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Reading Comprehension for 5th Graders

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Original stories, poems, a play, and nonfiction at three levels, plus two-page reads, with evidence questions and answer keys.

Download the reading comprehension for 5th graders worksheets

Level 1 passages

Shorter stories, a poem, and nonfiction for the start of 5th grade, including sea otters and water bears, with questions that ask children to quote the text and explain it.

Level 2 passages

Longer texts for the middle of the year: a play in four scenes, a spelling bee story for comparing two characters, an argument with reasons and evidence, the history of the bicycle, and a poem.

Level 3 passages

Challenging texts with headings and richer vocabulary, including a story told by two narrators, the bones and joints of the human skeleton, and how the printing press spread ideas.

Longer reads

Two-page chapter stories and nonfiction for building reading stamina, each with questions that ask for evidence from the text.

  • Preview of the printable “The bridge builders” worksheet: finding the theme of a chapter story from how characters respond to a challenge, and how the chapters build it4 pagesView all 4 pages

    The bridge builders

    Finding the theme of a chapter story from how characters respond to a challenge, and how the chapters build it

    Answer key on page 4

    4 pages68 KB

  • Preview of the printable “Two Cooks, one recipe” worksheet: comparing and contrasting two characters in a chapter story, using specific details from the text4 pagesView all 4 pages

    Two Cooks, one recipe

    Comparing and contrasting two characters in a chapter story, using specific details from the text

    Answer key on page 4

    4 pages69 KB

  • Preview of the printable “Rails across a continent” worksheet: finding two or more main ideas in a history text and summarizing it with key details4 pagesView all 4 pages

    Rails across a continent

    Finding two or more main ideas in a history text and summarizing it with key details

    Answer key on page 4

    4 pages61 KB

Use with any book

Organizers for chapter books and read-alouds: compare two characters with quotations, track what each chapter adds, and keep an evidence log.

  • Preview of the printable “Compare two characters” worksheet: comparing and contrasting two characters in any book, with quotations as evidenceView larger

    Compare two characters

    Comparing and contrasting two characters in any book, with quotations as evidence

    1 page30 KB

  • Preview of the printable “Chapter by chapter” worksheet: explaining how a series of chapters fits together to give the overall structure of any storyView larger

    Chapter by chapter

    Explaining how a series of chapters fits together to give the overall structure of any story

    1 page31 KB

  • Preview of the printable “Quote It: evidence log” worksheet: quoting accurately from any text to support ideas and inferencesView larger

    Quote It: evidence log

    Quoting accurately from any text to support ideas and inferences

    1 page30 KB

Print at 100% (actual size) for the cleanest tracing lines.

About these reading comprehension for 5th graders worksheets

Reading comprehension means understanding what you read well enough to explain it, prove it, and think beyond it. In 5th grade, the big new step is quoting accurately. Instead of writing "Nani doesn't give up," a 5th grader copies the exact words that prove it, "But plenty of people will buy salsa," and then explains what those words show. Children also compare two characters, work out what a metaphor or simile means in its sentence, explain how the scenes of a play or the stanzas of a poem fit together, and notice how the narrator's point of view shapes the way a story is told.

Every passage here is original and written for 10 and 11 year olds: a girl who turns hail-damaged tomatoes into Storm Salsa, two best friends in the final round of a spelling bee, a stagehand who has to play the king on opening night, a brother and sister who tell the same afternoon two different ways, and nonfiction about tiny water bears that survive drying out, how the bicycle was invented, the bones of the human skeleton, and how the printing press changed the world. Paragraphs and stanzas are numbered, so a question can say "Reread paragraph 7" and children can find their evidence quickly.

The passages come in three levels. Level 1 texts are shorter, with plainer words. Level 2 adds a play in four scenes, an argument piece with reasons and evidence, and a poem about the last day of 5th grade. Level 3 texts use richer vocabulary, headings, and two narrators. The longer reads run across two full pages: two chapter stories and two nonfiction texts, one on building the transcontinental railroad and one on the rovers exploring Mars.

Each sheet mixes question types: multiple choice, true or false, numbering events in order, finding a word in the text, and written answers that ask for a quotation or two details. A full answer key with sample answers is on the last page.

Standards

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.1Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.4Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.5Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.6Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.4Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.8Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).

How to use them

  1. Choose a level. Start with Level 1 early in the year or for a reader who is new to longer texts, and move up when the questions feel easy.
  2. Have your child read the whole text once for meaning, then answer the questions with the text beside them.
  3. For written answers, ask: "Can you show me the exact words?" Then ask what those words prove. A strong answer has both.
  4. Check the answers with the key on the last page. For any question that was missed, reread the paragraph together and find the evidence.

Teaching tips

  • Teach the two-step answer: quote the words, then explain them. A quotation alone is not an answer, and an opinion without a quotation is not proof.
  • When you quote, copy the words exactly, punctuation and all, and put them in quotation marks.
  • For a story told by a narrator, ask who is telling it and what that person does not know. The Blue Clay Bowl is built for that conversation.
  • Use the any-book organizers with library books and read-alouds. Comparing two characters or logging quotes works with every novel.

Questions teachers and parents ask

What reading level are these passages?

They are written for 5th grade. Level 1 is early 5th grade, Level 2 is the middle of the year, and Level 3 is late 5th grade. Each sheet shows its level and word count at the top.

Are there longer passages for strong readers?

Yes. The longer reads are 850 to 950 word texts that fill two pages: two chapter stories and two nonfiction texts, about building the transcontinental railroad and about the rovers exploring Mars, each with an answer key.

Are there poems and plays as well as stories?

Yes. There are two poems, one full of metaphors and similes and one about the last day of 5th grade, and a short play in four scenes, so children can practice how stanzas and scenes build a whole text.

What does "quote accurately" mean?

It means copying the author's exact words, in quotation marks, to support an answer, and then explaining what those words show. Many questions here ask for exactly that.

Are the stories and texts original?

Yes. Every story, poem, play, and nonfiction text was written for this site, so you can print and copy them freely for your class or family.

Is there an answer key?

Yes. Every passage has an answer key on its last page, with sample answers for the written questions.