Addition/Subtraction
Test Packet
Second Grade
By Valerie Tossey
Fact Families Test Packet
By Valerie Tossey
Grade Level: Second
Summary: This test was designed to assess students’ knowledge of fact families. Using fact families
is a mental strategy that students can use to help them be able to add and subtract fluently and
with ease. Students will demonstrate their knowledge by using familiar manipulatives that will have
been used to learn this concept (such as dominoes and playing cards). Students will also have
unifex cubes available in the center of their table to assist them in building, drawing and explaining
in this test.
Common Core Standard: 2.OA.2 “Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies. By
end of grade 2, know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.”
Concepts: Concepts of this test focus on adding and subtracting using fact families. Students will
have been learning the use of fact families as a mental strategy to help them obtain fluency with
addition and subtractions of numbers up to 20.
Time: It took me six minutes to complete this test. The first time I had a colleague take the test, it
took her 17 minutes. I had a different colleague take the test, and it took her 7 minutes. To be fair, I
concluded that it took all three of us an average of 10 minutes, which I would triple, estimating that
it would take a second grader about 30 minutes to complete this test.
Readability: The very first time I checked the Flesch readability level of the test, it said 4.1. I was
very surprised. In order to lower the level, I shorted many of the sentences in the directions, and
tried to word them more simply. Doing this lowered the level by about half a grade level. As I
analyzed individual paragraphs to find out why it was still so high, I found that vocabulary such as
“important”, “explain”, “triangle”, “build,” “circle,” “underline” and “square” were interpreted as
very high. (“Build” was considered a seventh grade word!) I removed all words of this nature that I
would consider vocabulary words, because I would have familiarized students with ahead of time,
and included on our math world wall. I would also read the directions aloud in order to make sure
that students completely understand what they are being asked to do. Ultimately, the grade level
with vocabulary is 3.3, while the grade level of instructions only (without the vocabulary) is 2.6.
Lesson Ideas and Literature Connections:
 Read students the book Domino Addition by Lynette Long. Explain to students
that numbers have families. Put students in pairs and give each pair a set of
dominoes. Let students play with the dominoes, and then have them (in pairs)
write out three fact families from three dominoes that they choose.
 Read students a poem about fact families. Remind students that we have been
learning about fact families. Put students into pairs and give each pair of students
a deck of cards. Tell students that we are going to play Fact Family War. Have
each student in the pair draw two cards and add them together. The student with
the highest sum wins the four cards from that round.
 Read Math-terpieces by Greg Tang. Remind students that we have been learning
about fact families. Show students that fact families work for both addition and
subtraction. Explain to students that when you know two numbers in an addition
fact family, you can figure out the missing number. Expand on students’
knowledge by explaining that the same goes for subtraction. Put students in pairs
and give each group a pair of dice. Tell students that we are going to be making
fact families with dice. Have each pair of students roll their dice and write down
four fact family facts for a pair of numbers. Have them write a total of four fact
families (each with the four facts about that family).
 Use triangular Fact Family Flashcards to play Fact Family Around the World. (Have
all students stand up, then draw a stick to decide which student goes first. Then,
using fact family triangular flashcards, cover up one number and have the student
tell you the number that completes the family. If the student answers correctly,
they continue standing. Continue until time ends, and all students left standing
can draw from the prize box. After you have all the standing students draw from
the prize box, have all the sitting students draw from the prize box as well.) You
can also give each student a phone a friend card, and a Table Team card. This
way, if they aren’t sure of the answer, they can turn in a card in order to ask for
help from a friend or from their table.
 Incorporate story problems into morning meetings. Emphasize circling important
numbers and underlining important clues from the text. Have the student helper
of the day call on students to give important information, such as the important
numbers to circle, the important clues from the text, the fact family, and the
answer.
Name ________________
Fact Families 
This check-in will show me what you know about adding and subtracting
with fact families.
Please make sure to read all of the directions. When you are asked to
build, use the supplies from the middle of your table. Relax and have
fun! You can do this. 
Estimated Points ___ / 34
Total Points ___ / 34
1. Look at this domino. Write a number sentence that tells one of its
fact family’s four facts. (1 point)
____________________
2. Look at this domino. Write a number sentence that tells one of this
fact family’s four facts. (1 point)
____________________
__ / 2
3. Look at these two cards. Write a number sentence that tells one of
their fact family’s four facts. (1 point)
____________________
4. Look at these two cards. Write a number sentence that tells one of
their fact family’s four facts. (1 point)
____________________
__ / 2
5. Build a fact family using the numbers 8, 3, 11. Draw it in the squares
below. (2 points) Write the family’s four facts on the lines. (4 points)
____________________
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____________________
____________________
___ / 6
6. Build your own fact family using the cubes on your table. Using
COLOR, draw your fact family in the triangle. (3 points)
Label the addends and the sum. (3 points) Then, write on the lines
what you drew. (2 points)
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7. Solve the math stories. Circle the important numbers. Underline the
important word clues.
Sarah had 6 story books. Her friend Amy gave her another 4 books.
How many books does Sarah have in all?
Circle the important numbers in this question. Underline the
important word clues. (1 point) Build your answer, then draw it in
the space below. (1 point) Write the question using numbers. (1
point) Explain your answer on the lines. (2 points)
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
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__ / 5
Lauren had 10 pencils. She gave 3 of them to Steve. How many
pencils did Lauren have left?
Circle the important numbers in this question and underline the
important word clues. (1 point) Build your answer, then draw it in
the space below. (1 point) Write the question using numbers. (1
point) Explain your answer on the lines. (2 points)
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__ / 5
8. Tell the missing number in this fact family. (1 point) Build your
answer. Draw the fact family in the boxes below. (2 points)
Tell what you did on the lines. (3 points)
7 +  = 12
__________________________________
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Extra credit (1 point)
Fill in the blank for one extra credit point.
A set of three numbers that are all related and can be used to help
remember addition and subtraction facts is called a:
__________________________
Extra Credit __ / 1
Give yourself a pat on the back! You made it! 
__ / 6