165+ Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader Questions That Prove You Aren't
Remember Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? Of course you do! It’s actually still on and now it’s hosted by WWE wrestler (and the guy who’s granted the most wishes for Make-A-Wish) John Cena. Have you ever tried to play along and see if you are, in fact, smarter than a fifth grader? It’s a relatively easy game to figure out how to play on your own. Also, you could totally call it an educational pastime.
Whether you’re just playing with your friends or are making an attempt to prove you’re smarter than your fifth grader (don’t do it!) during family game night, these questions will all get your wheels turning in your brain. How many can you get right?
Note: Questions are in bold, but answers are not. When there are multiple choices, the right answer is in italics.
Want to play some more? Check out our fun pages on memory games, Halloween party games, road trip games, and more.
Math Questions
1st Grade
The first day of the 20th century was… Jan. 1, 1901.
If you cut a quarter into thirds, how many pieces would you have? Three.
If I have five apples and you have four apples, how many more apples do I have? One.
How many states made up the United States before Alaska and Hawaii joined? 48.
What makes a square a square? Four equal sides.
Out of the fractions below, which is greatest? 3/20, 3/9, or 3/5? 3/5.
What is the 384 rounded off to the nearest ten? 380.
How many syllables are in the word Rhinoceros? Four.
Can you pick the antonym of the word tame? Wild.
Can you pick the correct homophone — to, too, or two — or the following sentence? I read a book, and she read that book ___. Too.
Which farm animal completes the sentence below? A father _____ is called a boar. Pig.
According to where the hands are at, what is the time? The big hand is on 12. The little hand is on the seven. 7:00 p.m.
Which one of these words is an adjective? Cotton, She, Jump, or Red. Red.
There are eight rugby balls in the closet. The coach says there should be 11. How many are missing? Three.
There are 12 tennis racquets and six baseball bats. How many more tennis racquets are there than baseball bats? Six.
2nd Grade
On a class field trip, there are four buses taking 36 students to the zoo. Each bus has the same number of students. How many students are on each bus? Nine students on each bus.
If your mom buys 52 grapes and your dad brings home 34 grapes, how many grapes does your family have? 86.
You have two quarters, a nickel, three dimes, and four pennies. How much money do you have? 89 cents.
Which is bigger: 285 or 200 + 30 – 5 + 60? They’re equal.
What number is the Roman numeral XVI? 16.
3rd Grade
How many minutes are in a half-hour? 30.
When writing out a fraction, the numbers above and below the vinculum are called the… Numerator and denominator.
If it’s 5:30 when you leave for the store and 6:15 when you get there, how long did it take? 45 minutes.
What’s 25 x 3? 75.
How many grams are in a thousand kilograms? One million.
Ron saves $32 every day. How much will he save in a year of 365 days? $11,680.
How many times can 6 be subtracted from 48? 8.
4th Grade
If a train leaves the station and travels at 60 miles per hour, how much time will have passed when it arrives at a station 300 miles away? Five hours or 300 minutes.
91 x 2 = 182.
The interior angles of a triangle always sum to… 180 degrees.
23 x 4 = 92.
23.4 + 16.2 = 39.6.
5th Grade
A hexagon has how many sides? Six.
141 x 2 = 282.
If you need 1/2 cup of flour and you only have a 1/4 measuring cup, how many times do you need to use it to get the right about of flour? Twice.
If a football field is 100 yards long, how many feet long is the football field? 300 feet.
34 x 20 = 680.
History/Social Studies Questions
1st Grade
Which language is the most widely spoken in South America? Spanish.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first two men in the entire world to do what? Walk on the moon.
Communities are where who lives, works, and plays? People.
Who were the first people in America? Native Americans.
The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by Native Americans and what other group of people? Pilgrims.
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from where? France.
What country did Mexico gain its independence from in the 1800s? Spain.
Who invented the light bulb? Thomas Edison.
What are the two main languages spoken in South America? Spanish and Portuguese.
2nd Grade
Which war was fought between the north and south regions in the United States? The Civil War.
Who fought in the Revolutionary War? Americans and Brits.
What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution called? The Bill of Rights.
Who was Jackie Robinson? The first African American baseball player.
