- Definition
When you subtract one number from another, the "difference" is simply the answer you get.
One family might celebrate a holiday with music and another with special foods — that is a difference between them.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A difference is like how you and a friend might like different foods or wear different shoes — it is a way you are not the same.
Ask your child: What is one way you and your friend are different?
Common mix-up: Kids might think being different is a bad thing. A difference is just a way that people or things are not the same, and our differences make each of us special.
Examples
- You might speak one language at home while your friend speaks another.
- Two neighbourhoods can be different — one has tall buildings and one has farms and fields.
difference is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
- Grade 1 The Arts
- Grade 3 The Arts
- Grade 6 The Arts
- Grade 8 The Arts
- Kindergarten Kindergarten
- Grade 4 Mathematics
- Grade 5 Mathematics
+35 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
