Episodes

  • Trolls in the Harbor!

    Trolls in the Harbor!
    Aug 14 2025
    Episode Description: Trolly Moly the Trolls are back! A surprise messenger sends Max & Molly off to ancient Egypt to stop the Trolls from sabotaging the legendary Lighthouse of Alexandria. Can they decode a watery weapon, navigate nautical math, and save one of the Seven Wonders of the World? Math Concepts: Division and ratios; Patterns and extrapolation; Estimating and solving with proportional reasoning; Understanding speed units like knots and converting between degrees, arc minutes, and arc seconds; Calculating how long it takes to travel one degree of latitude at a given speed.History/Geography Concepts: The history and significance of the Lighthouse of Alexandria; Use of lighthouses in ancient maritime navigation; How ancient ports like Alexandria supported trade and cultural exchange; Protractors and angles in real-world physics (catapults); Cultural geography: Nile Delta, ancient Egypt, ancient Alexandria
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    18 mins
  • Are We There, Yeti?

    Are We There, Yeti?
    Aug 7 2025
    Max and Molly follow a cryptic ice cream clue to the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, where they meet a Sherpa named Amarita and learn about the legend of the Yeti. As they explore the region’s history, they uncover how myths can protect culture, ecology, and even scare off evil. Along the way, they break down measurement conversions and altitude math to track their frosty path. But with POGs lurking nearby, their mission takes on a whole new layer of importance. Math Concepts: Unit Conversion: Centimeters to inches/Inches to feet;Comparative Subtraction: Altitude difference between home and Mount Everest Base Camp (16,900 ft - 771 ft = 16,129 ft) Division & Estimation:Ice cream cost per sandwich (10 ÷ 12 ≈ $0.83)History/Geography Concepts: Introduction to the Himalayas & Mount Everest; Folklore and the legend of the Yeti; Importance of Sherpas in Himalayan expeditions. Critical Thinking – Cryptids and the balance between myth and meaning; Legends as tools for conservation, unity, and wonder
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    20 mins
  • Whack-a-Mole!

    Whack-a-Mole!
    Jul 31 2025
    Episode Description: When a marching band practice turns into a math-filled magic show, Max and Molly stumble upon suspicious activity involving real moles, fake teachers, and a very old-school printer. Can they figure out what the POGs are planning before it's too late? Math Concepts: Probability and Fractions: Calculating odds (e.g., 1 in 52 chance = 1.923%); Converting fractions to percentages (7/8 = 87.5%); Ratios & Proportions; Permutations with Repetition: 2^3 = 8 possible outcomes for 3 suspects being Mole or Not MoleHistory/Geography Concepts: Classic spy tools like encoded messages, antenna signals, and scroll-like printouts
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    18 mins
  • A New Old School (Part 2)

    A New Old School (Part 2)
    Jul 24 2025
    Episode Description: Max and Molly team up with a surprising ally—Aunt M’s teenage boyfriend Murph—as they race to help save the Apollo 13 astronauts from disaster. But strange things are still happening in the time-warped school, and Charlene’s mysterious assignment might be more dangerous than she realizes. Math Concepts: Subtraction and Time Intervals; Multiplication and Division; Ratios and Proportions; Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation: Applying the formula for gravitational force (F = GMm/R²) to calculate acceleration from the moon’s pull; Unit Conversions & Scientific Notation: Newtons, kilograms, meters per second, volts. History/Geography Concepts: Apollo 13 Mission (1970): including learning about spacecraft structure (Command Module, Lunar Module), CO₂ scrubbers, and gravitational slingshot maneuvers.
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    18 mins
  • A New Old School (Part 1)

