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100+ Free AK STAR ELA Grade 5 Practice Questions

Prepare for the Alaska System of Academic Readiness (AK STAR) English Language Arts, Grade 5 exam with instant access — no signup required.

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Key Facts: AK STAR ELA Grade 5 Exam

AK STAR Grade 5 ELA is Alaska's spring adaptive statewide reading, language, and writing assessment for grade 5 (~69 items, ~180 minutes estimated), with results reported as Needs Support through Advanced.

Sample AK STAR ELA Grade 5 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your AK STAR ELA Grade 5 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Read this passage: Sofia had practiced the piano every day for months. On recital night her hands shook, but she played the whole piece without stopping. Afterward she whispered to her teacher, "I was scared, but I did it anyway." What is the theme of this passage?
A.Facing fear takes courage and practice
B.Music teachers always give easy songs
C.Recitals should be canceled if students are nervous
D.Piano is the hardest instrument to learn
Explanation: Sofia is nervous but still performs after months of practice, and her final line shows she overcame fear. That points to a theme about courage and perseverance.
2Read this passage: The old lighthouse keeper, Mr. Pell, never spoke to the village children. They called him "the grump." But every winter, baskets of warm bread appeared on doorsteps of families who had little. No one ever saw who left them. The winter Mr. Pell died, the baskets stopped coming. Which sentence best supports the idea that Mr. Pell secretly cared for the village?
A.The old lighthouse keeper, Mr. Pell, never spoke to the village children.
B.The winter Mr. Pell died, the baskets stopped coming.
C.No one ever saw who left them.
D.They called him "the grump."
Explanation: The baskets stop the winter he dies, which strongly implies he was the secret helper. That is the key evidence that he cared, despite his quiet manner.
3Read this poem excerpt: Snow whispers down the mountain trail, soft as moth wings, pale as sails. Footprints vanish, one by one— the forest keeps what we have done. What does the poet most likely mean by "the forest keeps what we have done"?
A.Hikers should write their names on trees
B.Snow always melts before spring
C.Nature absorbs and hides human traces over time
D.Forests store supplies people leave behind
Explanation: The vanishing footprints and the idea that the forest 'keeps' what people have done suggest nature covers and holds human marks. It is figurative, not about storing supplies or carving names.
4Read this paragraph: Jalen promised his little brother he would teach him to ride a bike before summer ended. But baseball practice filled every afternoon. On the last day of summer, Jalen found the bike untouched in the garage. Quietly, he wheeled it outside and called his brother's name. What does Jalen's final action suggest about him?
A.He prefers baseball to family forever
B.He wants to keep his promise even at the last moment
C.He plans to sell the bike
D.He is angry at his brother
Explanation: Calling his brother and bringing the bike out shows Jalen is trying to fulfill his promise despite running out of summer.
5Read these two short passages. Passage 1 (story): "I can't carry that pack," Maya said, eyeing the trail map. "Then we split the weight," her cousin replied, already unbuckling straps. Passage 2 (informational): When hiking with a group, experienced leaders redistribute gear so no one person becomes too tired. Sharing weight keeps the whole team safer on long climbs. How are the structures of the two passages different?
A.Passage 1 uses dialogue in a brief scene; Passage 2 explains a general practice
B.Both passages are written as step-by-step instructions
C.Passage 1 lists statistics; Passage 2 is a play script
D.Both passages argue that hiking should be banned
Explanation: Passage 1 is a narrative moment shown through dialogue. Passage 2 is explanatory informational text about a safety practice.
6Read this passage: In the village of Anwar, two brothers were known by all. Karim shared his last coin and laughed loudly in the market. Hassan saved every coin and spoke only when needed. Yet when the flood came, cheerful Karim carried the smallest children to high ground, while quiet Hassan knew which paths were safe. How are Karim and Hassan mainly different?
A.Both brothers refuse to help during the flood
B.Karim is selfish; Hassan is wasteful
C.They are identical in personality
D.Karim is outgoing and generous; Hassan is careful and quiet
Explanation: The passage contrasts Karim's open generosity and loud manner with Hassan's thrift and quiet speech, then shows both helping in different ways during the flood.
7Read this excerpt: The storm had passed, but the river still ran high and brown. Tomas gripped the rope bridge, feeling it sway. Below him, branches and a whole tree trunk tumbled in the current. "One step," he whispered. "Just one step at a time." Which word best describes Tomas's feelings?
A.Bored and sleepy
B.Joyful and carefree
C.Nervous but determined
D.Angry and bitter
Explanation: Gripping a swaying bridge over a dangerous river and coaching himself step by step shows tension mixed with resolve.
8Read this story excerpt: Lila's grandmother kept a jar of smooth beach stones on the windowsill. "Each one is a day I almost gave up building the clinic," she said, "and then didn't." Lila later placed her own small stone in the jar after finishing a hard science project. What does the jar of stones most likely symbolize?
A.A game children play at recess
B.Moments of perseverance the family wants to remember
C.A plan to sell rocks for money
D.Proof that the beach is dangerous
Explanation: Grandmother links each stone to a day she almost quit but continued, and Lila adds a stone after completing hard work. The stones stand for remembered perseverance.
9Read this passage: "We should take the shortcut," Ben argued, pointing at the muddy trail. "The map says the long path is safer," Amira replied, folding the map carefully. "Safer is slower," Ben muttered. Amira started walking the long path anyway, and after a moment Ben followed. From which point of view is this passage told?
A.Third-person, following the characters' actions and words
B.First person from Ben's diary only
C.Second person, speaking directly to the reader as "you"
D.Only Amira's private thoughts with no dialogue
Explanation: The narrator uses names (Ben, Amira) and describes what they say and do without 'I' or 'you,' which is third person.
10Read this myth-style passage: Long ago, Raven stole a box of daylight from a selfish chief and spilled light across the sky so people could hunt and travel. That is why, the elders say, dawn returns each morning. What is the main purpose of this myth?
A.To give step-by-step hunting instructions
B.To argue that chiefs should never own boxes
C.To report last week's weather forecast
D.To explain why daylight exists using a cultural story
Explanation: Myths often explain natural features or origins. This one accounts for daylight through Raven's action—an origin story.

