DrSelmaB Math Tatakae: Subtraction Foundations

Math is a Language. Learning subtraction is more than taking numbers away. Students must learn how to make sense of situations, understand the story being told, draw pictures, communicate their thinking, and solve problems with confidence.

Many students practice subtraction without realizing that most subtraction problems fall into just four common story structures. When learners understand how to identify the structure of a problem and use drawings to represent the situation, subtraction becomes easier to understand, more predictable, and far less frustrating.

The DrSelmaB Math Tatakae: Subtraction Foundations book is a comprehensive learning resource designed to help learners build a deep understanding of subtraction through storytelling, visual models, drawing strategies, academic vocabulary, and process charts that provide step-by-step instruction. This book is part of a series designed to help students make sense of mathematics by connecting numbers to meaningful situations and real-world experiences. Whether your child is learning subtraction for the first time or needs additional support, this book provides a clear pathway from foundational understanding to mathematical confidence.

What Makes This Book Different?

The book incorporates the DrSelmaB Math Tatakae System, a proven framework that teaches learners how to think like mathematicians. The Tatakae Promise Tatakae means to fight, persevere, and never give up.

Rather than simply memorizing procedures, students learn how to:

• Tell the story of a subtraction problem

• Draw pictures to represent mathematical thinking

• Visualize quantities and relationships

• Use academic vocabulary with confidence

• Explain their mathematical thinking

• Identify the type of subtraction situation being described

• Reflect on mistakes and learn from them

• Develop perseverance and problem-solving skills

Learn Through the Tatakae Process Charts

Included throughout the book are the signature Tatakae Process Charts, which guide students through a structured approach to mathematical thinking. Learners are taught how to read a problem, identify the subtraction story being told, draw a model, represent quantities, and solve problems using multiple strategies. These charts help students organize their thinking and develop habits that support long-term success in mathematics and STEM.

Topics Include

• The Tatakae System

• Process Charts on Understanding Subtraction

• Learning to Tell the Story of Subtraction

• Drawing Pictures to Solve Problems

• The Four Main Subtraction Storylines:

• Taking Away

• Comparing Quantities

• Finding the Missing Part

• Determining How Many More Are Needed

• Visual Models and Representations

• Subtraction Vocabulary and Mathematical Language

• Number Sense and Pattern Recognition

• Habits of Mind

• Problem-Solving Strategies

• Family Circle Support

• Assessments to Provide Practice

• Progress Trackers to Demonstrate Growth

• Tatakae Badges to Motivate Learners

Every learner can succeed in mathematics when given the right tools, strategies, and encouragement. This book was created to help students build confidence by making mathematics visible, meaningful, and engaging. Through storytelling, drawing, and problem-solving, learners learn to recognize different subtraction situations and develop a strong foundation for future success in mathematics and STEM. Perfect for home learning, classrooms, tutoring, intervention programs, and summer enrichment.

Build Understanding. Build Confidence. Think. Draw. Solve. Tatakae!