    A New Old School (Part 1)
    Jul 17 2025
    Episode Description: Max and Molly are shocked to discover their school has mysteriously time-warped back to 1970—and so has Aunt Murgatroyd, who’s now a teenager again. As they navigate outdated vending machines, retro slang, and payphones, they realize something more sinister may be at play. For one thing, there is a rocket emergency in outer space – while closer to home, the POGs seem to be targeting a young Aunt M – and Charlene may be helping them! Math Concepts: Elapsed time calculation (i.e. - 2025 minus 1970 = 55 years); Basic probability concepts; Fractions and percentages; Pattern recognition; Estimation and coin math. History/Geography Concepts: The Apollo 13 crisis – a real-world 1970 event involving NASA’s near-catastrophic moon mission. Cultural context of 1970s America: decor, fashion, technology, and retro candy
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    18 mins
  • POG-Nosticators

    POG-Nosticators
    Jul 10 2025
    Episode Description: Max and Molly try to decode a mysterious POG message hidden in the Statue of Liberty's torch, but they are overwhelmed by permutations—until a clue from a previous mission shines new light. The clues lead them to 16th-century France, where they use a clever time trick to gain the trust of famed psychic, Nostradamus. Can he help them catch a POG Mole without blowing their cover? Math Concepts: Permutations without repetition (factorials); Simple multiplication and pattern building with factorials (7! = 5040; 8! = 40,320) History/Geography Concepts: Introduction to Nostradamus: his visions, writings, and court life in 16th-century France; Catherine de Medici and King Henri II’s court; Palace intrigue and the role of advisors in Renaissance politics; Zen koans and Buddhist philosophy
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    19 mins
  • Sunken Treasure!

    Sunken Treasure!
    Jul 3 2025
    Episode Description: When a poetic message in a bottle leads Max and Molly back to 1835, they dive into an underwater mission to help Charles Darwin collect marine life for scientific study. Outfitted with SCUBA gear, they descend 99 feet into the ocean, facing rising pressure, nitrogen limits, and even a whale song or two. Along the way, they explore the invention of the aquarium and how light and sound behave underwater. The real treasure turns out to be a mysterious fossil—possibly linked to the POGs’ cryptic code. Math Concepts: Volume of a rectangular prism (Length × Width × Height), atmospheric pressure increases per 33 feet of depth, calculating percentage change (SCUBA air pressure reduction), estimating time and depth limitations based on pressure/nitrogen absorption, basic division with decimals and scientific notation (e.g., .00735), concept of buoyancy and neutral buoyancy as a balance of forces History/Geography Concepts: The Theory of Evolution & Charles Darwin’s 1835 voyage aboard the HMS BeagleGalapagos, marine iguanas and biodiversity, Invention of the aquarium by Jeanne Villepreux-Power (1832) Marine biology: coral, plankton, cephalopods, SCUBA mechanics, how light and sound waves behave differently in water vs. air Color absorption in deep water and its effect on perception, Early women scientists and scientific credit, Use of SCUBA gear: tank pressure, regulators, gauges, buoyancy vests
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    19 mins
  • It’s All About the Timing (and Time Traveling!)

    It’s All About the Timing (and Time Traveling!)
    Jun 26 2025
    Episode Description: When Aunt Murgatroyd reveals a fractured Time Radio crystal is the cause behind Max’s missing soccer cleats, Molly’s misplaced drumsticks and a poorly timed time travel – the Problem Solvers are sent back to the Centennial International Exhibition in 1876 Philadelphia to get answers. While there, they uncover a secret POG message in the Statue of Liberty’s torch (which is on display). But just as they start to decode it, a familiar enemy appears with an unexpected twist. Math Concepts: Volume of a rhombic prism: V = ((D1 × D2) ÷ 2) × L; Breaking multiplication into parts for easier mental math; Multiplying and dividing decimals;Understanding and calculating angle sums (360° total; opposite angles equal); Basic principles of codebreaking and sequencing History/Geography Concepts: Centennial International Exhibition (Philadelphia, 1876); Construction and oxidation of the Statue of Liberty; Timeline of electrical invention (gas lamps vs. Edison's light bulb); 19th-century American coinage (Seated Liberty vs. modern quarters); U.S. cultural exports: ketchup, root beer, popcorn
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    19 mins