We began exploring the concept of subtraction last week using the song Five Green and Speckled Frogs. I had frog volunteers help me sing and act out the song. When it was time to jump into the pond, my helpers jumped back to their spot on the carpet. We revisited the song again today.

We also explored the concept of subtraction using a number line. I made a number line on the floor using blue painters tape and a sharpie. I wrote the numbers 0 through 12.

Next, I gave students a number on which to start and then a number to take away.  The students then had to walk the number line and solve the equation.

This was great practice for the independent Math Journal activity I had planned where students solved subtraction equations independently and recorded their answer.  To add some dinosaur flair, students used a plastic dinosaur to jump backward along the number line.

There was a lot of thinking going on!