If someone asked you that question, you'd say yes. Most people would believe you. But you'd be wrong, because game show legend Ken Jennings is NOT smarter than a 5th grader!

The game relies on the premise that an adult would not know the information generally taught in elementary school because it is rarely used in adult life by the type of person chosen to be a contestant. Therefore, the show is essentially a test to see how much an adult has retained since graduating elementary school. The show also derives its humor by occasionally displaying the contestant's educational attainment, implying that in spite of that, they struggle to answer some questions and even have to cheat.

Despite this, the millionaire-style money tree approach to an elementary school quiz combined with a fair amount of Deal or no Deal syndrome type filler, padding and drama, feel contradictory. Instead of high-stakes drama, it often feels like Millionaire, if kids were playing with adult supervision. You can't make the lighthearted simple nature of the show dramatic

Jeff Foxworthy also rubs salt in the wound as often as possible, unlike other game show hosts, because it's almost the antithesis of millionaire, because of instead of looking smart, it's about not looking dumb.

Five fifth graders (some of whom are also professional child actors) appear on each episode and play along on stage. Prior to the show, the children are provided with workbooks which contain a variety of material, which could be used in the questions asked in the game. The player chooses one to be their "classmate", who stands at the adjacent podium and also answers each question secretly in writing. Each child acts as the classmate for two consecutive questions, after which another child is picked from those who have not yet played in that game. The classmate's main role is to provide assistance to the contestant, called "cheats".

A contestant can walk away (or if they flunk out, they drop to the milestone) at any point with the money they have won, as long as they admit, "I am not smarter than a fifth grader."

Any contestant who won the $1 million top prize was allowed to face the camera and state, "I am smarter than a 5th grader!"

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