| Category | Details |
| Episode Number | 0008 |
| Season | Season 1 (1969-1970) |
| Air Date | November 19, 1969 |
| Primary Theme | The "B" Treasure Hunt |
| Letters of the Day | A, B, X |
| Numbers of the Day | 3, 4, 5 |
| Muppet Highlights | Ernie erases Cookie Monster; Big Bird's self-esteem |
| Human Cast | Gordon, Susan, Bob, Mr. Hooper, Sally |
| Educational Focus | Auditory discrimination, counting legs, botany |
| Animal Guests | Rabbit, Wombat, Lamb (Sesame), Sandpiper, Crab |
| Key Sketches | Ernie’s X, Buddy and Jim’s Sandwich, Magic Glasses |
| Musical Numbers | "B is for Bubble", "5 Fingers on My Left Hand", "If You're Happy and You Know It" |
| Director | Jon Stone |
| Sponsors | A, B, X, 3, 5, CTW |
Summary
Gordon and Sally go on a hunt for the letter B and find a ball and a blue box. Mr. Hooper says Big Bird is a B word. This activity helps you connect a letter to a physical object. You learn the first steps of reading by searching your environment.
Ernie draws the letter X on the chalkboard. He finds out he can make things disappear. A monster won't leave the room. Ernie wipes the screen clean of the monster. This story's all about the letter X. It's basically a symbol for removal.
Mr. Hooper builds a chair with three legs. Gordon tells him the chair is broken. Mr. Hooper adds a fourth leg to fix the design. Then he builds a wagon with a missing wheel. These errors teach you about symmetry. You learn that objects need specific parts to work. Gordon shows a video of a wombat. He counts the four legs of the animal. You can see that nature uses these structures too.
Susan and Arianna are playing a game. Arianna closes her eyes and listens to the sounds around her. She identifies actions she can't see. There's a movie that shows a boy with magic glasses. He's attuned to the sounds of horses and bicycles. You learn to use your ears to understand the world. Big Bird brings a flower to Susan. They look closely at the parts of the plant. Classical music will be playing during this lesson.
The day ends with a new lamb named Sesame. The kids learn about feeding the animal. They understand that animals need constant care. Gordon says goodbye to the neighborhood.
Parent's Guide
Gordon and Sally are on the hunt for the letter B. They find a ball and a blue box. Mr. Hooper points out that Big Bird and a banana are both B words. Big Bird feels a bit down when he's compared to a fruit. Mr. Hooper explains that Big Bird is bigger than a banana. You teach your child to categorize objects by their sounds and sizes. Turn your grocery trip into a hunt for the letter B. Ask your child if a head of broccoli is bigger than a bean. This activity helps you learn new words and get better at spatial reasoning.
Ernie's been working on drawing the letter X, but he's being bothered by a monster. Ernie uses an eraser to make the monster disappear. There's a cartoon of a boy counting as he erases objects. You bring up the idea of subtraction. Kids need to learn that things can appear and then disappear. This is a big mental jump. Use a whiteboard to erase numbers as you count backward. This idea takes away a visual experience.
Susan and Arianna are playing a listening game. Arianna closes her eyes to try and guess what Susan is doing. A film shows a boy hearing a horse and an ice cream truck. You teach your child to focus on sounds. This skill helps a child follow directions at school. Try playing a quiet game at home for a minute. Ask your child to list every sound they hear. They might hear a humming fridge or a passing car.
Big Bird gives Susan a flower. They take a close look at the plant. A video shows the parts of a flower while music plays. You encourage your child to observe nature. It teaches them to notice small details. Use a magnifying glass to look at a leaf or a flower together. This is the foundation for scientific study.
Mr. Hooper builds a chair with three legs. Gordon says the chair isn't stable. Mr. Hooper adds a fourth leg to fix it. He makes the same mistake with a wagon. He gives the wagon only three wheels. You see, numbers have jobs. An object fails when a number is missing. You can't beat the stability you get from building with blocks. Ask your child if a tower is better off having a wider base.