Lunch Subtraction

Lucas can’t wait to eat lunch! He wants to practice subtraction at the lunch table. Can you help him subtract?
We will start with a total number. Then we will use a minus sign to show we are taking away. We take away a smaller number.
The answer is what is left over. It is called the difference! A subtraction problem can look like this or like this! We are going to use pictures and cross out the ones we are taking away to help us subtract. Let’s get started!
Look at the napkin boxes on the table. No one has used the napkins yet. How many napkin boxes are there?
1, 2! There are 2 napkin boxes. The classmates do not need any napkins. That means we are taking away 0. That’s 2 minus 0! What is 2 minus 0?
2! There are still 2 napkin boxes on the table. 2 minus 0 equals 2!
A number minus 0 always has the same number as the difference!
Lucas sees some of his classmates’ lunch boxes on the table. How many lunch boxes are there?
1, 2, 3! There are 3 lunch boxes. Two of his classmates grabbed their lunch boxes. We will use x’s to show that the lunch boxes are gone. That’s 3 minus 2! How many lunch boxes are left over?
1! There’s 1 lunch box left over. 3 minus 2 makes 1!
Look, now there’s 4 cartons of milk on the table! The classmates are thirsty! Two of the milks are gone. That’s 4 minus 2! How many cartons of milk are left over?
1, 2! There are 2 cartons of milk left over. 4 minus 2 is 2!
Lucas has 5 bananas. He is so hungry! Lucas eats 4 of them. That’s 5 minus 4! How many bananas are left over?
1! There is 1 banana left over. 5 minus 4 is 1!
Everyone is ready to clean up from lunch and go to recess! There are 6 plastic bags on the table. The classmates cleaned up all of the bags! That’s 6 minus 6! How many plastic bags are left over?
0! None of the plastic bags are left over. 6 minus 6 is 0! A number minus itself always has 0 as the difference!
You did a great job helping Lucas subtract. Lucas and his classmates are ready to play at recess!