| Category | Details |
| Title | Professor Super Grover's School for Super-Heroes |
| Season & Episode | Season 35, Episode 4071 |
| Lessons & Themes | Problem-solving, active listening, teamwork, and alphabetical literacy. |
| Key Segments | Christopher Reeve’s Alphabet, Global Grover’s Camel, and Trash Gordon on Planet Snore-a-Lot. |
| Main Muppets | Grover, Rosita, Zoe, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Elmo |
| Human Guest(s) | Luis, Gabi, Maria |
| Special Guest(s) | Bill Cosby, James Earl Jones, Christopher Reeve |
| Letter & Number | H and 13 |
| Air Date | April 23, 2004 |
Facts
A Historic First Celebrity Cameo
The episode includes a vintage clip of actor James Earl Jones reciting the alphabet in a slow and methodical way. This footage is important because it was the first time a celebrity appeared on Sesame Street. The show's intense, dramatic performance set the standard for the thousands of famous guest stars who would eventually visit the neighborhood over the following decades.
The Rare Costume Mashup
Grover's got a pretty unique look for the main street story. He's got two of his most famous alter egos—the tweed Professor Grover jacket and glasses over his metallic Super Grover helmet and cape—and he's wearing them both at once. This specific visual mix is really rare and shows the physical comedy of the puppet trying to be two different characters at once.
Christopher Reeve Normalizes Disability
Actor Christopher Reeve makes a guest appearance with Ernie and Rubber Duckie to recite the alphabet. They originally filmed this back in 2000 after the horse accident that left him paralyzed, and then they aired it again in 2004. The show often used Reeve's appearances to help normalize physical disabilities and wheelchairs for its young preschool audience.
A Living Alphabet Letter
Most educational segments about letters use animation or signs, but this street story features a living, breathing Letter H. Joey Mazzarino was the puppeteer and head writer. He operated the physical letter Muppet that gets chased up a tree by an elephant. It mixes the show's main educational stuff with the action and dialogue of the plot.
The Short-Lived Mail It Shop
During the episode, Luis and Gabi say no to Grover's offer to join his superhero school because they're too busy working at the Mail It Shop. This is about a short period in the show's history. Between Seasons 33 and 37, the famous Fix-It Shop was temporarily changed into a mail and delivery center to show how the neighborhood's businesses were changing, and then it was changed back.
A nod to a classic cartoon
When Professor Super Grover plays a recording of a distressed chicken to test his students, a hero named "Super Chicken" suddenly appears to help. This quick visual gag is a subtle nod to the classic 1967 animated television character Super Chicken. The writers actually included it as an Easter egg to entertain the older parents watching the show with their kids.
Using an Old Song about Transportation
In the Global Grover part of the show, they play a fun, upbeat song called "There's a Lot of Different Ways to Get to School." The voice of this music is provided by the legendary Muppeteer Jerry Nelson. This song wasn't recorded new for this 2004 broadcast—it's a vintage piece of Sesame Street media that first aired in 1990.
Parent's Guide
The class meets a panicked elephant and a Muppet Letter H stuck in a tree. Grover asks some pretty unhelpful questions. Rosita's approach is a bit different. She asks the elephant why he's jumping. The elephant isn't mean. He has an itchy back. The kids scratch his back. The elephant calms down. The H-shaped piece of the puzzle falls down without any problems. It's a great way to learn about resolving conflicts. Kids often react to big energy with fear. It's important to teach your child to ask how someone's feeling before they judge. A lot of problems are unmet needs. Help your child figure out what's bothering them. This helps them deal with social conflict.
Cookie Monster hides the letter H cookie in his stomach. You should use a hide and seek theme to practice phonics. Hide a hat or a hippo around the room. Have your child find these objects. This links the letter shape to physical play.
Maria teaches Grover that "Hola" means "Hello." Everyone leaves before he can say the word. It's a good idea to practice greeting games at home. Use Hola when someone enters a room. This helps your child feel comfortable with bilingual cues. It helps you feel more confident when you're learning a second language.
Professor Super Grover gives everyone superhero names. Rosita becomes Super Guitar Girl. Zoe becomes Super Tutu. This activity is great for building self-esteem. You should help your child choose a great name based on a talent. A child might be a Super Builder or a Super Runner. This shows that they're interested. It shows that hobbies are a form of power that can be used to help others.
