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Welcome to Subtraction! – Learn to take away numbers – Taking away items, like 5 apples – 2 apples – Subtraction equals counting back – If you have 10 steps and step back 3, you have 7 steps left – Practice with numbers up to 10 – We’ll use toys or fingers to subtract from 10 | This slide introduces first graders to the concept of subtraction as a form of counting backwards. Start by explaining subtraction as ‘taking away’ from a total number. Use tangible examples like apples or toys to illustrate this point. Demonstrate how subtraction is similar to physically stepping backwards, which they can easily relate to. Engage the class with hands-on practice using objects or their fingers to subtract numbers up to 10, ensuring they understand the concept of ‘less than’. The goal is to make subtraction a fun and interactive experience. Prepare to guide them through several examples, and consider using a number line as a visual aid to help them visualize the subtraction process.

Understanding Subtraction – Subtraction means taking away – It shows how many are left – If you have 5 apples and eat 2, how many do you have left? – The subtraction sign: – (minus) – Practice with counting back – To subtract 2 from 5, count back: 5, 4, 3. You have 3 apples left! | This slide introduces the basic concept of subtraction to first graders. Subtraction is explained as the process of taking away from a total amount to find out what remains. Emphasize the minus sign as the symbol used to indicate subtraction. Use relatable examples, such as having a certain number of items and then taking some away, to illustrate the concept. Encourage students to use their fingers or objects to physically count back from a number to understand subtraction concretely. Practice problems can involve simple scenarios where students count back to find the answer.

Subtraction by Counting Back – What does ‘counting back’ mean? – Jumping back on the number line – Imagine hopping backwards on a number path – Example: 5 – 2 – Start at 5, hop back 2 steps, and you land on 3! – Practice: Subtract by counting back – Let’s try with different numbers together | This slide introduces the concept of ‘counting back’ as a subtraction strategy for first graders. Begin by explaining that counting back is like hopping backwards on a number line. Use a visual number line in class to demonstrate. For example, if we start at 5 and need to subtract 2, we count back two spots to land on 3, showing that 5 minus 2 equals 3. Encourage students to visualize the action of moving back on the number line to find the answer. Provide several examples and practice opportunities with different numbers up to 10, ensuring students grasp the concept of counting back to subtract.

Let’s Practice Subtraction by Counting Back! – Start with 7 apples – Eat 2 apples – Count back from 7 – After eating, we count back: 7, 6, 5 – Discover how many are left – We find out we have 5 apples remaining | This slide is an interactive class activity designed to help students practice the concept of subtraction by counting back. Start by presenting the scenario of having 7 apples and eating 2. Ask the students to visualize the apples and the act of eating them. Then, guide the class to count back from 7 to find out how many apples are left. Emphasize the subtraction process by physically removing or marking out the eaten apples if using visual aids. After counting back together, confirm that 5 apples are left. Encourage students to use their fingers to count back or to draw the scenario on paper. This exercise will reinforce the concept of subtraction as ‘taking away’ and help them understand how to count back to find the answer.

Subtracting with Objects – Use objects to learn subtraction – Start with 10 blocks, take away 3 – If you have 10 apples and eat 3, how many do you have left? – Remove 3 blocks and count the rest – Physically taking away blocks helps visualize subtraction – Understand subtraction by doing | This slide is aimed at helping first graders understand the concept of subtraction by using tangible objects such as blocks or toys. By starting with a specific number of items and physically removing some, students can count the remaining items to find the answer. This hands-on activity reinforces the concept of ‘taking away’ in subtraction. For the teacher: Prepare sets of 10 blocks for each student. Demonstrate subtracting by removing blocks, then let students try. Circulate to ensure understanding and correct counting. Possible activities include varying the number of blocks to subtract, using different objects, or pairing students to practice together.

Subtraction Stories: Birds on a Tree – Subtraction in stories – Subtraction can be fun with stories – Start with 8 birds – Imagine 8 birds sitting peacefully – 3 birds fly away – Picture 3 birds taking flight – Count how many left – Use your fingers to count the remaining birds | This slide introduces the concept of subtraction through storytelling, making it relatable and easier to understand for first graders. Start by setting the scene with 8 birds on a tree to capture the students’ imagination. Then, describe 3 birds flying away, which sets the stage for the subtraction problem. Encourage the students to visualize the scenario and use their fingers to count backwards from 8 to find out how many birds are left on the tree. This method helps them grasp the concept of subtraction by physically engaging with the problem. In the next class, ask the students to come up with their own subtraction stories and share them.

Class Activity: Subtraction Bingo – Let’s play Subtraction Bingo! – Listen to the subtraction problem – Count back to find the answer – If you hear ‘5 – 3’, count back: 5, 4, 3. The answer is 2! – Cover the answer on your bingo card – Get ready to shout ‘Bingo!’ when all your numbers are covered | This interactive game is designed to help first graders practice subtraction by counting back. Prepare bingo cards in advance with numbers up to 10. Read out subtraction problems and guide students to count back from the first number to find the answer. They will then cover the correct answer on their bingo cards. The first student to cover all their numbers calls out ‘Bingo!’ and wins. Possible variations of the game could include using different subtraction problems, playing in small groups, or having a ‘lightning round’ where problems are called out more quickly. This activity reinforces mental subtraction and provides a fun way to assess students’ understanding.