I've headed back down memory lane to a 2011 post featuring a free subtraction ladybug game idea for your math centers and activities.
Simply print these big eye ladybugs and combine with dry erase markers, play dough or math manipulatives!
This activity is suitable for when you are first introducing the idea of subtraction to your students. They may not be familiar with the take-away (-) sign yet.
Print a ladybug for each of your students. To save ink, use your printing settings to select “2 to a page”, and print pages 2-3 on 1 page.
Laminate them.
Give each student a ladybug board and a dry-erase marker or crayon.
Tell the students to draw 5 spots on their ladybug. Tell a little story (e.g. the ladybug went out in the rain and lost 3 spots), and have the students take the corresponding number of spots away. Ask the students to describe what they have done, and what has happened to the ladybug.
Tell many more stories, and have the students draw the dots, and take them away to match your story.
When introducing subtraction, the language of take-away should be rich and extensive and relate to real life and to many children’s stories. Encourage this natural use of mathematical language – go away, fly away, take away, walk away, buzz away, break, lose, cover up, subtract etc.
You may choose to ask students to record the stories, or just enjoy the activity as a hands-on experience before you begin formal recordings.
Have a wonderful day friends!
- Mel x