Success TutoringWorksheets
Comprehension Exercise5th GradeLevel 2 · Standard

Free 5th Grade Storm Over the Pecan Trees — Poetry Comprehension

An original poem about a hot Texas summer afternoon that breaks into a thunderstorm and then clears. Students track how the weather and mood change from stanza to stanza, identify simile, metaphor, personification and onomatopoeia, describe the rhyme pattern, and write a stanza of their own about a kind of weather they know.

Instant download · No sign-up · Free for personal, classroom and homeschool use

Grade
5th Grade
Subject
English
Topic
Reading Comprehension
Difficulty
Level 2 · Standard
Estimated time
25 minutes
Curriculum
Texas grade levels (TEKS)
Questions
14
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4), print or complete online

Students will practice

  • identifying simile, metaphor and personification
  • explaining the effect of sensory language
  • describing rhyme scheme and stanza structure
  • writing descriptive poetry

Curriculum: Texas grade levels (TEKS). We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.

What's next?

Completed: Storm Over the Pecan Trees — Poetry Comprehension

  1. 15th Grade Grammar Quiz
  2. 2Commas in Direct Address, Titles, and Abbreviations
  3. 3Complex Sentences and Clauses
Study guide

How to use this comprehension exercise

  1. Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
  2. Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
  3. Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
  4. Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.

Common questions

Who is this comprehension exercise for?

5th Grade students (typically ages 10–11) working on reading comprehension. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.

Are the answers included?

Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.

How long does it take?

About 25 minutes for 14 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.

Do I need to sign up to download?

No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.

What should we do next?

Try 5th Grade Grammar Quiz.

Preview

Success TutoringWorksheets5th Grade · English · Reading Comprehension

Storm Over the Pecan Trees — Poetry Comprehension

Name

Date

Score /

Read the poem first. Then answer the questions in order.

Part A: Find the facts

1.What was the weather like at the start of the poem?[1 mark] (answer space)
2.From which direction did the clouds come?[1 mark] (answer space)
3.What two colors were the clouds?[1 mark]
  1. Ablack and white
  2. Bpurple and gray
  3. Cpink and orange
  4. Dblue and green
4.Name two things the rain hammered on.[1 mark] (answer space)
5.Which bird sang after the storm?[1 mark] (answer space)

Part B: How the poem works

6.“the heat lay still, / a heavy quilt on the land” is a metaphor. What is the heat compared to, and what does this tell you about how the afternoon felt?[2 marks] (answer space)
7.Find one example of personification in stanza 2 or stanza 4 and explain what it adds.[2 marks] (answer space)
8.List three strong verbs in stanza 3 that show the power of the rain.[1 mark] (answer space)
9.Describe the rhyme pattern of each stanza.[1 mark] (answer space)
10.How does the mood change from the first stanza to the last?[2 marks] (answer space)
Free worksheets at worksheets.successtutoring.com · © Success Tutoring · Free for personal and classroom use

Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.

More 5th Grade reading comprehension resources

  • Study Guide

    Reading Comprehension Strategies

    Explains the three kinds of comprehension questions (literal, inferential and evaluative) and the strategies good readers use before,…

    Difficulty
    Level 2 · Standard
    Time
    20 min
  • Comprehension Exercise

    Students Give Creek a Second Chance — Reading Comprehension

    A news-style article about an elementary school environment club cleaning up a local creek. Students locate facts and quotes, infer what…

    Difficulty
    Level 2 · Standard
    Time
    25 min
    Questions
    14 questions
    Answers
    Answers included
  • Comprehension Exercise

    Big Bend National Park — Reading Comprehension

    An information text about Big Bend National Park in West Texas, where the Rio Grande forms the border with Mexico and desert, mountains…

    Difficulty
    Level 2 · Standard
    Time
    30 min
    Questions
    14 questions
    Answers
    Answers included

Reading Comprehension in other year levels

Was this resource helpful?

About this resource

Created by
Success Tutoring
Last reviewed
1 October 2026
How it was made
Written by our team

Free to print and share for personal, classroom and homeschool use. Please don't resell. Spotted an error? Let us know.