Strategic Math Series: SUBTRACTION FACTS 0 to 9 (Susan Peterson Miller, Cecil D. Mercer)

To counter the confusion often encountered when moving from addition to subtraction, students need to understand what subtraction really is. To do this, Subtraction Facts 0 to 9 takes students through the concrete-representational-abstract learning sequence. At the concrete level, students learn to solve problems like 7 – 3 by counting out seven objects, removing three objects, and then counting the remaining objects. At the representational level, students learn to draw pictures of objects next to a problem and use these pictures to determine the answer. Finally, at the abstract level, students use numbers alone to answer the problem, or, if they’re unable to recall the answer, draw out the problem using tallies.


Please note that professional development, coaching, and infrastructure support are essential components to effective implementation of SIM instructional tools and interventions. It is highly recommended that you work with a SIM professional developer. Please email simpd@ku.edu to learn more.
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