All Concept Journeys

Concept Journey

Subtraction Journey: Take Away and Find What’s Left

Early Level

Start with a whole group, take some away and find how many are left.

For the teacher or grown-up

A teacher or grown-up can help the child move two real counters away and count only the three that remain.

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Journey guide

Robo Buddy

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Explore each step, then keep going when you are ready.

Step 1 of 8

See the Whole

Start with all five counters.

Explore

Explore

See the Whole

Here is one whole group. Look at all 5 counters.

Look at all the counters in the whole group.

We start with the whole amount before anything is taken away.

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Teacher and parent: why this journey matters

This journey moves from explore, notice and talk into building, representing, reasoning and checking. It supports CfE learning now while preparing for the refreshed curriculum direction.

  • Subtraction as taking away
  • Counting what remains
  • Part-part-whole structure
  • Inverse addition relationship
  • Picture, language and symbols
Teacher notes and planning metadata

Big Idea

Subtraction takes part away from a whole amount.

Know

  • we start with a whole amount
  • some can be taken away
  • what remains is the amount left

Understand

  • moving counters away shows subtraction
  • a whole can be split into a part taken and a part left
  • addition and subtraction connect through the same number bond

Do

  • take counters away
  • count and build what is left
  • connect a picture to 5 − 2 = 3

Representations

real objects, counters, ten frame, part-whole model, number sentence, number line

Misconceptions

  • The amount left does not include counters already taken away.
  • Count only the counters that remain when finding what is left.
  • The same number bond can describe addition and subtraction.

Progression

Joining 2 and 3 to make 5 in the Addition Concept Journey.

Using subtraction facts, differences and inverse relationships.

Curriculum links

  • Builds early subtraction through concrete movement, part-part-whole structure and connected representations.
  • Physically move counters away before counting what remains.
  • Keep the taken-away counters visible but clearly separate.
  • Connect gently to the familiar bond: 2 and 3 make 5.