I’m so excited to share these middle school trivia questions with you. When my niece entered 6th grade last year, I started collecting fun trivia to help her study while actually enjoying learning. Trust me, these 100+ questions have been a total hit at family game nights, classroom activities, and even long car rides when the kids start getting restless.
Middle school trivia strikes that perfect balance, challenging enough to make kids think but not so difficult that they get frustrated. I’ve organized everything by subject to make it super easy to find exactly what you’re looking for!
Science Trivia Questions
Middle schoolers are naturally curious about how the world works, which makes science trivia especially engaging! I’ve included questions about biology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy—all subjects they’ll encounter in their classes. My daughter particularly loves the space questions!
- What is the hardest natural substance on Earth? Answer: Diamond
- What is the largest organ in the human body? Answer: Skin
- What gas do plants absorb from the atmosphere? Answer: Carbon dioxide
- Which planet has the Great Red Spot? Answer: Jupiter
- What is the process called when a liquid turns into a gas? Answer: Evaporation
- What type of blood cells help fight infection? Answer: White blood cells
- Which element has the chemical symbol Fe? Answer: Iron
- What force pulls objects toward the center of the Earth? Answer: Gravity
- What is the name of the closest star to Earth? Answer: The Sun
- What part of the plant conducts photosynthesis? Answer: Leaves
- What is the boiling point of water in Celsius? Answer: 100°C
- Which planet is known as the “Red Planet”? Answer: Mars
- What are the three states of matter? Answer: Solid, liquid, and gas
- Which animal can change the color of its skin to match its surroundings? Answer: Chameleon
- What is the name of the process by which plants make their own food? Answer: Photosynthesis
- What is the center of an atom called? Answer: Nucleus
- What is the scientific name for the day/night cycle in organisms? Answer: Circadian rhythm
- Which scientist developed the theory of relativity? Answer: Albert Einstein
- What is the largest part of the human brain? Answer: Cerebrum
- What type of rock is formed from cooled lava? Answer: Igneous rock
For those who enjoy challenging their minds, try our collection of philosophical questions that will get you thinking deeply about life and existence.
History Trivia Questions
History trivia is always a hit in our house! I’ve found that presenting historical facts as interesting questions rather than dates to memorize makes kids much more engaged. These questions cover ancient civilizations through more recent events that middle schoolers study.
- Who was the first president of the United States? Answer: George Washington
- What ancient civilization built the pyramids of Giza? Answer: Ancient Egyptians
- What was the name of the ship that carried the Pilgrims to America in 1620? Answer: The Mayflower
- Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? Answer: Thomas Jefferson
- What was the name of the plague that killed about one-third of Europe’s population in the 14th century? Answer: The Black Death/Bubonic Plague
- Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean? Answer: Amelia Earhart
- What ancient wonder was a huge statue that stood at the entrance to a harbor in Greece? Answer: The Colossus of Rhodes
- What civilization is credited with creating the first written system of laws? Answer: Babylonians (Code of Hammurabi)
- Who was the leader of the civil rights movement in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s? Answer: Martin Luther King Jr.
- What was the nickname of the American colonists who fought against the British in the Revolutionary War? Answer: Patriots
- What African-American woman refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama? Answer: Rosa Parks
- What was the name of the first satellite launched into space in 1957? Answer: Sputnik 1
- Which empire was ruled by Caesar Augustus? Answer: Roman Empire
- What was the name of the conflict between the North and South in the United States from 1861-1865? Answer: The Civil War
- Who was the famous Egyptian queen who allied with Mark Antony? Answer: Cleopatra
- Which ancient civilization built Machu Picchu? Answer: Inca
- What was the period of economic hardship in the 1930s called? Answer: The Great Depression
- Who discovered America in 1492? Answer: Christopher Columbus
- What structure was built across northern China to keep out invaders? Answer: The Great Wall of China
- Who was the first African American president of the United States? Answer: Barack Obama
If you enjoy testing your knowledge in different areas, our math trivia questions offer fun challenges for all ages.
