Nobel Prize Winner VS The 5th Grade | Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? | Full Episodes | S03E21-22

How to Win One Million Dollars?

Introduction to the Contest

• The show opens with applause and excitement as the host announces a goal of giving away one million dollars.

Meet the Contestant: Marley

• Marley, a 25-year-old weight loss consultant from Crystal Lake, Illinois, is introduced. She has lost over 72 pounds since graduating elementary school.

• Marley shares that there is no secret to her weight loss; it was achieved through hard work.

Game Mechanics

• The game consists of answering questions across ten subjects. Correct answers lead to potential winnings, including one million dollars.

• Fifth graders will assist Marley in answering questions throughout the game.

First Questions and Answers

Measurement Question

• The first question pertains to basic measurements: "How many days equal two weeks?"

• Bryce locks in his answer of 14 days (7 days x 2), which is confirmed correct, earning them $1,000.

Animal Science Question

• The next question asks if leopards are members of the cat family.

• Marley correctly answers "true," winning an additional $2,000.

Social Studies Question

• Jenna assists with a social studies question about what stars on the U.S. flag represent.

• They correctly identify that stars represent U.S. states, adding $5,000 to their total.

Advancing in the Game

Math Challenge

• A math question asks for the result of 71 minus 53 rounded to the nearest ten.

• Jenna confirms that rounding 18 gives them 20; they win $10,000.

Final Questions for Higher Stakes

Music Theory Question

• A music theory question challenges them about musical notes in a C major scale.

• Francesca helps answer that two whole steps above F is A; they secure $25,000.

Conclusion and Support System

• Marley's husband Scott is introduced as part of her support system during this journey.

What is Required for Iron to Rust?

Third Grade Science Question

• Marlese engages with a third-grade science question about rusting, which is worth $50,000.

• The question asks what gaseous element iron needs to rust alongside water. Francesca locks in her answer.

• Marlese considers using a cheat and thinks of hydrogen but ultimately trusts Francesca's answer of oxygen.

• Marlese confidently locks in "oxygen," admitting she trusts the knowledge of a 10-year-old over her own.

• Correctly answering earns Marlese $50,000.

The Pyramids of Giza: Purpose and History

Ancient Cultures Question

• The next question concerns the original purpose of the Pyramids of Giza: were they royal palaces, schools, or tombs?

• Jonathan believes they were built as tombs based on their historical significance.

• Marlese confirms Jonathan's instinct by locking in "tombs," resulting in an additional $100,000 earned.

Geography Knowledge: Rhine River Location

Fourth Grade World Geography

• Marlese chooses a fourth-grade geography question about the continent where the Rhine River is located.

• Confidently locking in "Europe," she aligns with her classmates who also answered correctly.

Health Education: Bile Production

Fifth Grade Health Question

• The health question asks which organ produces and secretes bile; Olivia locks in her answer quickly.

• Marlese incorrectly answers "stomach" based on personal experience with illness symptoms.

• Scott suggests that the correct answer is actually "liver," leading to tension regarding potential loss of earnings if incorrect.

Final Tension: U.S. History Question

Who Was President of the Confederate States?

• The final question involves identifying who was elected president during the American Civil War; Olivia has locked in her answer.

Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? Contest Highlights

Contestant's Decision to Drop Out

• The contestant contemplates the value of $275,000 and decides against cheating, ultimately choosing to drop out of school.

• A humorous reference is made to Thomas Jackson (Stonewall Jackson), emphasizing that copying would have cost the contestant $275,000.

Introduction of New Contestant

• The new contestant, Michelle Madore, is introduced as an office manager and extreme sports enthusiast from Clinton, Michigan.

• Michelle shares her passion for various extreme sports including snowboarding, skateboarding, wakeboarding, and surfing.

First Questions and Answers

• Michelle expresses confidence as she begins answering questions with the help of fifth graders.

• The first question in animal science asks if a cricket is an insect; Michelle confidently answers "true," securing $1,000.

Math Challenge Dilemma

• The second question involves determining how many dimensions a rectangle has; Michelle incorrectly thinks it has one dimension but later learns it has two.

• After confirming her classmate Jenna's answer was correct (two dimensions), Michelle secures $2,000.

