Make the Grade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Make the Grade |
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| Created by | Michael Klinghoffer |
| Developed by | Bonni Grossberg Robert Mittenthal Herb Scannell Nina Silvestri Cyma Zarghami |
| Presented by | Lew Schneider (1989–1990) Robb Edward Morris (1990) |
| Narrated by | Maria Milito |
| Composer(s) | Edd Kalehoff |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 160 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Geoffrey Darby Kristin Martin Andy Bamberger |
| Production location(s) | New York, New York (1989) Universal Studios Orlando, Florida (1990) |
| Running time | 23–24 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | Nickelodeon |
| Original release | October 2, 1989 – December 29, 1991 |
Make the Grade was a fun children's game show that aired on Nickelodeon. It ran from October 2, 1989, to December 29, 1991. The show challenged young contestants with trivia questions and exciting physical games.
Contents
Gameplay
Make the Grade had a unique way of playing. Three contestants, each at a red, green, or blue desk, competed. They answered trivia questions to win squares on a big 7x7 game board.
How to Play
The game board had different "grade levels" across the top. These ranged from elementary school to 12th grade. Down the side were six subjects, plus a "special elective." When a contestant answered a question correctly, their desk would light up. The goal was to light up every category and grade level on their desk.
In the first season, the categories changed each episode. In later seasons, the last category was always a "Special Elective."
Subjects You Might See
- History
- Music
- Science
- Home Ec.
- Geography
- P.E.
- Mathematics
- English
- Arts
- Social Studies
- Current Events
Most squares on the board had questions. If you answered correctly, you won that square for your desk. You also got to choose the next square. If you answered wrong, the other two players could try to answer. If no one got it right, the square turned black. This meant it could not be chosen again.
Wild Cards
Some squares on the board were "wild cards." These could change the game in exciting ways!
- Take: This let you steal any square from another player.
- Lose: This made you give up one of your own squares. That square would then go back on the board.
- Free: You got this square without answering a question!
- Fire: This started a "Fire Drill," a fun physical challenge for all three players.
Fire Drills
Like many Nickelodeon game shows, Make the Grade had "Fire Drills." These were often messy and exciting physical challenges. A Fire Drill happened when a contestant picked a square with the "Fire" wild card. All three contestants took part in these challenges.
The goal of a Fire Drill was to finish the challenge first. The winner got to choose which desk they wanted. This was important because the squares belonged to the desks, not the players. Usually, the winner picked the desk with the most subjects and grade levels completed. The second-place player chose from the remaining two desks. The third-place player got the last desk.
Examples of Fire Drills
There were many different Fire Drills throughout the show's run. Here are a few examples:
- Meteor Shower: Players threw "meteors" at a spinning planet.
- Black Hole: Players tossed frisbees at a target.
- Going to Pieces: Players put together a puzzle painting.
- Shooting Stars: Players shot basketballs at a hoop.
- Lunar Lob: Players tossed foam balls at colored targets.
- Rocket Reducer: Players used cannons to knock out parts of a rocket.
- Trash the Lab: Players threw balls at a pyramid of flasks.
- Atom Smasher: Players turned a wheel to lift a weight that crushed an atom.
- Spaceman Rescue: Contestants threw life preservers to pull in an astronaut.
- Blast Off: Players turned a wheel to make a rocket pop balloons.
Winning a Fire Drill could really help a player. Sometimes, a contestant didn't answer many questions but won the game by doing well in Fire Drills. It was even possible to win with only one correct answer!
After two rounds of trivia, the first contestant to light up 14 squares on their desk won. If no one reached 14 squares, the player with the most squares won. The winner received $500 and moved on to the Honors Round. If there was a tie, the player with the most squares of their current color on the board won. The other two contestants received $50 and some other prizes. All contestants also got British Knights sneakers!
Honors Round
The Honors Round was the final challenge for the main game winner. The contestant chose one of three question categories. Each category had questions from all seven subjects used in the main game. The player had 45 seconds to answer one question correctly from each of the seven subjects.
Honors Round in Season 1
In the first season, each subject had only one question. The contestant could only give one answer per question. Each correct answer won $100. If a contestant answered all seven questions correctly, they won a total of $1,000!
Honors Round in Seasons 2 and 3
In later seasons, the game was a bit different. If a contestant missed or passed a question, they moved to the next subject. However, they could return to missed subjects later if they had time. The first six correct answers each won $100. If the contestant answered all seven questions correctly, they won a trip to Universal Studios Florida!
University Round
Sometimes, the game finished early. In the second and third seasons, a "University Round" was sometimes played. The day's winner took part in this bonus round. Five questions were asked, with increasing money prizes: $50, $100, $200, $500, and $1,000. The contestant could stop at any time and keep the money they had won. Any money or prizes won in earlier rounds were safe. The money won in the University Round was added to their total winnings.
Images for kids
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The official logo for the game show Make the Grade.