Grover tells the class to shout for help. Luis and Gabi run from the shop to save them. This is a good example of how to stay safe. It's important to talk to your kids about the difference between play and a real emergency. Use this episode to set up a safety word. If your child is in trouble, teach them to raise their voice. Adults are there to listen for that word. This makes people feel more secure. It teaches your child when to call for an adult.
Thirteen dancing vegetables celebrate the number of the day. You should try to count how many vegetables you eat at dinner. Have your child count the pieces of broccoli or carrots. This makes math feel like it's a part of the meal, not just something separate.
There's an animation of two men talking about hats. You should ask your child to pick a favorite hat today. Use this to celebrate the letter H.
Summary
My Favorite Sesame Street Moments: Bill Cosby describes his favorite time on Sesame Street: "I saw James Earl Jones on Sesame Street. It was absolutely wonderful to see him working with the children. It really spoke to me and said celebrities have a place in the field of education and television. I said i can do that too and to this day i still owe Sesame Street the letter o."
Professor Super Grover's School for Superheroes: Zoe and Rosita appear. A great new school is about to start today on Sesame Street. This is a school for superheroes. Grover rings the bell and everyone gathers in class. Super Grover is dressed like a professor.
He is so excited because he always wanted a school for superheroes and at last his dream has come true. Professor Grover sees Gabi and Luis and thinks they're coming for superhero school. But they have packages to deliver. Professor Super Grover thinks learning to harness superpowers can come in very handy.
Professor Super Grover says looks like everybody is here and good morning. Zoe, Rosita and the kids also answer him and they are ready to begin. Grover starts the lesson, but he does not know what to do and cannot find his notes. Zoe notes that sometimes teachers want everyone to say their name. So they know who's there.
Grover explains that is just what he was about to suggest only in superhero school they will all need a new super name. This is something special about who they are and the superhero that they wish to be. Rosita loves to play her guitar so her name is "Super Guitar Girl". Zoe gets a dance-related name, Super Tutu, because she loves dance.
Other kids take names like "super propeller head, super construction worker, super ponytail". They pick a superhero name for themselves too good then they are ready to move on. Professor Super Grover has a hard time remembering what they to do next.
Rosita plays her guitar and says they can say the alphabet. According to Zoe, this idea is great because they might run into a letter that's in trouble and needs their help. Grover tells that superheroes do not just say the alphabet, they sing the alphabet and dance with it. Super alphabet music starts playing. Super Grover dances and they all sing the alphabet together.
Grover thinks with his super-brain, but still can't remember what to do next. Zoe and Rosita want to learn animal sounds. So that way if they hear one in trouble, they'll know what kind of animal it is and they can help them. It is not in the syllabus but they are in luck because Grover just has his trusty "animal in distress identification kit".
Now can superheroes tell what kind of animal is in trouble? Grover turns on the kit and plays an animal sound. Zoe thinks it's a cat. Very good, that is indeed a cat in a quandary or perhaps on a hot tin roof. Then the kids know that the second animal voice belongs to a monkey. The third sound is the sound of a chicken. Hearing this sound, Super Chicken comes there.
Grover explains that a real chicken isn't in trouble, and it's just about the lesson. Super Chicken leaves angry, and now they know how an angry chicken sounds. They start another lesson. First there is one important word every superhero needs to know and that word is help. But rather than just tell they about it, Grover shall now give they a dramatic presentation. He starts shouting the word help and asks the others to join him. The whole class and he yells "help".
Gabi and Luis heard they shout help and ran right over. Zoe and Rosita say they're fine, just learning an important superhero word. Professor Super Grover thinks Gabi and Luis came so fast and they would make terrific superheroes. Are they sure they do not wish to matriculate? But they still have packages to deliver and they go away.
Grover and the students hear some noises. They see an H on the top of a tree and an elephant running on the ground. They should ask the elephant some questions to find out what's going on.
Rosita asks the elephant why is he so angry. That's a good question, the elephant is not angry and he didn't mean to scare that poor little h up there either. The elephant is just trying to scratch an itch on his back and he can't seem to reach it and it's so so itchy.
This sounds like a job for a bunch of superheroes. They scratch the elephant's back and that really works. The relieved elephant thanks the superheroes and leaves. So the letter H, afraid of the elephant, jumps down from the tree.