Social Studies Question

• For her next question in social studies worth $5,000, Michelle guesses New York for the motto "Live Free or Die" but ultimately goes with her classmate Bryce’s suggestion of New Hampshire after peeking at his answer.

• Despite initial hesitation about trusting her gut feeling which suggested New York, she correctly chooses New Hampshire and earns $5,000.

Geography Question Ahead

• As the segment concludes before a geography question worth $10,000 about the Bahamas' location in an ocean is teased.

How Much Do You Know?

First Grade English Challenge

• Contestant is presented with a first-grade English question worth $25,000: "How many syllables are in the word 'student'?"

• Contestant Olivia confidently answers that there are two syllables in "student," which is correct, earning her $25,000.

• Olivia expresses confidence in her knowledge of fifth-grade U.S. history and fourth-grade astronomy for the next subject.

Fifth Grade U.S. History Question

• The host challenges Olivia with a historical question about Roger Williams, who was banished from Massachusetts in the 1630s.

• Olivia guesses Missouri as the state established by Roger Williams but is informed that this answer is incorrect; the correct answer is Rhode Island.

• Despite the wrong answer, Olivia retains her $25,000 winnings and exits with a positive attitude.

Introduction of New Contestants

• Jeff Foxworthy introduces himself and sets up for another round to give away one million dollars.

• A Nobel Prize-winning scientist named George Smoot III shares his background and experiences related to science fairs during his childhood.

Classroom Dynamics

• George learns about how the game works: answering questions correctly can lead to winning one million dollars while having help from fifth graders.

• The fifth graders introduced include Jonathan, Olivia, and Francesca; they prepare to assist George in answering questions.

First Grade Earth Science Question

• George chooses first-grade earth science as his subject for a $1,000 question regarding seasons in the northern hemisphere.

• He correctly identifies April as part of spring after confirming with classmate Jenna's locked-in answer.

Second Grade Spelling Challenge

• For a second-grade spelling question worth $2,000 about the word "principal," George reflects on his mother's profession as a principal before locking in his answer.

• Both George and Jenna confirm that "principal" is spelled correctly; they earn an additional $2,000 together.

Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? The Challenge of Knowledge

The Porcupine Question

• The contestant is asked if the porcupine is a type of rodent, which leads to a discussion about the nature of being a good scientist and comedian.

• Contestant Jonathan answers "true," while the main contestant hesitates, thinking it might be false due to confusion with marsupials.

• Ultimately, the contestant decides to go with Jonathan's answer, betting on his classmate's knowledge despite their age difference.

• The contestant wins $5,000 for correctly identifying that a porcupine is indeed a rodent but acknowledges that cheating cost them their peek at Jonathan’s answer.

Fourth Grade Math Challenge

• Moving on to math, the next question asks how many degrees are in each angle of an equilateral triangle.

• Confidently stating that there are three equal sides, the contestant answers 60 degrees and secures $10,000.

Personal Background Insights

• Discussion shifts to personal backgrounds; the contestant mentions growing up in Alaska and Florida and humorously references redneck culture.

• A humorous anecdote about family members losing extremities in fireworks incidents highlights cultural stereotypes.

Geography Question for Big Money

• The next challenge involves third-grade World Geography with a potential prize of $25,000.

• The question asks about Scandinavia's location on which continent; Olivia has locked in her answer as Europe.

• The contestant agrees with Olivia’s answer based on travel experience and confirms it as correct.

Charitable Contributions and Future Aspirations

• Discussing his Nobel Prize win, the contestant reveals he donated all winnings to charity for scholarships and fellowships.

• He expresses hope that one of his classmates will benefit from these scholarships while focusing on winning more money today.

History Question: Presidents Buried at Arlington

• In fourth-grade history, contestants must identify two U.S. presidents buried at Arlington National Cemetery; William Taft is one known president.

• After recalling his visit to Arlington National Cemetery, he confidently locks in John F. Kennedy as the second president buried there.

• His answer proves correct as both he and Olivia confirm their knowledge about this historical fact.

Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?

Contestant's Early Experience

• The contestant shares a childhood story about a confrontation with a boy who called him "small," leading to him punching the boy and subsequently visiting the principal's office.

• The host humorously suggests that the contestant didn't go "gangster" on the boy, indicating a light-hearted tone in their discussion.

