I’m so excited to share these 5th grade trivia questions with you. When my nephew was in 5th grade last year, we started a weekly trivia night at home, and I was amazed at how much he knew (and how much I’d forgotten!). These questions are perfect for teachers, parents, or anyone looking to challenge the bright 10-11 year-olds in their lives.
I’ve put together over 100 questions covering everything from science and math to history and pop culture. What I love about 5th grade trivia is that it hits that sweet spot – challenging enough to make kids think but not so difficult that they get frustrated.
Ready to test your 5th grader’s knowledge (or maybe challenge yourself)? Let’s dive in!
Science Trivia
Science is usually a favorite for 5th graders! These questions cover basic earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics concepts that most 5th graders are learning about. I’ve included a mix of curriculum-based questions and fun science facts.
- What is the largest planet in our solar system? Answer: Jupiter
- What do you call the process where plants make their own food using sunlight? Answer: Photosynthesis
- What are the three states of matter? Answer: Solid, liquid, and gas
- Which layer of Earth do we live on? Answer: Crust
- What is the hardest natural substance on Earth? Answer: Diamond
- Which animal can regenerate its limbs? Answer: Starfish
- What gas do plants release during photosynthesis? Answer: Oxygen
- What type of energy does a moving object have? Answer: Kinetic energy
- What is the name of the force that pulls objects toward Earth? Answer: Gravity
- What is the largest organ in the human body? Answer: Skin
- What do you call a scientist who studies rocks? Answer: Geologist
- What’s the name of our galaxy? Answer: Milky Way
- What type of rock forms from cooled lava? Answer: Igneous rock
- Which planet is known as the Red Planet? Answer: Mars
- What do we call animals that eat both plants and meat? Answer: Omnivores
- What are the building blocks of all living things? Answer: Cells
- What covers most of Earth’s surface? Answer: Water
- How many bones are in the human body? Answer: 206
- What type of simple machine is a seesaw? Answer: Lever
- What’s the closest star to Earth? Answer: The Sun
- Which animal has the longest lifespan? Answer: Giant tortoise
- What do you call a group of stars that forms a pattern? Answer: Constellation
- What is the process called when a solid turns directly into a gas? Answer: Sublimation
- What’s inside the Earth’s core? Answer: Mostly iron and nickel
- What is the chemical formula for water? Answer: H₂O
Finding science facts fascinating? You’ll love exploring philosophical questions that make kids think even deeper about our amazing world!
Math Trivia
Math doesn’t have to be boring! These trivia questions turn numbers into fun. When I quizzed my friend’s 5th grade class with these, they got surprisingly competitive. These questions cover fractions, geometry, basic algebra, and number sense.
- What is the name for a shape with eight sides? Answer: Octagon
- What is the sum of all angles in a triangle? Answer: 180 degrees
- What is 7 × 8? Answer: 56
- What is the next number in the sequence: 2, 4, 8, 16…? Answer: 32
- How many sides does a hexagon have? Answer: 6
- What is half of 3/4? Answer: 3/8
- What is 12 divided by 3? Answer: 4
- What is the perimeter of a square with sides of 5 inches? Answer: 20 inches
- What is the value of π (pi) rounded to the nearest whole number? Answer: 3
- What is the prime factorization of 12? Answer: 2² × 3
- What is 5² (5 squared)? Answer: 25
- What is the least common multiple of 4 and 6? Answer: 12
- If you have 3 quarters, 4 dimes, and 2 nickels, how much money do you have? Answer: $1.35
- What is 1/2 + 1/4? Answer: 3/4
- What solid shape has 6 identical square faces? Answer: Cube
- What is the area of a rectangle with length 7 cm and width 4 cm? Answer: 28 square cm
- What is 1,000 more than 4,567? Answer: 5,567
- What is the next prime number after 7? Answer: 11
- How many minutes are in 2 hours? Answer: 120 minutes
- What is the mean (average) of 10, 15, 20, and 35? Answer: 20
Want more mathematical brain teasers? Check out our extensive collection of math trivia questions for all ages and skill levels!
Geography Trivia
Geography is one of my favorite subjects to quiz kids on! It’s amazing how much they know about our world. These questions explore continents, countries, landforms, and geographical features that 5th graders might be studying.
- What is the largest continent? Answer: Asia
- Which ocean is the largest? Answer: Pacific Ocean
- What country is known as the Land of the Rising Sun? Answer: Japan
- What is the capital of the United States? Answer: Washington, D.C.
- Which river is the longest in the world? Answer: Nile River
- What mountain range runs along the western edge of South America? Answer: Andes Mountains
- What is the largest country by land area? Answer: Russia
- Which country is shaped like a boot? Answer: Italy
- What is the driest desert in the world? Answer: Atacama Desert
- What are the five Great Lakes? Answer: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior (HOMES)
- What is the capital of France? Answer: Paris
- Which continent is the coldest? Answer: Antarctica
- Which U.S. state is known as the Grand Canyon State? Answer: Arizona
- What is the name of the imaginary line that runs around the middle of Earth? Answer: Equator
- What country has the largest population? Answer: China
- What is the highest mountain in the world? Answer: Mount Everest
- Which planet is closest to the sun? Answer: Mercury
- What is the capital of Canada? Answer: Ottawa
- What country is home to the Great Barrier Reef? Answer: Australia
- What are the seven continents? Answer: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia/Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America
Geography questions make for great interesting topics to talk about with curious kids who love learning about our world!
History Trivia
History trivia always gets kids excited! I love watching them connect events they’ve learned about in school. These questions cover American history, ancient civilizations, and important historical figures and events.