The letter H tells that each of them is a real hero. Zoe thinks they never could have done it without Professor Super Grover. Grover is proud and finally announces that they are all official superheroes. So he have prepared a little graduation speech. Rosita ve Zoe thinks they have a great time being a superhero but now they want to get back dancing and playing guitar. Grover is now alone in his graduation speech.
Song: Some kids sing "At School" about school.
The Letter of the Day H: Cookie Monster greets the audience and states that he will show the letter of the day. Today's letter look like letter H. Cookie Monster moves the cookie with the letter H on it, first to his ear and then to his nose. He thinks that sound and smell like letter h but does it taste like letter h? That tastes like letter H.
The word hungry starts with the letter H, which makes Cookie Monster hungry. He wants to eat the letter of the day, but another H word comes to mind and stops: hold it! He finds another beautiful H word: hide. He wants to hide the cookie, so where can he hide the cookie? But there is nowhere to hide the cookie. Cookie Monster finally decides to hide the cookie in his tummy and eats it. That is very well hidden.
Cartoon: In a cartoon, two men use the H words. The following conversations take place between the two men:
Film: The letter H grow in a garden.
Muppets: Maria teaches Grover the Spanish word of the day: hola.
Journey to Ernie: Big Bird is trying to find out the difference between big, bigger and biggest. However, suddenly Journey to Ernie is announced. It starts to snow and Ernie shows up with Rubber Ducky. Rubber Ducky gives Big Bird a hint about the game: 3.
Big Bird counts to ten, when she opens her eyes she is in a cold and icy place. It's so chilly, icy and snowy there. A bear appears and says that they call there chilly, icy and snowyville... Big Bird finally finds Ernie as a snowman.
Celebrity: Ernie greets the audience and he is there with his good friend Christopher Reeve and Rubber Ducky. Chris, Rubber Ducky and Ernie are going to say the alphabet. Chris is surprised that Rubber Ducky knows the alphabet. They will take turns and Rubber Ducky can just say the letters he knows and they can do the rest. Chris, Rubber Ducky and Ernie say the alphabet in taking turns.
Global Grover: Grover just back from a quick trip around the world. He says some places children ride camels for go to school. Grover wants to ride a camel named Sidney to go to school, but after some attempts he can't. This is harder than he thought. What is he going to do, today is show and tell day and he wanted him to meet all his friends. Sidney tells there are other ways to get to school. For this, they need to watch a music clip.
Jerry Nelson sings "Different ways to get to school."
After the song, Grover says Sidney is right and there are a lot of different ways to get to school all over the world. Sidney doesn't want to be late for school. Grover wants Sydney to ride on him. But next time they will take the bus.
Animation: Two clay cavemen named Red and Brown want to build something with stone blocks. But Brown is careless and one of the blocks falls at Red's feet. While Red is tending to his injured foot, he pushes Brown away because he is angry with him. Brown makes a bunch of clay flowers to apologize, but it doesn't work because Red is asleep. Eventually he notices that it's getting colder and covers Red with a blanket.
The Number of the Day 13: By playing the pipe organ, The Count discovers that the number of the day is 13. The 13 vegetables and the Count dance wildly to celebrate.
Film: A little girl first types 13 on the computer and then finds 13 from among different numbers. Finally she win thirteen thingamabobs.
Cartoon: Count to 13 using various creature numbers. Number Creatures 13.
Elmo's World Firefighters: In the episode of Elmo's World Firefighters, Elmo learns about firefighters and what they do. Elmo's World Firefighters also features Sesame Street characters such as Miss Noodle, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, Baby Bear, The Big Bad Wolf, and Dorothy.
The Adventures of Trash Gordon Chapter 269 Planet Snore a Lot: Oscar says Slimey although he do enjoy Slimey's pestering he will read his book. Then Oscar the Grouch starts reading Trash Gordon's adventure in chapter 269.
"when we last left our hero, he was on the 'planet snore-a-lot' trying to get some sleep even heroes need some shut-eye. Unfortunately all the snoritians were snoring even the pillows and blankets were snoring. It was a sight for snore eyes. How would trash ever get to sleep with all that noise? Luckily our hero had brought along something noisier: his bugle.
Everyone woke up the Trash heroically turned to them and said: Sesame Street has been brought to you today by the letter H and by the number 13. Then Trash Gordon boldly fell asleep."
Sesame Street Episode 4071, "Professor Super Grover's School for Superheroes" ends.