Monday · Learn Watch on YouTube ↗
Take Some Away! How Many Are Left?
🏠 A game for home: Put out four spoons, take one away and count what's left.
Snack Island
Subtraction with objects: taking away from a group and seeing how many are left, with fingers and the five frame, and then with the − sign.
▶ Island playlist on YouTubeThe idea of this island
Why it matters
Taking away is the opposite of putting together. Seeing it right after addition helps kids understand that both operations are about the same thing: parts and a whole.
The 5-week plan
- 1 Taking away from a group Taking away from a group: how many are left?
- 2 Subtracting to 5 Subtracting to 5 with fingers and the five frame.
- 3 The − sign The − sign: writing a subtraction.
- 4 Taking-away stories Taking-away stories: someone eats the snack.
- 5 Island review Pipo makes mistakes with everything from the island, then a mix, and the Big game (the check-up).
By the end of the island, your child will be able to…
- Take away from a group and say how many are left
- Subtract to 5 with fingers and the frame
- Read a written subtraction like 5 − 2 = 3
Builds on: Basket Island
Prepares for: Hide-and-Seek Island
Week 1
Taking away from a group
Taking away from a group: how many are left?
Tuesday · Play Watch on YouTube ↗
Snack Time! Eat Some, How Many Left?
🏠 A game for home: At snack time, count how many crackers are left after each bite.
Wednesday · Play more Watch on YouTube ↗
Take Them All or None! Zero Left?
🏠 A game for home: Put toys away one by one and say how many are left, down to zero.
Thursday · Mix Watch on YouTube ↗
Taking Away Mix
🏠 A game for home: Play shop: you have five, you sell two. How many are left?
⭐
Friday: rewatch the week's favorite
Week 2
Subtracting to 5
Subtracting to 5 with fingers and the five frame.
Monday · Learn Watch on YouTube ↗
Subtracting to 5 with the Five Frame
🏠 A game for home: Draw a five frame and take buttons away one at a time.
Tuesday · Play Watch on YouTube ↗
Fingers Down! Subtracting with One Hand
🏠 A game for home: Sing counting backward and put one finger down each time.
Wednesday · Play more Watch on YouTube ↗
Frames, Fingers and Groups: Subtract!
🏠 A game for home: Hide toys under a blanket and ask how many are still out.
Thursday · Mix Watch on YouTube ↗
Subtracting to 5 Mix
🏠 A game for home: Take away on your fingers in the car or on the bus.
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Friday: rewatch the week's favorite
Week 3
The − sign
The − sign: writing a subtraction.
Monday · Learn Watch on YouTube ↗
The Minus Sign: Your First Subtractions!
🏠 A game for home: Draw four apples, cross one out and write the subtraction with a grown-up.
Tuesday · Play Watch on YouTube ↗
Plus or Minus? Look at the Sign!
🏠 A game for home: Write a minus sign on paper and make subtractions with toys.
Wednesday · Play more Watch on YouTube ↗
Mixed Sums and Subtractions!
🏠 A game for home: A grown-up says "plus" or "minus" and you add or take away toys.
Coming soon to YouTube Thursday · Mix
Minus Sign Mix
🏠 A game for home: Look for the minus sign in your books or outside.
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Friday: rewatch the week's favorite
Week 4
Taking-away stories
Taking-away stories: someone eats the snack.
Coming soon to YouTube Monday · Learn
Chicks Walk Away! Subtraction Stories
🏠 A game for home: Make up a story with your stuffed animals: there are four, one leaves…
Coming soon to YouTube Tuesday · Play
Story Subtraction! How Many Stay?
🏠 A game for home: At the table, count the fruit before and after you eat one.
Coming soon to YouTube Wednesday · Play more
Tell the Story, Write the Subtraction
🏠 A game for home: Tell a taking-away story and write its subtraction with a grown-up.
Coming soon to YouTube Thursday · Mix
Subtraction Stories Mix
🏠 A game for home: Make up a taking-away story at tidy-up time.
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Friday: rewatch the week's favorite
Week 5
Island review
Pipo makes mistakes with everything from the island, then a mix, and the Big game (the check-up).
Coming soon to YouTube Monday · Pipo made a mistake!
Pipo Subtracted Wrong! Catch the Mistake
🏠 A game for home: A grown-up says a subtraction, sometimes wrong. Catch them!
Coming soon to YouTube Tuesday · Spot the mistakes
Oops! Help Pipo Fix His Subtractions
🏠 A game for home: Play teacher and check subtractions.
Coming soon to YouTube Wednesday · Island mix
All the Subtracting: Snack Island Review
🏠 A game for home: Set up a snack with five things and count how many are left as you eat.
Coming soon to YouTube Thursday · Big game
Subtracting to 5 Check-Up for Kids
Open the Big game guide
Week 5 ends with the Big game. Use the interactive guide while you watch: it tells you what to review.