Kindergarten Math: Subtraction as Separating
Kindergarten math: subtraction as separating is the take-away meaning of the minus sign: part of a group is removed and what is left is counted. Seven crackers with three eaten leaves four, written 7 − 3 = 4. 166 printable worksheets, first three free.
Practice pages support a program; they are not the lesson. These sheets reinforce Building Number Sense Kindergarten, the sequenced K–5 math series from Faith Thinkers. See every program →
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Teaching Subtraction as Separating
What it is
Subtraction as separating is the take-away meaning of the minus sign: part of a group is removed and what is left is counted. Seven crackers with three eaten leaves four, written 7 − 3 = 4.
When a child is ready
Begin once the child adds by joining groups and can count a group accurately after the objects have been moved around.
If they struggle
Act it out and physically move the removed objects off the table, so 'what is left' is what the eye actually sees. If the wrong amount is taken away, have the child point to the whole group first, then to the part that is leaving, before any counting starts.
Worksheet preview
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