Are You Smarter Than a Canadian 5th Grader?
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| Are You Smarter Than a Canadian 5th Grader? |
|
|---|---|
| Format | Game show |
| Created by | Mark Burnett |
| Directed by | Don Weiner (U.S) Rae Upton (Canada) |
| Starring | Colin Mochrie (host) |
| Theme music composer | David Vanacore with Blessed Kateri Childrens Choir |
| Country of origin |  Canada |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 5 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Mark Burnett |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Global TV |
| Original run | October 25, 2007 – November 22, 2007 |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
Are You Smarter Than a Canadian 5th Grader? is a Canadian television game show, which began airing on October 25, 2007 on Global. The show, based on the U.S. game show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, is hosted by Canadian comedian Colin Mochrie. Five episodes were produced, and air Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST. Contestants included a lawyer, a professor, a nuclear engineer amongst others. A veterinarian, Andrew Oster, from Midland, Ontario was the show's biggest winner garnering $300,000 tax-free Canadian dollars. His prize was the highest sum in Canadian game-show history.
The show, which was filmed at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre in Toronto, Ontario, challenges Canadian contestants to prove that they are smarter than a Canadian fifth grader by answering a series of questions on material from elementary school textbooks. In addition to the subjects present in the American edition (save for American history), the game also includes Canadian-specific content, including questions about the French language and topics relating to Canada. The set for the show is similar to the American version, but themed after Canada; for instance, the floor contains a large map of the country.
The class for the show is made up of seven Grade 5 students chosen for the show: Katherine, age 10, from Halifax, Nova Scotia; Nathan, 10, from Calgary, Alberta; Michael, 9, from Vancouver, British Columbia; Isiah, 10, from Mississauga, Ontario; Taylor, 10, from Toronto, Ontario; Jacob, 9, from Bedford, Nova Scotia; and Rachel, 9, from Lockport, Manitoba.
On the show's fourth episode, Nathan and Rachel relinquished their seats. They were replaced by Elliot from Oakville, Ontario and Shea from Brooklin, Ontario, which is a part of Whitby.
[edit] Gameplay
- Further information: Gameplay section of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (US game show)
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,000 |
| 2 | $2,000 |
| 3 | $5,000 |
| 4 | $10,000 |
| 5 | Big Brain Academy $25,000 |
| 6 | $50,000 |
| 7 | $100,000 |
| 8 | $175,000 |
| 9 | $300,000 |
| 10 | $500,000 |
| 11 | $1,000,000 |
The Canadian version of the game is played essentially in the same way as its American counterpart: a contestant is asked a series of eleven questions taken from elementary school textbooks; with each correct answer, the contestant accrues more money; the contestant has fifth grade "classmates" to help them; and in the event of the contestant not winning the top prize, they must state into the camera that they are not smarter than a Canadian fifth grader.
There are a number of variations in the Canadian version, however:
- Rather than the five classmates present in the American version, Are You Smarter Than a Canadian 5th Grader? features seven students from across the country. This does not affect the gameplay.
- Canadian content is included in the question material. Added subjects include French, Canadian History and Canadian Geography; Life Systems is used in place of Life Sciences.
- Subjects selected are displayed as Grade (1-5) (subject) rather than (1st-5th) Grade (subject), since Canada uses this grammar.
- While the money ladder uses the same values as the U.S. version, the prize is paid in Canadian dollars, and is not subject to taxes.
- The $25,000 plateau question is rebranded as the "Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree $25,000 question". During this question, the children's screens display Mii versions of themselves.
