Go Math! Kindergarten, Chapter 6: Subtraction
In this unit, your child learns to take away. Kindergartners act out and draw stories where some things leave, find how many are left, and write equations with the minus sign, such as 5 - 2 = 3. It builds directly on the joining stories from the addition unit, and once both feel familiar, the next unit moves on to the numbers 11 through 19.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
What is my child learning in Chapter 6?
- Taking away with objects, fingers, and drawings, crossing out what leaves, and writing equations with the minus sign, -. Learn more about showing addition in many ways: Showing addition in many ways · Learn more about showing subtraction in many ways
- Solving take-away stories within 10, such as 9 balloons with 4 floating off, to find how many are left. Learn more: Adding and subtracting story problems within 10
- Subtracting within 5 quickly, such as 5 - 2 = 3 and 4 - 1 = 3, without counting each one. Learn more about adding fluently within 5: Adding fluently within 5 · Learn more about subtracting fluently within 5
Sample questions to try together
These are real questions from our practice. Tap the speaker to hear one read aloud, or the light bulb for a hint, and talk about the answer together.
Question 1 of 3
Start at 7 and hop back 2. Where do you land?
- 2
- 9
- 5
How you can help
- Line up 5 stuffed animals for a pretend bus, let some get off at each stop, and ask how many are still riding.
- Count the bananas in the bowl, then after some are eaten, ask how many are left and say the take-away sentence together.
- Hold up 5 fingers and fold some down, asking your child how many are still up and how fast they can tell.
Where kids can get stuck
- Adding the two numbers in every story, even when the story says some balloons floated away.
- Answering with the number that left rather than the number remaining, so 9 take away 4 becomes 4.
- Mixing up related facts, saying 5 - 2 = 7 because they remember that 5 and 2 go together.
Practice makes perfect
Bobby's Math Club has practice problems that adapt to your child’s level, each with a detailed explanation and an easy-to-follow video, so your child can build confidence in these skills one step at a time.
Words your child will hear
- subtract
- To take some away from a group and find how many are left.
- take away
- To remove some things from a group.
- minus sign
- The - sign, which means take away.
- left
- How many remain after some are taken away.
- difference
- The answer when you subtract; in 5 - 1 = 4, the difference is 4.
- equation
- A math sentence with an equal sign, like 3 + 2 = 5.
- story problem
- A short math story that ends with a question to answer.
Ready to build your child’s confidence with subtraction within 10?
In Bobby's Math Club, your child practices these skills at just the right level, with a hint when they need one, a clear explanation after every question, and kid-friendly videos. Unlimited practice is free.
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Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.
Which math standards does Go Math! Kindergarten Chapter 6 cover?
Go Math! Kindergarten Chapter 6 covers these math standards. Each one links to what it means, sample questions, and teaching strategies.
For teachers: Unit names and order vary between editions and districts, so your school’s own materials have the exact sequence. Learn how Bobby's Math Club can help your students grow.