Subtraction Working Charts
A control chart, two working charts and a box of wooden answer chips for the subtraction combinations. Memorisation in a Montessori environment is the last step rather than the first: the child has already built every one of these facts with the strip board, and these charts are where the built knowledge is exercised until it becomes quick. Chips instead of writing means an error costs nothing to correct, so children keep going instead of stopping at the first mistake. Laminated paper with wood, for ages 3 to 6.
“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”
The Subtraction Working Charts fulfill the mathematical mind's need for precision and pattern recognition during the absorbent mind period.
- Masters subtraction facts from 18-1 through systematic tile placement
- Develops visual memory of number relationships through color-coded patterns
- Builds finger strength and precision through repeated tile manipulation
- Recognizes inverse relationships between addition and subtraction operations
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These laminated charts with their color-coded grid patterns provide the concrete manipulation necessary before abstract mathematical thinking emerges. The systematic arrangement of subtraction facts on each chart allows children to discover mathematical relationships through repeated handling of number tiles. The wooden storage box serves as both a practical organizer and a visual cue for the work's importance in the prepared environment. Unlike random practice, these charts present subtraction combinations in a structured sequence that reveals the inherent order within mathematics. The tactile experience of placing tiles on specific grid positions creates muscle memory that reinforces numerical understanding. Through independent work with these charts, children build the foundation for mental arithmetic while satisfying their innate drive for exactness and completion.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Place the wooden storage box on a mat. Remove Chart 1 and lay it flat. Arrange number tiles in sequential order beside the chart.
- 1
Begin with the first subtraction fact on Chart 1, reading '9-1'
Have the child trace the numbers with their finger before finding tiles - 2
Find the answer tile '8' and place it in the corresponding grid position
Let the child self-discover patterns rather than pointing them out - 3
Continue systematically through all facts on the chart
Work left to right, top to bottom for consistent practice - 4
Remove all tiles and return them to storage before moving to Chart 2
Complete one full chart before progressing to maintain focus
Every Child Is a Little Creator
Heritage
Since 1929
Brands used by
schools worldwide
European brands
AMI
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