Fourth Blog

Subtraction

There are many children that find subtraction challenging.  I remember as a child I also found subtraction much more difficult than addition.  I'm not exactly sure for the reason, though it might be because when learning about numbers and counting we learn to count upward first, not many children learn numbers by counting backwards, at least not many that I have heard. 

I have seen in the schools that I volunteer at, that they are familiarizing students with fact families.  I think this is a super idea, this strategy reinforces the connection between addition and subtraction.  I have also witnessed teachers teaching about turn around facts.  I think this is a great way to make subtraction seem less challenging for many children.

Fact families often look like triangles with three numbers. 
Then you write the fact family   3+4= 7     4+3=7      7-4=3     7-3=4

  



                                                                              




                                                         
Subtraction should not just be about memorizing the math facts, while that will come in handy, students first need to know how to solve the problems, then they can memorize the math facts.  There are many great strategies and activities to help students learn subtraction.       


Some ideas on teaching elementary school students about subtraction.

• Counting on method
• Counting back method
• Use number lines
• Use charts
• Manipulatives
• Subtraction games
• Computer interactive math games

Some helpful websites for teaching subtraction. 

http://www.teachallkids.com/node/97

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feRV7t5djwY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s5FaFzPK4c

http://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/subtraction.html

http://math.pppst.com/subtraction.html

Fun Games

http://www.kidsnumbers.com/subtraction.php

http://www.playkidsgames.com/mathGames.htm

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/math.htm

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/math_subtraction_games.html