Who was George Washington? The First President of the United States.
What are the three branches of the United States government? Legislative, judicial, and executive.
Italy, Japan, and Germany’s alliance was called what during WWII? The Axis of Evil.
What city in the world was the first to be attacked by an atomic bomb? Hiroshima.
3rd Grade
What is Rosa Parks most famous for? Refusing to give her seat up in the front of the bus.
The Emancipation Proclamation did what? Freed slaves.
Who made the “I have a dream” speech? MLK.
Julius Caesar was the emperor of what empire? The Roman Empire.
What did colonists dump in Boston Harbor? Tea.
The first fireworks were invented in what country during the seventh century? China.
How many terms did George Washington serve as president? Two.
What object, beginning with the letter Q, did people write with during the Middle Ages? Quill.
4th Grade
What ancient civilization built the Machu Picchu complex in Peru? The Incas.
Who paid for Christopher Columbus’ explorations? The Spanish Royals.
Name two of Columbus’ three ships: Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria.
The Battle of Gettysburg was fought in which war? The Civil War.
Ponce De Leon discovered Florida, but what was he actually looking for? The Fountain of Youth.
Who wrote the national anthem of the United States of America? Francis Scott Key
During World War I, the countries that sided against Germany were called: Allied Powers
A country that does not take sides during the war is: Neutral
5th Grade
What was the name of the last Queen of France? Marie Antoinette.
Who founded the Red Cross? Clara Barton.
Who commissioned the Lewis and Clark expedition? Jefferson.
The modern-day city of Istanbul was known by what name in the 13th century? Constantinople.
What was the most widely grown crop in the middle colonies? Wheat.
Where was the region known as the Fertile Crescent located? The Middle East.
In what decade did Hong Kong revert to China from British rule? The 1990s, specifically 1997.
Who was the president of the Confederate states during the United States Civil War? Abraham Lincoln.
The first atomic bomb attack was on which city? Hiroshima.
English/Language Arts Questions
1st Grade
What is the term for a word that is similar in meaning to another word? Synonym.
What is the past tense word for run? Ran.
What tense is this: We will go to Disney World. Future
I want (a) (an) apple for a snack. an
What’s a person, place, or thing? A noun
In the story about the boy who cried wolf, what is the lesson? Always tell the truth.
Choose the correct sentence: (My Birthday is in August.) (my birthday is in August.) (My birthday is in August.) My birthday is in August.
Which letters BEST complete the word, “Spar”? (___kle),(___klee), or (___kele)? ___kle
Emily and Ellie raked the soil. Gracie _____ the seeds. Which word fits into the space: plants, plant, planting, or planted? planted.
Which of these uses commas correctly? (My favorite colors, are, blue, red, and, pink.) (My favorite colors are blue, red, and pink.) (My favorite colors are blue red and pink.) (My, favorite colors are blue red, and pink.) My favorite colors are blue, red, and pink.
2nd Grade
What type of literature features magical creatures, such as giants, gnomes, and goblins? Fairy tales.
Does the word, “bone” have a long or short vowel sound? Long.
Does “bug” have a long I or a short U sound? Short U.
What are the five interrogative or “question” words? Who, what, when, where, why.
Fill in the blank: _____is your name? Who, what, where or why? What.
Where did the Olympic games originate? Greece.
3rd Grade
The person in a novel who tells the story from a third-person perspective is called a what? A narrator.
Give an example of a transitional word. Also, Thus, First, Second…
The main series of events in a story is called a what? A plot.
Which is a plural noun: toy, cup, children, leaf? Children.
What do you call the part of the story with all the action or the big twist? The Climax.
4th Grade
A story conveying a moral lesson is called what? A fable.
What is the main character in a story called? A protagonist.
Which is an example of alliterative language? (1) The ocean glistened as the day turned to night, OR (2) The sea shimmered with the sinking sun. 2
Find the preposition: The pretty calico cat sat on the kitchen table. on
Which is a type of poem: Graph, Sonnet, Essay? Sonnet.
5th Grade
Who is the creator of the classic book characters Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn? Mark Twain.
What is the name of the most famous English playwright? William Shakespeare.
What is an antonym for beautiful: pretty, gorgeous, ugly? Ugly.