- Who was the first president of the United States? Answer: George Washington
- What document begins with “We the People”? Answer: The Constitution
- Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? Answer: Thomas Jefferson
- What ancient civilization built the pyramids? Answer: Egyptians
- In what year did Christopher Columbus first sail to America? Answer: 1492
- Who was the 16th president of the United States? Answer: Abraham Lincoln
- What war was fought between the North and South in the United States? Answer: The Civil War
- Who was the first person to step on the moon? Answer: Neil Armstrong
- What was the name of the ship that the Pilgrims sailed to America on? Answer: The Mayflower
- Who was the famous civil rights leader who gave the “I Have a Dream” speech? Answer: Martin Luther King Jr.
- What Native American woman helped Lewis and Clark on their expedition? Answer: Sacagawea
- What famous document begins “Four score and seven years ago”? Answer: The Gettysburg Address
- What ancient civilization built the Colosseum? Answer: Romans
- What was the period of dinosaurs called? Answer: Mesozoic Era
- Who invented the light bulb? Answer: Thomas Edison
- What was the name of the first successful English settlement in America? Answer: Jamestown
- Who discovered penicillin? Answer: Alexander Fleming
- What event marked the beginning of World War II? Answer: Germany invading Poland
- In what year did the Titanic sink? Answer: 1912
- Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean? Answer: Amelia Earhart
For deeper conversations about the past, try these thought-provoking deep topics to talk about that can spark meaningful discussions with historically-minded kids.
Language Arts Trivia
Language arts might not always be every kid’s favorite subject, but these trivia questions make grammar and literature fun! I’ve included questions about famous books, grammar rules, and vocabulary that 5th graders should know.
- What is the main character’s name in “Charlotte’s Web”? Answer: Wilbur
- What part of speech is the word “quickly”? Answer: Adverb
- What do you call a word that means the opposite of another word? Answer: Antonym
- What punctuation mark ends an exclamatory sentence? Answer: Exclamation point
- Who wrote “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”? Answer: Roald Dahl
- What do you call a group of words that contains a subject and a verb? Answer: Sentence
- What’s the plural form of “child”? Answer: Children
- What is the past tense of “swim”? Answer: Swam
- What are the names of the four March sisters in “Little Women”? Answer: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy
- What type of word describes a noun? Answer: Adjective
- Who is the author of the Harry Potter series? Answer: J.K. Rowling
- What do you call a word that imitates a sound? Answer: Onomatopoeia
- What punctuation mark separates items in a list? Answer: Comma
- What is the main character’s name in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”? Answer: Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter Pevensie
- What do you call a sentence that asks a question? Answer: Interrogative sentence
- What is the first letter of the Greek alphabet? Answer: Alpha
- How many syllables are in the word “education”? Answer: 4
- What type of story teaches a moral or lesson? Answer: Fable
- What is a group of lions called? Answer: Pride
- What is the study of word origins called? Answer: Etymology
Looking for ways to start deeper conversations with kids about books? Try these this or that questions to spark debates about favorite characters and stories!
General Knowledge Trivia
This section is a fun mix of everything else 5th graders might know! I’ve included questions about current events, sports, entertainment, and random facts that most 10-11 year-olds find interesting. My niece especially loves these “did you know” type questions!
- How many players are on a basketball team on the court at one time? Answer: 5
- What is the name of the toy cowboy in “Toy Story”? Answer: Woody
- What animal is Mickey Mouse? Answer: Mouse
- How many continents are there? Answer: 7
- What do bees collect and use to make honey? Answer: Nectar
- What is the most popular sport in the world? Answer: Soccer (Football)
- How many teeth does an adult human have? Answer: 32
- What is the largest mammal in the world? Answer: Blue whale
- What are the primary colors? Answer: Red, blue, and yellow
- What is the national bird of the United States? Answer: Bald eagle
- How many days are in a leap year? Answer: 366
- What is the largest type of big cat? Answer: Tiger
- What grain is used to make bread? Answer: Wheat
- How many sides does a pentagon have? Answer: 5
- What is the main ingredient in guacamole? Answer: Avocado
- What is the name of Harry Potter’s owl? Answer: Hedwig
- What direction does the sun rise? Answer: East
- What is the color of a school bus? Answer: Yellow
- What is the capital of England? Answer: London
- What planet is known for having rings? Answer: Saturn
For more fun ways to engage with kids using questions, try these random questions to ask a guy or adapt them for any child who enjoys quirky conversations!
Why Trivia is Great for 5th Graders
Trivia games are honestly one of the best educational tools in disguise! They make learning fun while reinforcing what kids are learning in school. I’ve used these questions during family game nights, classroom activities, and even on long car rides (which saved us during our road trip to Vermont last summer).
5th graders are at that perfect age where they’re curious about the world and absorbing information like sponges. Trivia helps them connect dots between different subjects and feel confident about their knowledge. Plus, it’s a screen-free activity that everyone can enjoy together!
Final Thoughts
Whew! That was quite a trivia journey through the world of 5th grade knowledge. I hope you and your kids, students, or friends had fun testing your knowledge with these questions. Trivia is such a wonderful way to learn while having fun, and these questions are perfect for classroom activities, family game nights, or just casual learning.
Did you know all the answers? I’ll admit, there were a few that stumped me when I was putting this list together (apparently I need to brush up on my 5th-grade science facts!).
Don’t forget to bookmark this page for your next trivia session. And hey, why not challenge your 5th grader to come up with some trivia questions of their own? It’s a great way to encourage them to research topics they’re interested in!
Looking for more educational fun? Try our would you rather questions for even more engaging brain teasers and conversation starters!