About the AK STAR ELA Grade 5 Exam

AK STAR Grade 5 English Language Arts is Alaska's spring statewide summative ELA assessment for students in grade 5, administered by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development with NWEA. It measures Alaska English Language Arts Standards through an item-adaptive design that yields both an on-grade summative achievement level and MAP Growth RIT scores. Official item types include selected-response, technology-enhanced, and a constructed-response writing task. Practice questions on OpenExamPrep are free English-language multiple-choice study aids aligned to reading, language, and writing standards; they do not replace authentic passage analysis, official platform practice tests, or the constructed-response writing experience.

Questions

69 scored questions

Time Limit

About 180 minutes estimated; not strictly timed; may be administered in multiple school-day sessions.

Passing Score

Reported in four achievement levels: Needs Support, Approaching Proficient, Proficient, and Advanced (Alaska DEED AK STAR / Science score reports).

Exam Fee

Free for eligible Alaska public school students; AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment are state-required summative assessments administered by districts at no cost to families. (Alaska DEED in partnership with NWEA (MAP Growth connected spring summative))

AK STAR ELA Grade 5 Exam Content Outline

~40-50% of study emphasis

Reading Literature & Informational

Key details, central ideas, inferences, text structure, craft, and evidence across literary and informational passages.

~20-25%

Language

Grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and vocabulary in context.

~20-30%

Writing Judgment

Thesis and evidence selection, organization, revision choices, purpose and audience, and style—adapted from the official constructed-response writing focus.

How to Pass the AK STAR ELA Grade 5 Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Reported in four achievement levels: Needs Support, Approaching Proficient, Proficient, and Advanced (Alaska DEED AK STAR / Science score reports).
  • Exam length: 69 questions
  • Time limit: About 180 minutes estimated; not strictly timed; may be administered in multiple school-day sessions.
  • Exam fee: Free for eligible Alaska public school students; AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment are state-required summative assessments administered by districts at no cost to families.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

AK STAR ELA Grade 5 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Read grade-level literary and informational passages and practice citing text evidence for each claim.
2Review Alaska ELA language standards for grammar, usage, and vocabulary in context.
3Practice planning a short written response with a clear claim, evidence, and concluding sentence even though this bank uses MCQ format.
4Use DEED/NWEA official practice tests to learn platform tools (drag-and-drop, multi-select, drop-downs).
5Build stamina with timed 20–30 minute reading sets before the spring window.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the AK STAR Grade 5 ELA assessment?

It is Alaska's required spring English language arts summative for grade 5 students, part of the Alaska System of Academic Readiness (AK STAR) run by DEED with NWEA.

Is the official test all multiple choice?

No. Official AK STAR ELA uses multiple item types plus a constructed-response writing task. This site offers English MCQ study adaptations only.

How long is the Grade 5 ELA test?

DEED estimates about 180 minutes total for the online adaptive form; schools may split testing across sessions and assessments are not strictly timed.

How many questions are on the official test?

About 69 total ELA items for Grade 5 on the online adaptive form per DEED Test Administration Directions (summative and growth components combined).

What do scores mean?

Students receive achievement levels (Needs Support, Approaching Proficient, Proficient, Advanced) plus MAP Growth RIT information connected to fall/winter interims.

Is there a testing fee?

No family fee for eligible public school students; districts administer the required state assessment.