Candy Heart Subtraction Craftivity

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

I know this is a bit late, but I’m playing catch up around here. You may choose to do this activity now or save it until next year, but I know you and your students will love it.

Both my children and I love doing crafts, but I’m not a fluff person. I usually tie my crafts into some academic learning that we’re focusing on in school. This is a fun craft to practice subtraction and story problem skills.

Craft Time:

Materials:

Construction paper

        * 1 (9” X 12”) Sheet of red construction paper

        * ½ sheet of pink construction paper cut length wise

        * Cut 2.5” hearts out of red (1/student). Cut 2” hearts out of pink (1/student).

        * Cut 1” hearts out of pink, purple, blue, orange, green, and yellow

Scissors

Glue

Pen

Subtraction paper CLICK HERE FOR DOWNLOAD

        *Print and cut out prior to lesson

1. Provide your students with a sheet of red construction paper and have them write their name on the back.

2. Provide each student with a half sheet of pink construction paper and have them fold it in half length wise.

3. Have students glue the outside of one side of the folded pink paper and place it toward the upper center of the red paper with the fold at the top. The pink paper should open by lifting it up.

4. On the outside of the pink fold, have students glue the Sweethearts label found on the Subtraction paper download. I created this for you. As you can see from the example above I just wrote the word Sweethearts on construction paper. Then, glue the red 2” heart below that and a pink 1” heart inside the red heart.

5. At the lower center of the paper, have students glue the subtraction story paper found on the provided download.

6. Provide students with a variety of 1” hearts in the colors listed in the materials section.

Now, that the set is ready, the learning begins…

Begin by telling the students subtraction stories. For example, you might say…

There were 5 candy hearts in the box. 

(Students should move 5 hearts to the inside of the box.)

You ate 2 candy hearts.

(Students should move 2 hearts out of the box.)

How many candy hearts are left?

(Students count the hearts left in their box and provide the answer.)

Progress into helping your students tell the story with you. An example, might go like this…

How many candy hearts did you start with in your box?

(Accept a number from your students and have them move that many hearts into their box.

How many candy hearts did you eat?

(Accept a number from your students and have them demonstrate removing that number from the box.)

How many candy hearts are left?

(Students count the hearts left in their box and provide the answer.)

Last, allow students to make up their own stories and demonstrate them to you. Allow the students to glue their hearts to match their story.

 

Then, have them fill in the blanks of the subtraction story and write the subtraction problem to match.

We had a great time with this activity. It was definitely a fun way to practice subtraction. Even my 3-year-old was excited about telling the stories.

God Bless You on Your Learning Journey ~