Example 1
5 balloons, 2 pop. How many are left?
- Start with 5.
- Take 2 away: 3 are left.
Answer: 3
🧸 British maths, age 5 · session 6 of 26 · 45 minutes · ⭐ Plus
Taking away
Some balloons pop and some birds fly away. Taking away tells you how many are left. Count back on the number line to find out fast.
A complete lesson · 45 minutes
Teach it, see it, practise it, all on this page.
Open this page with your learner and work down it, or press Teach this lesson to go through it one step at a time on a big screen. Every section has something to do.
- Warm-up4 min
- Take away8 min
- Counting back8 min
- Difference7 min
- Activity 15 min
- Activity 25 min
- Activity 34 min
- Picture quiz3 min
- Home activity1 min
By the end you can
- Take away objects and count what is left
- Count back on a number line
- Find the difference between two numbers
Before you start
- Adding by counting on
- One less
Have ready
- 10 counters or toys
- A number line
Age 5 · Reception and Year 1 (UKG)
Warm-up · think first
There are 5 balloons. 2 pop. How many balloons are left?
Show the answer
3. Take 2 away and count what is left.
Teacher tip: Use 5 counters and push 2 away.
Part 1 of 3 · learn, see, practise
Take away
Taking away means some go away. Count what is left.
We write it with −: 5 − 2 = 3.
Example 2
4 − 1 = ?
- One less than 4.
- 3.
Answer: 3
Practise it
Start with the warm-up and go as far as you can. The stretch questions are meant to be hard.
Warm-up
Warm-up
Core
Core
Stretch 🔥
Answers (for the teacher)
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 0
⭐ Part of Pure Faith Plus
The rest of this lesson is in Plus
Already have Plus? Log in and the whole lesson opens.
You have seen the plan, the warm-up and part 1. With Plus you also get:
- Part 2: Counting back, with practice at three levels
- Part 3: Finding the difference, with practice at three levels
- Class activity 1: Skittles
- Class activity 2: Cake shop
- Class activity 3: Fix the sum
- A 8-question quiz
- After-class project: Taking-away stories
- Homework and a printable practice sheet with answers
- Teach mode and the minute-by-minute teacher's plan
The first 2 lessons of every course, every game and all maths practice stay free.
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FAQ
Taking away: questions
How do you teach subtraction to a 5-year-old?
Start by taking objects away and counting what is left, then count back on a number line, then find the difference by counting up.
What subtraction is in Year 1?
Taking away within 20 using − and =, including missing number problems like 7 − ? = 1.
What is the difference in maths?
How many more one number is than another: the difference between 5 and 8 is 3.
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