Subtracting: Bigger and Smaller Number

Good morning boys and girls. Today what we are going to work on is understanding how we add and subtract two numbers. Okay, today specifically what we’re going to work on is we’re going to identify which number is bigger and which number is smaller because when we do subtraction we have to know our bigger number and we have to know a smaller number. Okay, and when we place them in order then we can do, what is subtraction? What does that mean? Take away, that’s right. So, I can put my bigger number here, and my smaller number here, and then I can take away. This tells me, how many would I take away from six? One. Okay, now how could we do that math? Think about it can you do it in your head? Could you do it with your fingers? Could you do it with some counters? Yeah. Okay, you could do it with a calculator. Very good. All right. So, let’s do this subtraction problem. We have our bigger number, and we have our smaller number. Our bigger number is six, and our smaller number is one. So, like let’s do with our hands, six, and we’re going to take away, this is our symbol for subtraction, take away, leaves us with, five. Good. Okay. So, what I want you to do first is I want you to practice identifying the bigger number, and the smaller number. Okay. Do you see how on your mat, what word is this? Bigger, it’s in big letters. What number or what word is this? Smaller. So, we’re looking for the smaller number. Okay. Now, I want to ask you, how could we tell which one is bigger, and which one is smaller? By counting what? The dots. The dots. Okay. So, what I’m going to have you do is I’m going to have you work with the shoulder partner, and you’re going to identify the bigger dice, and the smaller dice, the bigger number, and the smaller number. And, you’re going to put them on your mat. Okay. So, we’re just going to do that about three times, three times. And then, we’ll go, and we’ll start doing our subtraction problems. Two take away one, this is the one. How many do you have left? One. Did anybody have a problem with getting the bigger number and the right, in the wrong spot? Okay, I want to ask you, if I do it, I’m going to show you. Okay, I’m going to make a mistake and we’re going to practice. If I have three and I try to take away five, if I have three can I take away five? Wow! So, that’s why we have to know, we have to make sure that we have our bigger number first. Now, can I do the math problem I have five and I take away three? One, two, three. Now, can I do it. Yes. So, we when we are doing subtraction we have to identify which one is our bigger number, then we can take away. Okay. All right. Good job. Thank you, friends.