| Category | Details |
| Episode Number | 0006 |
| Season | Season 1 (1969-1970) |
| Air Date | November 17, 1969 |
| Main Event | Block Party on Sesame Street |
| Letters of the Day | A, B, X |
| Numbers of the Day | 4, 5, 10 |
| Muppet Focus | Big Bird, Ernie, Bert, Kermit, Cookie Monster |
| Human Cast | Gordon, Susan, Bob, Mr. Hooper |
| Celebrity Guest | Burt Lancaster |
| Key Songs | "Brotherhood of Man", "Draw Me a Circle", "Funny Face" |
| Literature | Look At Me by Marguerita Rudolph |
| Key Animations | Ten Little Greeblies, Poverty X, Jazz #4, A-Machine |
| Notable Firsts | Big Bird says "Mr. Tooper"; first taped production episode |
| Sponsors | A, 4, CTW |
Summary
Episode 0006 kicks off the week with a block party. The neighborhood prepares for the event. This story's a good example of how people can work together. Gordon's in charge for the day. He shows you how different parts come together to make a whole object. He uses machine parts and tomatoes to explain this idea.
Susan gives Big Bird an orange and green necktie. Big Bird looks in the mirror for the first time. He's afraid of what he sees when he looks in the mirror. At first, he doesn't recognize himself. Gordon helps him understand the mirror. Buddy and Jim also see their reflections. They think the mirror shows a photo of each other. You learn about identity by seeing how people are confused about it. There's a book called Look At Me that's all about body parts. It shows how important reading is.
There was a mistake at Hooper's Store. Big Bird asks for four of an item. He calls Mr. Hooper by the wrong name. He says Mr. Tooper. Big Bird gets the word and the number four mixed up. This creates a problem in communication. Bert explains the number four to fix the error. He uses a film and a banana cream pie to show the value of the number.
The episode's jam-packed with info about sounds. Burt Lancaster recites the alphabet. Kermit the Frog tries to give a lecture on the letter B, but Cookie Monster eats the letter. This sabotage messes up the lesson. You see the shape of the letter before it disappears.
The block party starts at sunset. A Muppet family sings a song about brotherhood. Susan sings about drawing a circle. This song will help you remember the different shapes. The day ends with a celebration of the community.
Parent's Guide
Susan gives Big Bird a tie. Gordon brings a mirror so Big Bird can see the gift. Big Bird feels afraid because he doesn't recognize himself. Buddy and Jim look at a mirror and think they see a photo. These characters have a hard time recognizing themselves. By the time they're two, most kids understand their own reflection. Hey, why don't you and your kid stand together in front of a mirror and practice naming different body parts? Point to specific features or make faces. This game helps your child understand that they're their own person.
Big Bird goes to the store to do a favor for Susan. He asks Mr. Hooper for four of an item. This gives us a chance to talk about words that sound the same but mean different things. You can show your child how context changes a word. For example, think about giving a gift to a friend or to a group of four people.
Gordon shows a video of a red object. The camera stays close to the texture for a few seconds. The camera pulls back to show a tomato. This helps your child understand perspective. You see, objects look different from different distances. Hey, why not play a mystery object game at home? Just cover a toy with a cloth and show only a small part. Ask your child to guess the item before you reveal the whole thing.
The show starts with a boxer and a butterfly, and it uses the letter B. Kermit tries to teach the letter. Cookie Monster eats the letter before Kermit finishes. Using a tough image like a boxer and a gentle image like a butterfly shows that letters describe everything.
The men try to cook dinner while Susan is out. They mess up because they take the instructions too literally. The recipe says to beat the mixture. Bob leaves the room because he thinks the phrase means to run away. Kids often think in literal terms. You can use this example to explain different types of figures of speech. Explain that some words can have more than one action. This helps your child understand how adults speak.
There's a cartoon that shows ten little creatures called Greeblies. The creatures are leaving the group one by one. You see the group get smaller. Counting backward is a tough task for a child. You need to understand how to subtract. Practice counting down from ten before you start a race. This helps build the mental agility needed for math.