The question appears on the screen.

Four possible answers.

One team immediately thinks they know the answer.

Another isn’t quite sure.

Instead of rushing to respond, someone quietly asks,

“Has everyone shared their idea?”

The discussion continues.

One child changes their mind after hearing a teammate’s reasoning.

Another suggests using a lifeline.

The final answer is given—not by the quickest thinker, but by the whole team.

The familiar format of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? has entertained audiences for years. This classroom adaptation keeps the excitement of answering questions and progressing through increasingly challenging rounds, but it changes something much more important than the questions themselves.

It changes what success looks like.

Instead of climbing a money ladder, teams climb a Community Ladder, progressing through milestones such as Listen & Respect, Helping Others, Fair Decision, Repair After Mistake and finally, We Belong Together. Knowledge still matters, but so does the way the team works together to reach each answer.

Every child has a role.

The Connector makes sure everyone has the opportunity to contribute.

The Listener repeats and values another person’s idea.

The Helper encourages teammates and invites quieter voices into the discussion.

The Speaker shares the team’s final answer.

The Feelings Checker helps the team recognise emotions and choose a simple strategy if excitement or disappointment begins to take over.

Even the lifelines reinforce connectedness. Rather than encouraging individual success, they encourage interdependence. Teams can ask the whole class for help, seek another team’s reasoning, or use structured discussion before making a decision. Children discover that asking for help is not a weakness—it is part of learning together.

Perhaps the most powerful adaptation comes when a team answers incorrectly.

Nobody is eliminated.

Nobody is embarrassed.

Instead, the team pauses for a brief Community Repair. They remind themselves, “We’re still a team.” Another team offers a short message of encouragement before the game continues.

Mistakes become opportunities to learn rather than reasons to give up.

As teachers, we can reinforce this by celebrating not only correct answers, but also the behaviours that help a community thrive. Listening carefully, including quieter classmates, asking for help respectfully and encouraging others can all earn Connection Tokens, reminding children that how we learn together is just as important as what we know.

Perhaps that is the greatest lesson this game offers.

Knowledge can help us answer questions.

But connectedness helps us learn, grow and succeed together.

Sometimes the best answer in the room isn’t held by one child.

It’s built by the whole community.