Geography Trivia Questions
Geography questions are perfect for middle schoolers who are just starting to learn about the wider world! I’ve included a mix of questions about continents, countries, landforms, and geographical features. My son and I love to pull up a map while doing these questions.
- What is the largest ocean on Earth? Answer: Pacific Ocean
- What is the capital of France? Answer: Paris
- Which river is the longest in the world? Answer: The Nile
- What is the largest country by land area? Answer: Russia
- Which continent is home to the most countries? Answer: Africa
- What mountain range runs along the border between France and Spain? Answer: The Pyrenees
- Which U.S. state is known as the “Grand Canyon State”? Answer: Arizona
- What is the smallest continent? Answer: Australia
- Which country is known as the “Land of the Rising Sun”? Answer: Japan
- What is the capital of Canada? Answer: Ottawa
- Which desert is the largest in the world? Answer: Sahara Desert
- What is the name of the mountain range that contains Mount Everest? Answer: Himalayas
- Which country has the shape of a boot? Answer: Italy
- What is the capital of Australia? Answer: Canberra
- Which river runs through London? Answer: River Thames
- What is the largest island in the world? Answer: Greenland
- Which South American country is home to the Amazon Rainforest? Answer: Brazil (mostly)
- What is the capital of Egypt? Answer: Cairo
- Which U.S. state is the largest by area? Answer: Alaska
- What is the name of the line of latitude that runs through the middle of Earth? Answer: The Equator
Looking for more meaningful conversation starters? Explore our collection of serious questions to ask your boyfriend for deeper connections.
Literature and Language Arts Trivia
I don’t know about you, but I’ve found that literature trivia really helps middle schoolers connect with books they’re reading in class. These questions cover famous authors, literary characters, grammar concepts, and more. They’ve been great for helping my kids prepare for their English tests!
- Who wrote “Charlotte’s Web”? Answer: E.B. White
- What are the four types of sentences? Answer: Declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory
- In which book would you find the character Harry Potter? Answer: Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
- What is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb? Answer: A clause
- Who wrote “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”? Answer: Mark Twain
- What punctuation mark is used to show possession? Answer: Apostrophe
- What is the main conflict in “The Hunger Games”? Answer: Survival in a deadly competition
- What is a metaphor? Answer: A comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as”
- Who is the author of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”? Answer: Lewis Carroll
- What is the name of the lion in “The Chronicles of Narnia”? Answer: Aslan
- What is a word that describes a noun? Answer: Adjective
- Who wrote “The Giver”? Answer: Lois Lowry
- What’s the difference between “your” and “you’re”? Answer: “Your” shows possession; “you’re” is a contraction of “you are”
- In which Shakespeare play does the character Romeo appear? Answer: Romeo and Juliet
- What is a synonym for “happy”? Answer: Joyful, glad, cheerful, etc.
- What is the setting of “The Outsiders”? Answer: Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1960s
- What is the name for a story where animals act like humans? Answer: Fable
- Who wrote “Where the Wild Things Are”? Answer: Maurice Sendak
- What is the past tense of the verb “run”? Answer: Ran
- What is the main message of “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss? Answer: Environmental conservation/Taking care of the environment
For lighter conversation topics with your significant other, check out our fun and silly questions to ask your boyfriend that are guaranteed to bring smiles.
Math Trivia Questions
Math might not always be everyone’s favorite subject, but turning it into trivia makes it so much more fun! I was surprised how competitive my daughter got with these questions. They cover basic math concepts that middle schoolers should be familiar with.
