Fifth Grade Comprehension Worksheets and Questions

What Kinds of Fifth Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets Can I Find?

Reading passages and comprehension questions are readily available for free on the Internet. Several teaching and tutoring websites provide a variety of options for topic and type of text by grade level. For example, your fifth grader should be able to read fictional stories, historical texts, poetry, biographies and more.

Fifth grade comprehension worksheets and questions can specifically help your son or daughter practice reading comprehension and fluency in preparation for standardized testing. Some websites offer examples directly from state tests, so these resources can benefit your child as he or she prepares.

Reading Passage and Comprehension Questions

Give the below reading passage to your fifth grader, followed by the comprehension questions provided. When looking for passages to use, choose topics that will appeal to your son or daughter. If your child is interested in the text, he or she will likely be more motivated to complete the exercise.

Halloween Traditions: The History of Trick-or-Treating

As a fifth grader, you've likely been to a Halloween party or celebrated it in your classroom. Aside from the spooky decorations of spider webs, ghouls and skeletons, another tradition that goes hand-in-hand with Halloween is trick-or-treating.

If you've ever dressed up in a costume and gone door-to-door through your neighborhood, you're familiar with the process: you ring the doorbell, someone answers, you say trick-or-treat and receive a handful of candy, fruit or popcorn.

Although it seems common today, trick-or-treating has only been in the U.S. since the early 1900s. However, the practice itself dates back to the Middle Ages when beggars would go door to door on November 1 to receive food in return for prayers for the dead souls on November 2.

A similar practice was observed in the late 1800s in Scotland. However, instead of trick-or-treating, the act was commonly referred to as 'guising' because disguises were worn out in public in exchange for food and money.

Although the act and reason for trick-or-treating has changed over the years, it still remains a fun tradition for many kids in the United States and other countries. Whether you go as a pumpkin, a ghost, a princess or an athlete, Halloween remains the one day of the year when you can dress up and pretend to be something silly in exchange for sugary sweets.

Question

The tradition of going door to door and asking for food dates back to the Middle Ages. What did the beggars want food in exchange for?

Answer

a) Money

b) Prayer

c) Jewelry

d) House cleaning

Question

In other countries, trick-or-treating is sometimes referred to as guising. In your own words, describe this term.

Answer (Will Vary)

Guising is short for disguise. Just like with trick-or-treating, people in those countries dress up in disguises or costumes before going out in the neighborhood.

Question

One of the earliest records of guising occurred in what country?

Answer

a) Italy

b) France

c) United States

d) Scotland

Question

What do you think is the main point of this text?

Answer (Will Vary)

The author wrote this story to provide background information on a well-known tradition in the U.S. Even though the U.S. knows it as trick-or-treating, similar activities date back hundreds of years ago to other countries.