they were collecting things to form a larger group and here they shall try to split a larger group in to smaller sub-groups.

For example, they can clearly see that 5 + 2 =7 but now they need to visualize 7- 5 =?

• Identifying the missing addend can also be looked through this fun math activity. This shall help children to see relation between addition and subtraction. This activity gives lot of practice with math problems too.