- What is the value of π (pi) to two decimal places? Answer: 3.14
- What is the sum of angles in a triangle? Answer: 180 degrees
- What is the formula for the area of a circle? Answer: A = πr²
- What is the prime factorization of 24? Answer: 2³ × 3
- What is the square root of 144? Answer: 12
- What is the value of 5² × 2? Answer: 50
- What is the perimeter of a square with sides of 7 cm? Answer: 28 cm
- What is the next number in the Fibonacci sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ___? Answer: 13
- What is the least common multiple (LCM) of 4 and 6? Answer: 12
- What is the formula for the volume of a rectangular prism? Answer: V = length × width × height
- What type of triangle has all sides equal? Answer: Equilateral triangle
- What is the result of (-5) × (-3)? Answer: 15
- What is 25% of 80? Answer: 20
- What is the value of 3⁴? Answer: 81
- What is the difference between the mean and the median? Answer: Mean is the average; median is the middle value
- What is the formula for the area of a rectangle? Answer: A = length × width
- What is 2/5 as a decimal? Answer: 0.4
- How many sides does a hexagon have? Answer: 6
- What is the value of x in the equation 3x + 5 = 20? Answer: 5
- What is the circumference of a circle with radius 7 cm? Answer: 44 cm (or 14π cm)
Wondering what to talk about with friends? Browse our collection of interesting topics to talk about for engaging conversations.
Pop Culture Trivia Questions
I’ve found that including some pop culture questions is a great way to keep middle schoolers engaged! These questions cover music, movies, sports, and general knowledge that kids this age would find interesting. My niece absolutely loves this section!
- Who is the main character in the video game “Minecraft”? Answer: Steve (or Alex)
- What sport does LeBron James play? Answer: Basketball
- What type of animal is SpongeBob SquarePants? Answer: Sea sponge
- Which social media platform uses a ghost as its logo? Answer: Snapchat
- What is the name of the world where the game “Fortnite” takes place? Answer: The Island
- Who voices Elsa in the movie “Frozen”? Answer: Idina Menzel
- What is the name of Harry Potter’s pet owl? Answer: Hedwig
- Which animated movie features a character named Lightning McQueen? Answer: Cars
- What video game franchise features characters like Mario and Luigi? Answer: Super Mario
- What is the name of the boy who owns the toys in “Toy Story”? Answer: Andy
- What sport involves hitting a shuttlecock over a net? Answer: Badminton
- Who is the creator of the Star Wars universe? Answer: George Lucas
- In what year was the first iPhone released? Answer: 2007
- Who is the lead singer of the band Coldplay? Answer: Chris Martin
- What is the name of the magical land in “The Chronicles of Narnia”? Answer: Narnia
- Which Disney princess has a chameleon named Pascal as a friend? Answer: Rapunzel
- What sport is played at Wimbledon? Answer: Tennis
- Who is Marvel’s hammer-wielding superhero from Asgard? Answer: Thor
- What is the name of the main character in “The Legend of Zelda” games? Answer: Link
- What kind of animal is Timon in “The Lion King”? Answer: Meerkat
If you’re hoping to connect more deeply with others, explore our deep topics to talk about for meaningful conversations.
Why Trivia Works Great for Middle Schoolers
Middle school can be such a tricky time—kids are growing up, getting more independent, and sometimes losing interest in traditional learning. That’s where trivia comes in! I’ve found that turning learning into a game completely changes how my kids engage with information.
Last month, I used these questions during my son’s study group, and even the kids who usually zone out were suddenly competing to answer first. The beauty of trivia is that it makes learning feel like entertainment rather than work.
Plus, these questions cover material that aligns with what they’re learning in school, so they’re reinforcing classroom concepts without even realizing it!
Looking for more ways to engage in meaningful conversations with teens? Check out our collection of deep questions to ask a girl that promote thoughtful discussions.
Final Thoughts
Whew! We’ve made it through over 100 trivia questions perfect for middle schoolers! I hope these questions have given you plenty of material for your next family game night, classroom activity, or long road trip.
I’ve tested these with my own kids and their friends, and they’ve been a huge hit. What I love most is seeing kids get excited about learning without even realizing they’re studying! It’s that perfect mix of fun and education.
So, how many questions were you able to answer? I’d love to know which categories were your favorites! Remember, the goal isn’t just to get the right answers but to spark curiosity and foster a love of learning.
Looking for more engaging activities for middle schoolers? Try mixing in some video game trivia questions for an extra fun challenge!