Which word means to radiate: spin, kill, and glow? Glow.
Who is the author of the 1960 novel about social and racial inequality To Kill a Mockingbird? Harper Lee.
Often seen at the end of a sentence, the three trailing dots that indicate the omission from speech or writing of a word (or words) that is superfluous or able to be understood from contextual clues are known as…? An ellipsis.
Science Questions
1st Grade
What causes tides? The moon.
A caterpillar changes and grows into a what? Butterfly.
The sun is a: Planet, star, mystery? Star.
Moving air is called: wind, tide, hurricane? Wind.
Snow, rain, and sleet are all examples of what? Precipitation.
2nd Grade
What is H2O also known as? Water.
The ocean is made of what kind of water? Saltwater.
These collect energy from the movement of air: Windmills.
Earth is located in what galaxy? The Milky Way.
How many legs do arachnids have? Eight.
3rd Grade
When a living thing makes more of its own kind, is it called reproducing, reducing, or recycling? Reproducing.
What phenomenon might be felt on the surface when two tectonic plates rub against each other? Earthquake.
Which planet is closest to the sun? Mercury.
What resource covers most of the Earth? Water.
A landscape where the most prominent features are trees is called: Forest.
4th Grade
What planet is nicknamed the “Red Planet?” Mars.
Animals who eat only plants are called what? Herbivores.
How long does it take the moon to orbit Earth: 24 hours, 365 days, one month, Earth orbits the moon? One month.
What do you call a scientist who studies rocks? Geologist.
The poles of a magnet are called: on/off, north/south, good/bad, top/bottom? North/south.
5th Grade
What are the three states of matter? Solid, liquid, and gas.
What force pulls objects toward Earth’s core and keeps humans from floating in the sky? Gravity.
Why do you see often see lightning before you hear the thunder? Light travels faster than sound.
Which tool is used to estimate the likelihood of certain genetic outcomes? Punnett Square.
What species can live on both water and land? Amphibians.
Geography Questions
First Grade
What continent are the Pyramids of Giza located in? Africa.
How many continents are there? 7.
How many states make up the United States of America? 50.
What country is the capital of Rome located in? Italy.
What is the capital of France? Paris.
Second Grade
In what state will you find the Windy City? Illinois.
If you fly from Los Angeles to Australia, what ocean do you cross? The Pacific.
In what country is the Taj Mahal located? India.
What continent is the country of Brazil part of? South America.
What continent is Egypt part of? Africa.
What is the largest continent? Africa.
What is the smallest continent? Australia.
Third Grade
What continent is the country of France located in? Europe.
What is the capital of Florida? Tallahassee.
How many great lakes are there in the United States? Four: Michigan-Huron, Superior, Ontario, and Erie.
How many oceans are there? Five: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Southern, and Arctic.
What is the longest river in the world? Amazon.
Fourth Grade
What is the largest country by size? Russia.
What continent is located in the southernmost part of the Southern Hemisphere? Antarctica.
What two countries does the Gulf of Mexico border? U.S. and Mexico.
What is the largest U.S. state by landmass? Alaska.
What is the largest desert in the world? Northern Africa.
Fifth Grade
How many countries are in North America? 23: Canada, the United States, Mexico, and all the sovereign states in the Caribbean and Central America.
Which country is closer to Asia: Canada or the United States? The United States.
Which North American city has a bigger population: Los Angeles or Mexico City? Mexico City.
What measures distance north or south of the Equator: latitude or longitude? Latitude.
What’s the capital of New Hampshire? Concord.
Grammar & Spelling Questions
First Grade
“I absolutely love to see the lion tamer perform?” What type of sentence is this? Declarative, imperative, interrogative, exclamatory. Exclamatory.
How many syllables are in the word “animalistic”? Five.
Which word is a possessive noun: women, Sue, boy’s, flower? Boy’s.
Please remember to (pear) (pair) (pare) the carrots before you slice them. Pare
I work on a building (sight) (site) (cite). Site
Fourth Grade
In the sentence “Sally is a very good drummer,” what part of speech is the word “very”? Adverb.
What is the prefix in disassociate? Dis.
What does the prefix re mean? Again.
What is the past tense of put? Put.
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