Subtraction using the Short Bead Stair

How we do subtraction with the Short Bead Stair

In this activity, the child learns how to do subtraction with the Short Bead Stair and the Series one sum card for subtraction. The directress begins by asking the child to build the short bead stair on the piece of felt, that is placed at the top of the mat.

The directress then shows the child the sum card and reminds him what subtraction means, she tells him that when we do subtraction, we take the smaller number away from the bigger number to get an answer. She points to the first sum on the card, (4-3=) The directress brings the number 4-bead forward and reminds the child that we need to take 2 away from 4. She shows the child how to cover up two of the beads and asks him to count how many are left, the child should count two, and say “two”.

The child is encouraged to continue in the same manner until all of the sums on the card have been completed.

What skills does the child acquire by doing this activity?

This activity introduces the child to different ways of doing subtraction, it helps to develop the child’s mathametical mind, it gives him further practice with subtraction as well as this activity shows the child the order and sequence of a sum in a written form.

Looking for more Montessori activities?

Here is a list of all the Montessori Maths activities including Early Maths, Introduction to the Decimal System, Seguin Boards, The Hundred Board, The Short Bead Stair, Bead Chains, The Snake Game, Group Operations, The Large Number Rods, Recording with the Small Number Rods, The Short Bead Stair, The Strip Boards, The Boards, The Stamp Game, The Abacus, The Dot Game, and Fractions. Just click on the page you want to learn about to go there.

Early Maths

• Large Number Rods

• Sandpaper Numbers

• Spindle Box

• Number Rods and Cards (presentation one)

• Number Rods and Cards (presentation two)

• Cards and Counters

Introduction to the Decimal System

• Presentation Tray

• Large Number Cards

• Bridging exercise between the Presentation Tray and the Large Number Cards

• Counting through with the Golden Beads

• Bring me game with the Golden Beads

• Counting through with the Large Number Cards

• Bring me game with the Large Number Cards

• Birds Eye View

• Banking Game

• The Changing Game

The Short Bead Stair

• The Short Bead Stair: orientation exercise

Seguin Boards

• Seguin Board A: learning quantities

• Seguin Board A: learning symbols

• Seguin Board A: bridging exercise

• Seguin Board B: learning quantities

• Seguin Board B: learning symbols

• Seguin Board B: bridging exercise

• Seguin Board B: association from 11-99

The Hundred Board

• The Hundred Board

Bead Chains

• Bead Chains introduction: stacking squares and cubes

• Bead Chains: showing the square of a number

• Bead Chains: showing the cube of a number

The Snake Game

• The Snake Game: bonds of ten

• The Snake Game: changing using the black and white stair

Group Operations

• Group Operations: Static addition (without change)

• Group Operations: Dynamic addition (with change)

• Group Operations: Static multiplication (without change)

• Group Operations: Dynamic multiplication (with change)

• Group Operations: Static subtraction (without change)

• Group Operations: Dynamic subtraction (with change)

• Group Operations: Static division (without change)

• Group Operations: Dynamic division (with change)

Large Number Rods

• Large Number Rods: Composition (presentation one)

• Large Number Rods: Composition (presentation two)

• Large Number Rods: Decomposition

Recording with the Small Number Rods

• Recording with the Small Number Rods

The Short Bead Stair

• Addition with the Short Bead Stair

• Multiplication tables with the Short Bead Stair

The Strip Boards

• Addition Strip Board (presentation one)

• Addition Strip Board (presentation two)

• Subtraction Strip Board (presentation one)

• Subtraction Strip Board (presentation two)

The Boards

• Multiplication Board

• Division Board

The Stamp Game

• The Stamp Game: bridging exercise

• The Stamp Game: formation of a number

• The Stamp Game: Static addition (without change)

• The Stamp Game: Dynamic addition (with change)

• The Stamp Game: Static multiplication (without change)

• The Stamp Game: Dynamic multiplication (with change)

• The Stamp Game: Static subtraction (without change)

• The Stamp Game: Dynamic subtraction (with change)

• The Stamp Game: Static division (without change)

• The Stamp Game: Dynamic division (with change)

The Abacus

• The Abacus: bridging exercise

• The Abacus: counting on the Abacus

• The Abacus: formation of a number

• The Abacus: counting and recording

• Operations with the Abacus: Static addition (without change)

• Operations with the Abacus: Static multiplication (without change)

• Operations with the Abacus: Static subtraction (without change)

The Dot Game

• The Dot Game: Static addition (without change)

• The Dot Game: Dynamic addition (with change)

• The Dot Game: Static multiplication (without change)

• The Dot Game: Dynamic multiplication (with change)

• The Dot Game: Static subtraction (without change)

• The Dot Game: Dynamic subtraction (with change)

Fractions

• Fractions (presentation one)

• Fractions (presentation two)

• Fractions (presentation three)

• Fractions (presentation four)