K-5 friendly lesson

Try one idea, then jump into the activity.These lessons are designed to feel short, friendly, and easy to follow.

Subtracting 1

🔙 Subtracting 1 is super easy! It's just finding the number that comes right before it.

Lesson 3

Concept

When you subtract 1 from any number, you are just stepping backward one space on the number line. 🎯 **The "One Before" Trick:** Think about counting. What number comes right before 7? It's 6! So, **7 - 1 = 6**. What comes right before 15? It's 14! So, **15 - 1 = 14**. You don't need fingers or blocks for this trick. Just think about the number that comes right before!

Try it

Let's practice the "One Before" trick! **Instructions:** Find the number that comes right before to solve. **Problem 1: 9 - 1 = ?** * What number is right before 9? * Answer: ___ **Problem 2: 12 - 1 = ?** * Answer: ___ **Problem 3: 20 - 1 = ?** * Answer: ___ **Problem 4: 1 - 1 = ?** * Answer: ___