Game Show Dynamics

• The contestant is presented with a question regarding whether a Conga is a type of musical instrument in the percussion family, which he answers correctly after some deliberation.

• The contestant expresses his desire to save his cheat for later questions, showcasing strategic thinking during gameplay.

Financial Aspirations

• After winning $100,000, the contestant reveals plans to open an auto lube center in Las Vegas as part of his financial goals.

• He reflects on his childhood experiences working under cars due to being skinny, adding personal context to his business aspirations.

Health Knowledge Challenge

• The next question pertains to human anatomy, specifically asking what organ receives signals from the optic nerve.

• The contestant confidently locks in "brain" as his answer after discussing it with classmates, demonstrating teamwork and confidence.

Final Questions and Stakes

• As he approaches the final subjects of vocabulary and astronomy, he expresses concern over potentially embarrassing himself if he fails.

• With stakes raised to $300,000 for answering correctly on astronomy, there’s anticipation building around whether he can achieve this goal.

What Country Was the First to Put a Human in Space?

Introduction to the Question

• The contestant is asked about the first country to send a human into space, with a playful tone regarding recent contestants' performance.

• A humorous comparison is made between free fall and hitting the ground, emphasizing the thrill of space travel.

Correct Answer Revealed

• The professor confidently states that it was the Soviet Union (now Russia) and mentions Yuri Gagarin as the astronaut.

• After some guessing, it is confirmed that Gagarin's flight occurred on April 12, 1961. The professor humorously acknowledges his initial uncertainty about the exact year.

The Stakes of the Game

Current Status

• The contestant currently holds $300,000 and faces a vocabulary question worth $500,000; missing it would drop them down to $25,000. One cheat option remains available.

Vocabulary Challenge

• The next question asks for an Italian-derived musical term meaning "to sing without accompaniment." Contestants are encouraged not to rush their answers.

• The professor contemplates using a cheat but recognizes he must accept his classmate's answer if he does so. He expresses interest in cheating for fun despite knowing he has a correct answer in mind: "acapella."

The Cheating Dilemma

Classmates' Responses

• Various incorrect answers from classmates are shared: Jonathan says "monologue," Jenna offers "vocumulti," and Olivia suggests "mono sing." None of these are correct.

• Despite having known the right answer ("acapella"), the professor decides to go with Francesca's response instead of trusting his own knowledge. This decision puts him at risk of losing his current winnings if Francesca’s answer is wrong.

Final Moments Before Million Dollar Question

Tension Builds

• As they return from commercial break, tension rises around whether Francesca answered correctly with "acapella." If she did not, George Smoot III risks losing significant money after using his cheat option incorrectly.

Confirmation of Answer

• Francesca confirms her answer as “acapella,” which allows George to remain in contention for further questions while celebrating her success as well.

Preparing for the Million Dollar Question

Transitioning to Geography

• With half a million dollars secured, George prepares for potentially life-changing geography questions where no help will be available from classmates this time around.

Risk Assessment

• He weighs whether or not to risk his current earnings by answering this new question; getting it wrong could lead him back down to just $25,000 instead of keeping half a million dollars intact.

This structured approach captures key moments and insights from each segment of dialogue while providing clear timestamps for reference within the transcript context.

What Are the Odds of Winning a Million Dollars?

Contestant's Confidence and Decision-Making

• The contestant expresses confidence in their U.S. geography knowledge but is cautious about proceeding, influenced by friends' advice to stop at this stage.

• The host highlights the odds of winning, noting that only 14 contestants have reached this point, with most dropping out after significant losses.

• The crowd's enthusiasm is evident as they encourage the contestant to take risks, showcasing a common sentiment among viewers regarding high-stakes decisions.

The Million Dollar Question

• George Smoot III prepares for the million-dollar question on U.S. geography, indicating he has $500,000 secured and is contemplating his next move.

• The question posed is about which U.S. state is home to Acadia National Park; George deliberates between Maine and California based on geographical clues.

Final Thoughts and Outcome

• After considering his options, George decides on Maine as his answer, reflecting on past experiences that inform his decision-making process.

• Upon revealing that Maine is indeed correct, George celebrates making history again while humorously contemplating future plans in Las Vegas.