Strategies for Subtraction

Here are three different subtraction strategies that the first graders learned this week. Most of the first graders are either using 5 group drawing or counting on.  The last strategy - pull out 10 - is the most abstract and challenging, and it's the strategy we'd like to see most first graders using by the end of our math unit (still a few more weeks to go).

When solving subtraction problems, you can prompt your child to use the most efficient strategy - the strategy that makes most sense. Show your child these charts to help them remember what they learned in school!