Find the Missing Number — Thanksgiving — Grade 1

On each row of this Grade 1 worksheet a group of turkeys, pumpkins and a pie is shown, some are taken away, and the number left is given — the child works out how many went away. It is the missing-number side of subtraction: instead of being told what to take, the child sees the start and the result and finds the part in between. Counting up from what's left to the starting group is the natural way in, all kept within twenty, and the pictured Thanksgiving things mean a child can always check the missing number by counting rather than guessing it.

Change-unknown subtraction builds the idea that start, change, and result are linked — that knowing two of them gives the third. A child who finds the amount removed is reasoning about that relationship, not just performing a take-away, which is exactly the Grade 1 growth this targets. Pictured Thanksgiving things and within-twenty numbers keep it concrete.

Children who like thanksgiving take to the puzzle of working backward, and it suits a child ready for a little more than plain take-away. When this feels easy, try find the missing number with things that fly, or find the missing number with vehicles. You can also browse every subtraction worksheet or the whole Thanksgiving things collection for grade 1 — each sheet prints cleanly in black and white or plays online for free.